Verb Movement (Class Exercise -- Graduate Syntax I)

Syntax I Fall 2025

Classroom Exercise: Verb Movement in French

Objective: To learn how to draw tree diagrams of well-known examples from French in order to discuss theoretical issues involving head movement.

Instructions: Students take 20-25 minutes to draw the trees below. Students are not allowed to use any outside sources in drawing these trees. 

Topics to Discuss: head adjunction, Mirror Principle, HMC, Extension Condition, c-command.

Source: Pollock, Jean-Yves. 1989. Verb Movement, Universal Grammar, and the Structure of

IP. Linguistic Inquiry 20.3: 365-424.

1. Jean (n’)     aime     pas   Marie.

Jean (NEG) likes   NEG Marie

‘Jean doesn’t like Marie.’

2. Aime-t-il        Marie?

like-t-3M.SG Marie

‘Does he like Marie?’

3. a. Jean embrasse souvent  Marie.

Jean kisses       often   Marie

‘Jean often kisses Marie.’

b. *Jean souvent embrasse Marie.

c. Jean a souvent embrassé Marie. (ChatGPT)

Jean has often  kissed     Marie.

“Jean has often kissed Marie.’

4. a. Mes amis  aiment tous Marie

my friends like    all    Marie

‘My friends all like Marie.’

b. *Mes amis tous aiment Marie

5. a. Pierre n      ’a       rien      mangé

Pierre NEG have nothing eaten

‘Pierre has eaten nothing.’

b. *Pierre n’a         mangé    rien

6. a. Pierre ne   mange       rien

Pierre NEG eats nothing

‘Pierre doesn’t eat anything.’

b. *Pierre ne rien mange

7. a. Ne    pas    regarder la   télévision… (subject infinitival clause)

NEG NEG watch    the television…

‘Not to watch TV…’

b. *Ne regarder pas la télévision…