TRANSITIVITY TRANSITIVITY ANALYSISANALYSIS

PRACTICEPRACTICE

Identify process and

participants in the

following clauses and

label the process as

MATERIAL, MENTAL, MATERIAL, MENTAL,

VERBAL, RELATIONAL or VERBAL, RELATIONAL or

EXISTENTIAL. EXISTENTIAL.

THE RUFFIANS THE RUFFIANS ROBBED HIM.ROBBED HIM.

THE RUFFIANS ROBBED HIMTHE RUFFIANS ROBBED HIM Actor Process

Goal MATERIAL EFFECTIVE Meaning: an action inthe outside world that is

observable Number and kind of participants: Two: Actor/ Goal. The second participant is affected by the Process Do to/do with probe: What did they do to him?

Tense Test: Present in Present: “The ruffians are

robbing him”

JAMES ASKED A QUESTIONJAMES ASKED A QUESTION

JAMES ASKED A QUESTIONJAMES ASKED A QUESTION Sayer Process Verbiage

VERBAL (reporting)Meaning: Verbalization of thought.Number and kind of participants: Two:

Sayer/VerbiageDo to/do with probe: No substitution by doTense Test: Simple Present as unmarked tenseCapacity to project: “James asked if they

would come to the meeting”Presence of receiver: James asked him a

question

SHE BECAME UPSET.SHE BECAME UPSET.

SHE BECAME UPSET.SHE BECAME UPSET.Carrier Process

AttributeRELATIONAL, ATTRIBUTIVE,

INTENSIVE

Meaning: Assigning somebody a quality or attribute (realized by an adjective)

Number and kind of participants: Two: Carrier and Attribute

Carrier and Attribute are non-reversible

HE REMOVED HIS CAP.HE REMOVED HIS CAP.

HE REMOVED HIS CAPHE REMOVED HIS CAP Actor Process Goal

MATERIAL EFFECTIVE Meaning: an action inthe outside world that is observable

Number and kind of participants: Two: Actor/ Goal. The second participant is affected by the

Process Do to/do with probe: What did he do to his cap?

Tense Test: Present in Present: “He’s removing his cap”

IT WAS THE BEST CONCERT EVER.IT WAS THE BEST CONCERT EVER.

IT WAS THE BEST ...IT WAS THE BEST ...

Token Process Value RELATIONAL IDENTIFYING INTENSIVEMeaning: Identifying an entity by reference to

some other entityNumber and kind of participants: Two:

Token/ValuePresence of a definite nominal group: “the best

concert” Token and value are reversible: “The best concert was this

one”

THEY MOVED.THEY MOVED.

THEY MOVEDTHEY MOVED Actor Process MATERIAL MIDDLE

Meaning: an action in the outside world that is observable

Number and kind of participants: One. Actor only Do to/do with probe: What did they

do? Tense Test: Present in Present: “They

are moving”

SHE GAVE HIM THE FARM.SHE GAVE HIM THE FARM.

SHE GAVE HIM THE FARMSHE GAVE HIM THE FARM. Actor Process Beneficiary Goal

MATERIAL EFFECTIVE ( giving type)Meaning: an action in the outside world that isobservableNumber and kind of participants: Three. Actor/Goal/ Beneficiary (Recipient)Do to/do with probe: What did she do with thefarm?Tense Test: Present in Present: “She’s giving

himthe farm”.

HAS HE GOT A PLAN?HAS HE GOT A PLAN?

HAS HE GOT A PLAN?HAS HE GOT A PLAN?Process Carrier Process AttributeRELATIONAL ATTRIBUTIVE

POSSESSIVEMeaning: havingNumber and kind of participants: Two:Carrier/ AttributePresence of an indefinite nominal group: “a plan”Carrier and Attribute are non-reversible

GANGS ATTACKED THE PRESIDENTGANGS ATTACKED THE PRESIDENT

GANGS ATTACKED THE PRESIDENTGANGS ATTACKED THE PRESIDENT Actor Process Goal

MATERIAL EFFECTIVEMeaning: an action that can be observable Number and kind of participants: Two.

Actor and GoalDo to/ do with probe: What did they do to

thePresident?Tense Test: Present in Present: “The gangs

areattacking the President”

HE WAS IN THE PHONEHE WAS IN THE PHONE

BOOTH.BOOTH.

HE WAS IN THE PHONE…HE WAS IN THE PHONE…Carrier Process AttributeRELATIONAL ATTRIBUTIVE CIRCUMSTANTIALMeaning: Assigning somebody a

circumstanceNumber and kind of participants: Two:Carrier/ AttributePresence of a circumstance (PP): “in thephone booth” Carrier and Attribute are non-reversible

THE PRESIDENT WAS THE PRESIDENT WAS

ATTACKED BY GANGS.ATTACKED BY GANGS.

THE PRESIDENTTHE PRESIDENT GOAL

WAS ATTACKEDWAS ATTACKED PROCESS

BY GANGSBY GANGS ACTOR

THE PRESIDENT WAS ATTACKED BYTHE PRESIDENT WAS ATTACKED BY

GANGSGANGS

Goal Process Actor

MATERIAL EFFECTIVEMeaning: an action in the outside world thatis observableNumber and kind of participants: Two.Goal/ActorDo to/do with probe: What was done to the P?Tense Test: Present in Present: “The

Presidentis being attacked by gangs”.

THE FARMER SAW THETHE FARMER SAW THE

BATTLE ON THE BRIDGE.BATTLE ON THE BRIDGE.

THE FARMER SAW THE BATTLE…THE FARMER SAW THE BATTLE… Senser Process Phenomenon

MENTAL ( perception)

Meaning: states of mind or psychological events.

Number and kind of participants: Two. Senser/PhenomenonTense Test: Simple Present as unmarked

Present inPresent: “The farmer sees the battle”Capacity to project: “The farmer saw that the

battlewas over”.

THERE WILL BE A STORM SOON.THERE WILL BE A STORM SOON.

THERE WILL BE A STORM SOON.THERE WILL BE A STORM SOON. Process Existent

Circums EXISTENTIALMeaning: An entity exists.Number and kind of participants: One.

TheExistent. (The word “There” is not aParticipant but only a syntactic marker).Tense Test: Simple Present as unmarkedPresent: “There is a storm in the sea”Unstressed “there” in Subject position.

HE HAD A GAME OF CATCH.HE HAD A GAME OF CATCH.

HE HAD A GAME OF CATCH.HE HAD A GAME OF CATCH. Actor Process Range

MATERIAL WITH RANGEMeaning: an action in the outside

worldthat is obserbable.Number and kind of participants: Two.Actor/RangeDo to/do with probe: Present in

Present:“He’s having a game of catch”

““BUT WE’LL GET COLD”, BUT WE’LL GET COLD”,

SAID RACHELSAID RACHEL

““BUT WE’LL GET COLD”,SAID RACHELBUT WE’LL GET COLD”,SAID RACHEL

Locution Process Sayer

VERBAL (quoting)Meaning: Verbalization of thought.Number and kind of participants: One: SayerDo to/do with probe: No substitution by doTense Test: Simple Present as unmarked

tenseCapacity to project: “Rachel said that they

wouldget cold”Presence of receiver: He told me the truth.

THE TIMETABLE THE TIMETABLE

SUGGESTED THERE SUGGESTED THERE

WERE ALTERNATIVE WERE ALTERNATIVE

FLIGHTS.FLIGHTS.

THE TIMETABLE SUGGESTEDTHE TIMETABLE SUGGESTED Sayer Process

THERE WERE ALTERNATIVE FLIGHTS.THERE WERE ALTERNATIVE FLIGHTS.

locution

VERBAL (reporting)

Number and kind of participants: One: Sayer

Presence of Receiver: The timetable suggested

to us that there were alternative flights.