Semantics (unit 5)

The ...............of a simple declarative sentence is the word (sometimes a group of words) which does not belong to any of the referring expressions and which, of the remainder, makes the most specific contribution to the meaning of the sentence. Intuitively speaking, the predicator describes the state or process in which the referring expressions are involved.

Ho Chi Minh is patriotic. Ho Chi Minh is .................

• predicator

• referring expression

Answer explanation

because we have Ho Chi Minh in our mind

Ho Chi Minh is patriotic. patriotic is...............

• predicator

• referring expression

Answer explanation

we have no image in our minds although it has sense

Mai is in the room. Referring expression is

• Mai

• is in

• the room

The predicators in sentences can be

• adjectives

• verbs

• prepositions

• nouns

• tobe

Words of other parts of speech such as conjunctions (and, but, or) and articles (the,a) cannot serve as predicators in sentence

• T

• F

..........is the element of a clause that expresses the action, event, or state. It is often the main verb or verb phrase.

• the predicator

• argument

are the components of a sentence that are required to complete the meaning of the predicator, can be subjects, objects, or complements.

• arguments

• predicators

She reads a book

• two-place predicates

• one-place predicate

He laughed

• one-place predicate

• two-place predicates