Phi manualPart IVGrammar

Section 6 of 6

Chapter 10 The mindful sentence

Exercises: constructing sentences

These exercises move from the unmarked Subject-Object-Verb clause to particles, manner, and full noun phrases. Every answer is a complete Phi sentence with its period.

Exercise 1: subject, object, verb

The first three sentences establish the order. The remaining three are for translation, with the subject first, the object second, and the verb last.

  1. mia shelu theo. — I read the book.
  2. thia thepalu temoe. — You tend the garden.
  3. phao melu shelomu. — The parent understands the friend.
  4. The friend reads the book.
  5. I help the parent.
  6. You understand the book.

Exercise 2: tense

This exercise adds to for a past event or so for a future event. The particle belongs before the verb.

  • mia shelu theo. — I read the book.
  • mia shelu to theo. — I read the book in the past.
  • mia shelu so theo. — I will read the book.

The remaining sentences:

  1. The parent helped the friend.
  2. You will understand the book.
  3. I will tend the garden.

Exercise 3: aspect and manner

The target forms are si for an event in progress, ki for one complete at the present reference time, and a descriptor immediately before the verb for manner.

  • phao shelu si theo. — The parent is reading the book.
  • phao shelu ki theo. — The parent has read the book.
  • phao shelu maeli theo. — The parent reads the book quietly.

The remaining sentences:

  1. I am tending the garden.
  2. You have understood the book.
  3. The friend was reading quietly.

Exercise 4: Slot 0 frames

Each answer begins with the appropriate frame.

  • wa thia shelu theo. — Do you read the book?
  • no shelu theo. — Read the book.
  • pi no shelu theo. — Please read the book.
  • lu thia shelu theo. mia so shelomu. — If you read the book, I will understand.

The remaining sentences:

  1. Does the friend help?
  2. Please tend the garden.
  3. If you understand the book, you will help me.

Exercise 5: passive voice

In each passive answer, the patient moves to subject position and se precedes the verb.

  • phao shelu theo. — The parent reads the book.
  • shelu se theo. — The book is read.

The remaining sentences:

  1. The garden is tended.
  2. The book is understood.

The final step asks what each passive leaves out. One answer then becomes an active clause with a named actor.

Exercise 6: noun phrases

In each noun phrase, every modifier precedes the noun it affects.

  • welao shelu — good book
  • ha melu — this friend
  • lo thepalu — gardens
  • ha welao shelu — this good book

The remaining phrases:

  1. that garden
  2. many books
  3. this good parent

Exercise 7: complete clauses

The complete clauses:

  1. Do you understand this book?
  2. Please tend the good garden.
  3. If I read the book, I will understand.
  4. The friends were reading many books.
  5. Is the parent helping?
  6. I carried this basket quickly.

Answer key

Exercise 1:

  1. melu shelu theo. — The friend reads the book.
  2. mia phao naphe. — I help the parent.
  3. thia shelu shelomu. — You understand the book.

Exercise 2:

  1. phao melu to naphe. — The parent helped the friend.
  2. thia shelu so shelomu. — You will understand the book.
  3. mia thepalu so temoe. — I will tend the garden.

Exercise 3:

  1. mia thepalu si temoe. — I am tending the garden.
  2. thia shelu ki shelomu. — You have understood the book.
  3. melu to si maeli theo. — The friend was reading quietly.

Exercise 4:

  1. wa melu naphe. — Does the friend help?
  2. pi no thepalu temoe. — Please tend the garden.
  3. lu thia shelu shelomu. thia so mia naphe. — If you understand the book, you will help me.

Exercise 5:

  1. thepalu se temoe. — The garden is tended.
  2. shelu se shelomu. — The book is understood.

Exercise 6:

  1. ra thepalu — that garden
  2. sheloi shelu — many books
  3. ha welao phao — this good parent

Exercise 7:

  1. wa thia ha shelu shelomu. — Do you understand this book?
  2. pi no welao thepalu temoe. — Please tend the good garden.
  3. lu mia shelu theo. mia so shelomu. — If I read the book, I will understand.
  4. lo melu sheloi shelu to si theo. — The friends were reading many books.
  5. wa phao si naphe. — Is the parent helping?
  6. mia ha wiru to reshi kolua. — I carried this basket quickly.

The longest answers read from left to right by scope: frame, participants, verb particles, manner, verb. If the final verb feels delayed, that feeling is useful information. Repetition can make the order familiar; in time the delay stops feeling like a wait and starts sounding like the language.