- The pilot flew the plane.
The specified sentence contains an argument with a subject in the noun phrase (NP), ‘The pilot flew.’ The core argument is also expressed via the use of the direct object, ‘the plane.’ Therefore, the NP in question contains a core argument. The NP, ‘flew the plane,’ also represents a core argument since the noun and the verb are linked semantically and represent a set phrase. - The plane was flown by the pilot.
In the sentence above, the NP ‘by the pilot’ represents the oblique argument since the relationship in it is indicated by the preposition ‘by.’ The NP ‘The plane was flown’ is also defined as an oblique argument, with ‘plane’ being the subject upon which an action was performed. Therefore, the sentence is a case of two oblique arguments. - A rock smashed the glass.
A closer look at the relationship between the subject and the predicate shows that it cannot be separated without breaking the semantic connection. Without the object, ‘the glass,’ the sentence has no meaning, which leads to the conclusion that the specified NP is a case of two core arguments (‘a rock’ and ‘the glass’). - Noah smashed the glass with a rock.
Unlike the previous example, the case under analysis includes not only an argument but also an adjunct. Specifically, the NP ‘Noah smashed the glass’ showcases a core argument relationship, with the verb ‘smashed’ taking a direct object, ‘the glass.’ ‘The glass’ can also be interpreted as a core object as a direct subject of the sentence. However, the NP ‘with a rock’ can be disconnected from the rest of the sentence without disrupting its semantic pattern, implying that it is an oblique adjunct. - My boss assigned me an important task.
The sentence above is quite peculiar since it incorporates three cases of core arguments. The NPs ‘boss assigned’, ‘assigned me,’ and ‘assigned an important task’ represent core arguments with a subject, ‘boss,’ and two direct objects, ‘me’ and ‘task.’ Therefore, the three provide examples for each of the types of a core argument. - My boss assigned an important task to me.
In the sentence above, a similar situation is observed with three core arguments, yet the third connection is expressed via an indirect object (specifically, with a preposition, ‘to’). Thus, ‘boss’ remains the core argument as the subject, ‘an important task’ is a direct object linked to ‘assigned,’ while the connection between the verb and the object acted upon is expressed with the help of a preposition ‘to.’ - The cleaner laid the blanket on the bed.
The sentence above incorporates two core arguments, expressed by the subject ‘the cleaner’ and the direct object ‘the blanket,’ and an oblique argument expressed by the indirect object, ‘on the bed.’ The phrase ‘lay the blanket on the bed’ can be seen as a single semantic unit implying making the bed. It has to be considered semantically linked to the verb and represents three arguments (two core ones and an oblique one). - The cleaner dropped the blanket on the bed.
In contrast to the previous case, the specified sentence incorporates two core arguments and an oblique adjunct. The first core argument is the subject, ‘cleaner,’ and the second one is a direct object, ‘the blanket.’ However, unlike in the previous scenario, the current one does not imply a set phrase, making the NP ‘on the bed’ semantically detached and, therefore, an oblique adjunct. - They played football for three days.
The sentence under analysis contains two core arguments, specifically, ‘they’ (the subject) and ‘football’ (a direct object and a part of a set phrase). The part ‘for three days,’ however, includes a preposition, which makes it an oblique argument. - They washed the dishes for their mother one day.
The example above incorporates all three types of NPs. Within ‘They washed,’ ‘they’ is a subject and, therefore, a core argument. The same can be applied to ‘the dishes,’ making a set phrase with ‘washed’ (a direct object). However, ‘their mother’ is an oblique argument due to the presence of a preposition. Finally, ‘one day’ can be defined as a semantic unit and an adverbial modifier of time, making it an oblique adjunct.
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