[ Related documents: Introduction to the Manual | Automatic tagging of the BNC | Error rates | Acknowledgments]
(also known as the "C5" tagset; followed by Ambiguity tag list)
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Tag |
Description |
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Adjective (general or positive) (e.g. good, old, beautiful) |
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Comparative adjective (e.g. better, older) |
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Superlative adjective (e.g. best, oldest) |
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Article (e.g. the, a, an, no) |
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General adverb: an adverb not subclassified as AVP or AVQ (see below) (e.g. often, well, longer (adv.), furthest. |
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Adverb particle (e.g. up, off, out) |
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Wh-adverb (e.g. when, where, how, why, wherever) |
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Coordinating conjunction (e.g. and, or, but) |
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Subordinating conjunction (e.g. although, when) |
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The subordinating conjunction that |
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Cardinal number (e.g. one, 3, fifty-five, 3609) |
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Possessive determiner-pronoun (e.g. your, their, his) |
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General determiner-pronoun: i.e. a determiner-pronoun which is not a DTQ or an AT0. |
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Wh-determiner-pronoun (e.g. which, what, whose, whichever) |
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Existential there, i.e. there occurring in the there is ... or there are ... construction |
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Interjection or other isolate (e.g. oh, yes, mhm, wow) |
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Common noun, neutral for number (e.g. aircraft, data, committee) |
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Singular common noun (e.g. pencil, goose, time, revelation) |
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Plural common noun (e.g. pencils, geese, times, revelations) |
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Proper noun (e.g. London, Michael, Mars, IBM) |
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Ordinal numeral (e.g. first, sixth, 77th, last) . |
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Indefinite pronoun (e.g. none, everything, one [as pronoun], nobody) |
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Personal pronoun (e.g. I, you, them, ours) |
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Wh-pronoun (e.g. who, whoever, whom) |
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Reflexive pronoun (e.g. myself, yourself, itself, ourselves) |
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The possessive or genitive marker 's or ' |
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The preposition of |
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Preposition (except for of) (e.g. about, at, in, on, on behalf of, with) |
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PUL |
Punctuation: left bracket - i.e. ( or [ |
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PUN |
Punctuation: general separating mark - i.e. . , ! , : ; - or ? |
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PUQ |
Punctuation: quotation mark - i.e. ' or " |
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PUR |
Punctuation: right bracket - i.e. ) or ] |
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Infinitive marker to |
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Unclassified items which are not appropriately considered as items of the English lexicon. |
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The present tense forms of the verb BE, except for is, 's: i.e. am, are, 'm, 're and be [subjunctive or imperative] |
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The past tense forms of the verb BE: was and were |
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The -ing form of the verb BE: being |
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The infinitive form of the verb BE: be |
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The past participle form of the verb BE: been |
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The -s form of the verb BE: is, 's |
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The finite base form of the verb BE: do |
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The past tense form of the verb DO: did |
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The -ing form of the verb DO: doing |
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The infinitive form of the verb DO: do |
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The past participle form of the verb DO: done |
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The -s form of the verb DO: does, 's |
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The finite base form of the verb HAVE: have, 've |
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The past tense form of the verb HAVE: had, 'd |
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The -ing form of the verb HAVE: having |
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The infinitive form of the verb HAVE: have |
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The past participle form of the verb HAVE: had |
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The -s form of the verb HAVE: has, 's |
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Modal auxiliary verb (e.g. will, would, can, could, 'll, 'd) |
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The finite base form of lexical verbs (e.g. forget, send, live, return) [Including the imperative and present subjunctive] |
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The past tense form of lexical verbs (e.g. forgot, sent, lived, returned) |
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The -ing form of lexical verbs (e.g. forgetting, sending, living, returning) |
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The infinitive form of lexical verbs (e.g. forget, send, live, return) |
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The past participle form of lexical verbs (e.g. forgotten, sent, lived, returned) |
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The -s form of lexical verbs (e.g. forgets, sends, lives, returns) |
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The negative particle not or n't |
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Alphabetical symbols (e.g. A, a, B, b, c, d) |
Total number of wordclass tags in the BNC basic tagset = 57, plus 4 punctuation tags
2. Ambiguity Tag list
In addition, there are 30 "Ambiguity Tags". These are applied wherever the probabilities assigned by the CLAWS automatic tagger to its first and second choice tags were considered too low for reliable disambiguation. So, for example, the ambiguity tag AJ0-AV0 indicates that the choice between adjective (AJ0) and adverb (AV0) is left open, although the tagger has a preference for an adjective reading. The mirror tag, AV0-AJ0, again shows adjective-adverb ambiguity, but this time the more likely reading is the adverb.
|
Ambiguity tag |
Ambiguous between |
More probable tag |
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AJ0-NN1 |
AJ0 or NN1 |
AJ0 |
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AJ0-VVD |
AJ0 or VVD |
AJ0 |
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AJ0-VVG |
AJ0 or VVG |
AJ0 |
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AJ0-VVN |
AJ0 or VVN |
AJ0 |
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AV0-AJ0 |
AV0 or AJ0 |
AV0 |
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AVP-PRP |
AVP or PRP |
AVP |
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AVQ-CJS |
AVQ or CJS |
AVQ |
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CJS-AVQ |
CJS or AVQ |
CJS |
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CJS-PRP |
CJS or PRP |
CJS |
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CJT-DT0 |
CJT or DT0 |
CJT |
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CRD-PNI |
CRD or PNI |
CRD |
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DT0-CJT |
DT0 or CJT |
DT0 |
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NN1-AJ0 |
NN1 or AJ0 |
NN1 |
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NN1-NP0 |
NN1 or NP0 |
NN1 |
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NN1-VVB |
NN1 or VVB |
NN1 |
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NN1-VVG |
NN1 or VVG |
NN1 |
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NN2-VVZ |
NN2 or VVZ |
NN2 |
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NP0-NN1 |
NP0 or NN1 |
NP0 |
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PNI-CRD |
PNI or CRD |
PNI |
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PRP-AVP |
PRP or AVP |
PRP |
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PRP-CJS |
PRP or CJS |
PRP |
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VVB-NN1 |
VVB or NN1 |
VVB |
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VVD-AJ0 |
VVD or AJ0 |
VVD |
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VVD-VVN |
VVD or VVN |
VVD |
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VVG-AJ0 |
VVG or AJ0 |
VVG |
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VVG-NN1 |
VVG or NN1 |
VVG |
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VVN-AJ0 |
VVN or AJ0 |
VVN |
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VVN-VVD |
VVN or VVD |
VVN |
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VVZ-NN2 |
VVZ or NN2 |
VVZ |
Total number of wordclass tags including punctuation and ambiguity tags = 91.
Contents | Tagset | Nouns | Verbs | Adjectives | Adverbs | Articles/Determiners/Pronouns | Prepositions | Conjunctions | Numerals | Miscellaneous | Disambiguate tags | Disambiguate words
To illustrate BNC wordclass tagging, we will show text examples in a format similar to the SGML contained in the corpus. The underlying grammatical tags and other structural markup (for example, paragraph and pause markers) are generally invisible when using concordancing software such as SARA, BNCWeb, and WordSmith.
Each orthographic word in the corpus generally has its own wordclass tag, which appears in the form
followed by a single space. There are important exceptions in the case of contracted forms and multiword sequences. Spacing may also vary around punctuation tags (eg <c PUN>. ). The following excerpt from a file in the spoken part of the corpus illustrates the general format:
<s n=1000> <w PNP>I <w VVB>mean <w DTQ>what <w PRP>about <w AV0>apparently <w PNP>we <w VVB>eat <w DT0>more <w NN1>chocolate <w CJS>than <w DT0>any <w AJ0>other <w NN1>country<c PUN>.
For examples in this guide, we will retain just the POS-tag of the word (or words) in question. Under subordinating conjunctions, for instance, the citation above has been reduced to:
...apparently we eat more chocolate <w CJS>than any other country
[G3U.1000]
Citations: Examples taken from the BNC have the filename and line number appended in square brackets; [G3U.1000] means line 1000 of file G3U. In the Disambiguation Guide, section 3 and section 4, we also cite cases where the POS-tagging in the corpus does not match the tag given in the citation, in that it is either an error or an ambiguity tag. This is to give an idea of the contexts in which the resolution of ambiguities has been less reliable. We list the tag found in the corpus next to the file reference with an asterisk, eg. in Section 4 well we give the ideal tag as VVB, but the actual tag as AV0.
Tears <w VVB>well up in my eyes.
[BN3.5 *AV0]
Note also that we occasionally use invented examples, rather than corpus citations, especially where a contrast between categories is being made.
Contracted forms -- including enclitics, eg he's, she'll, negatives eg don't and can't, and 'fused words', eg wanna and gimme -- are broked down by the tagger into their component parts, with each part being assigned its own tag. No spaces are introduced in POS-tagged contracted words: could've = <w VM0>could<w VHI>'ve
This procedure sometimes results in strange-looking word divisions, particularly with the fused words. However, they do provide a ready means of comparison with the full forms, such as <w VVB>want <w TO0>to and <w VVB>give <w PNP>me. [ View list of contracted forms and associated tags ] Note that in the case of ain't it has been tricky to resolve the tag of the first part ( ai ) satisfactorily. Therefore in all contexts we have tagged this as an unclassified word, followed by the negative particle. Eg
<w UNC>Ai<w XX0>n't got yours yet The term `multiwords' denotes multiple-word combinations which function as one wordclass - for example, a complex preposition, an adverbial, or a foreign expression naturalised into English as a compound noun.
To clarify which words form part of the multiword sequence, we highlight them in the guide in bold typeface,
although in the BNC they will appear in normal typeface. <w AV0>of course
Appearance and tagging of contracted forms
doesn't = <w VDZ>does<w XX0>n't
dunno = <w VDB>du<w XX0>n<w VVI>no
wanna = <w VVB>wan<w TO0>na --or-- <w VVB>wan<wAT0>na
gimme = <w VVB>gim<w PNP>me
[KCT.1282]
Appearance and tagging of multiwords
<w PRP>according to (preposition)
<w NN1>persona non grata ('naturalised' compound noun)
<w CJS>except that (conjunction)
Because they function as one unit, only one tag is assigned to the multiword (at the beginning), and not to the individual component parts (contrast contracted forms, above). The spaces between the parts of the multiword are retained (again, compare contracted forms).
[ View list of multiword forms and their associated tags ]
Note that some multiwords can represent different categories according to context, e.g. in between in:
The stage <w PRP>in between the original negative and the dupe is called an interpositive
[FB8.295]
The truth lies somewhere <w AV0>in between
[ABK.2834]
Moreover, sometimes it is more appropriate to tag a word combination as consisting of ordinary words than as a multiword sequence, as in the case of but for below:
<w CJC>But <w PRP>for years now darkness has been growing
[F99.2027]
cf. which they would not have done <w PRP>but for the presence of the police.
[H81.766]
Words which are joined together by a slash ( / ) but no whitespace, such as and/or, are not split up in tagged versions of the text.
Examples
A title <w CJC>and/or an author's name
[H0S.358]
You should be a graduate in <w AJ0>Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Physics ,
Mathematics , Computing or a related discipline .
[CJU.1049]
A time-space matrix for each <w UNC>rural/social/age group.
[FR2.346]
Contents | Tagset | Nouns | Verbs | Adjectives | Adverbs | Articles/Determiners/Pronouns | Prepositions | Conjunctions | Numerals | Miscellaneous | Disambiguate tags | Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
NN1, NN2, NN0 = common nouns
NP0 = proper nouns
Ambiguity tags:
NN1-NP0, NN1-VVB, NN1-VVG, NN2-VVZ
NP0-NN1, VVB-NN1, VVG-NN1, VVZ-NN2
Singular common nouns are tagged NN1, while plurals take NN2:
A <w NN1>child.
Several <w NN2>children
An <w NN1>air of <w NN1>distinction
Fifteen <w NN2>miles away
Nouns such as fish, which is morphologically invariant for number, and government, which can take either a singular or plural verb, (so-called 'neutral for number') end in zero: NN0.
Now the <w NN0>government is considering new warnings on steroids ...
[K24.3057]
... the <w NN0>Government are putting people's lives in jeopardy.
[A7W.518]
I caught a <w NN0>fish.
[KBW.316]
I had caught four <w NN0>fish with hardly any effort
[B0P.1387]
We make no special distinction between common nouns that can be mass (or 'non-count') nouns (eg water, cheese), and other common nouns. All are tagged NN1 when singular and NN2 when plural:
<w NN1>Cheese is a protein of high biological value.
[ABB.1950]
three <w NN2>cheeses.
[CH6.7834]
A <w NN1>car glistens in the <w NN1>distance.
[HH0.1035]
Three <w NN2>cars, two <w NN2>lorries and a <w NN1>motorbike!
[CHR.290]
In general we try to tag abbreviations for common nouns (and other word classes) as if they were written as full forms. Abbreviations for measurement nouns are generally tagged NN0 as they are invariant for number.
Crewe are top of <w NN1>div 3 by 8 points
[J1C.961]
(where div = division)
1 <w NN0>km
400 <w NN0>km
(km = 'kilometre' or 'kilometres')
1 <w NN0>oz.
6 <w NN0>oz
(oz = 'ounce' or 'ounces')
Nouns such as hundred, hundreds, dozens, gross, are all tagged as numbers, CRD, rather than nouns.
The tag NP0 ideally should denote any kind of proper noun, but in practice the open-endedness of naming expressions makes it difficult to capture all possible types consistently. We have confined its coverage mainly to personal and geographical names, and even within these, somewhat arbitrary borderlines have had to be drawn. Users of version 1 of the corpus should be aware of a few small but important changes in BNC2.
(a) Personal names
<w NP0>Sally
<w NP0>Joe <w NP0>Bloggs
<w NP0>Madame <w NP0>Pompadour
<w NP0>Leonardo <w NP0>da <w NP0>Vinci
(b) Geographical names
(c) Also: days of the week; months of the year
<w NP0>John <w NP0>Smith.
All of the <w NP0>Smiths.
A person's initials preceding a surname are tagged NP0, just as the surname itself. The choice whether to use a space and/or full-stop between initials (eg J.F. or J. F. or J F or JF) is determined in the original source text; the tagged version follows the same format.
John F. Kennedy = <w NP0>John <w NP0>F. <w NP0>Kennedy
J. F. Kennedy = <w NP0>J. <w NP0>F. <w NP0>Kennedy
J.F. Kennedy = <w NP0>J.F. <w NP0>Kennedy
IMPORTANT NOTE: In the spoken part of the BNC, however, the components of names -- and, in fact, most words -- that are spelt aloud as individual letters, such as I B M, and J R in J R Hartley, are not tagged NP0 but ZZ0 (letter of the alphabet). See below
Preceding a proper noun, or sequence of proper nouns, style (or title) nouns with uppercase initial capitals are tagged NP0.
Contrast: You remember your <w NN1>sister <w NP0>Wendy... [HGJ.800]
where Wendy is in apposition to a common noun sister,
in lowercase letters.
For names of towns, streets, countries and states, seas, oceans, lakes, rivers, mountains and other geographical placenames, the general rule is to tag as NPO. (If the word the precedes, it is tagged AT0, as normally.)
<w NP0>East <w NP0>Timor
<w NP0>South <w NP0>Carolina
<w NP0>Baker <w NP0>Street
<w NP0>West <w NP0>Harbour <w NP0>Lane
<w AT0>the <w NP0>United <w NP0>States
<w AT0>the <w NP0>United <w NP0>Kingdom
<w AT0>the <w NP0>Baltic
<w AT0>the <w NP0>Indian <w NP0>Ocean
<w NP0>Mount <w NP0>St <w NP0>Helens
<w AT0>the <w NP0>Alps
Ordinary (non-NP0) tags are applied to more verbose (especially political) descriptions of placenames, or those that are not typically marked on maps. (As above, the preceding word the is optional.)
<w AJ0>Latin <w NP0>America
<w AJ0>Western <w NP0>Europe
<w AT0>the <w AJ0>Western <w NN1>Region
<w AT0>the <w AJ0>Soviet <w NN1>Union
<w AT0>the <w NN0>People<w POS>'s <w NN1>Republic <w PRF>of <w NP0>China
<w AT0>the <w AJ0>Dominican <w NN1>Republic
<w AT0>the <w NN1>Sultanate <w PRF>of <w NP0>Oman
The examples show a little arbitrariness in application, for example with United States counting, and Soviet Union not counting as proper nouns. (Also: <w AT0>the <w AJ0>ex-Soviet <w NN1>Union [KJS.28])
NB. Multiple-word names containing a compass point, ie. those beginning North, South, East, West, North East, South-west etc. nearly always become NP0, whereas those with Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western follow the non-NP0 pattern. Rare exceptions are:
<w NP0>Northern <w NP0>Ireland
<w NP0>Western <w NP0>Samoa
-- including eg names of organisations, sports teams, commercial products (incl newspapers), shops, restaurants, horses, ships etc.
When such names consist of ordinary words (common nouns, adjectives etc.), they receive ordinary tags (NN1, AJ0 etc.)
Where a word as part of a name is an existing NP0 (typically a personal or geographical name), or a specially-coined name, it is tagged NP0. Examples:
| Ordinary tags | Tagged NP0 |
| <w NN1>Cable <w CJC>and <w NN1>Wireless | <w NP0>Procter <w CJC>and <w NP0>Gamble |
| <w NN1>Acorn <w NN1>Marketing <w AJ0>Limited | <w NP0>Minolta; <w NP0>IBM; <w NP0>NATO |
| <w NP0>Wolverhampton <w NN2>Wanderers ( <w NN1>football <w NN1>club ) | <w NP0>Tottenham <w NP0>Hotspur ( <w NN1>football <w NN1>club ) |
| <w AT0>The <w NP0>Chicago <w NN2>Bears | <w NP0>Spartak <w NP0>Moscow |
| <w NN1>World <w NN1>Health <w NN1>Organisation | <w NP0>Oxfam |
There is a slight inconsistency here, in that acronyms of organisation names (WHO, NATO, IBM etc.) take NP0, whereas the expanded forms of these names take regular tags.
| Ordinary tags | Tagged NP0 |
| <w NN2>Windows <w NN1>software | <w NP0>Weetabix |
| <w NP0>Lancashire <w NN1>Evening <w NN1>Post | <w NP0>Mars <w NN2>bars |
| <w NN1>Time <w NN1>Magazine | <w NP0>Scotchgard |
| <w AT0>The <w NN1>Reader<w POS>'s <w NN1>Digest | <w NP0>Perrier <w NN1>water |
Company names may sometimes be used to represent product names; in such cases the same tags apply. For example:
John drives a <w NP0>Volkswagen <w NN1>Golf.
John drives a <w NP0>Volkswagen.
| Ordinary tags | Tagged NP0 |
| <w NN1>Body <w NN1>Shop | <w NP0>Mothercare |
| <w AT0>The <w AJ0>Grand <w NN1>Theatre | <w NP0>Sainsburys <w NN1>supermarket |
| <w AT0>The <w NN1>King<w POS>'s <w NN2>Arms | <w AT0>The <w NP0>Ritz |
| <w AJ0>Red <w NN1>Rum | <w NP0>Aldaniti |
| <w AT0>The <w NN1>Bounty | <w AT0>The <w NP0>Titanic |
Here again NP0 is reserved for parts of names that are specially coined, or derived from existing personal/geographical proper nouns.
In the first release of the BNC, the use of NP0 tags applied a little more widely. The geographical category tagged NP0 used to include names of buildings and other institutions. Names of newspapers and magazines used to be treated separately from other products and tagged NP0.
NOTE THAT IN BNC2 BOTH THESE TYPES NOW TAKE ORDINARY (non-NP0) TAGS:
BNC1:
<w NP0>Blackpool <w NP0>Tower
<w NP0>Prospect <w NP0>Theatre <w NN0>Company
<w NP0>Austro-Hungarian <w NP0>Empire
BNC2:
<w NP0>Blackpool <w NN1>Tower
[B22.1633]
<w NN1>Prospect <w NN1>Theatre <w NN1>Company
[A06.1962]
<w AJ0>Austro-Hungarian <w NN1>Empire
[G3B.617]
BNC1:
<w AT0>the <w NP0>Daily <w NP0>Mail
<w NP0>Railway <w NP0>Gazette
BNC2:
<w AT0>the <w AJ0>Daily <w NN1>Mail
[D95.334]
<w NN1>Railway <w NN1>Gazette
[HWM.1860]
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
VBB VBD VBG VBI VBN VBZ = forms of be
VDB VDD VDG VDI VDN VDZ = forms of do
VHB VHD VHG VHI VHN VHZ = forms of have
VM0 = modal verbs
VVB VVD VVG VVI VVN VVZ = lexical verbs
Ambiguity tags:
VVB-NN1 VVD-VVN VVD-AJ0 VVG-AJ0 VVG-NN1 VVZ-NN2 = verb more probable
NN1-VVB VVN-VVD AJ0-VVD AJ0-VVG NN1-VVG NN2-VVZ = verb less probable
|
--B base form finite |
--D past tense |
|
--Z 3rd person sing present |
--N past participle |
|
--I infinitive |
--G present participle |
she <w VBZ>is playing her best tennis for six years.
[CH3.1383]
she <w VBZ>is just a star.
[CH3.6940]
John <w VHZ>has built a set of bookshelves.
[C9X.121]
John <w VHZ>has great courage.
[CA9.1941]
We <w VDD>did<w XX0>n't see anybody.
[KB2.702]
They <w VDB>do nice work.
[ANY.514]
Note the variant form of have in non-standard English:
they shouldn't <w VHI>of left it the last minute
[KD8.7289]
That could <w VHI>of been 'bout us
[B38.322]
Tags beginning VV- apply to all other (lexical) verbs.
She <w VVZ>travels in every Saturday morning.
[KRH.4013]
The young kids <w VVB>want to <w VVI>dance and have fun
[CHA.1600]
I <w VVD>thought he <w VVD>looked a sad sort of a boy.
[CDY.2831]
...after <w VVG>running out of coal, the crew were <w VVN>forced to <w VVI>burn timber and resin
[HPS.270]
All modals are tagged VM0. We do not differentiate between so-called past and present forms:
We <w VM0>can go there.
We <w VM0>could go there.
We <w VM0>used <w TO0>to go there every year.
The form let's is treated as one verb:
<w VM0>Let's <w VVI>go!
[A61.1443]
<w VBB>Are<w XX0>n't you coming?
[A0R.2215]
I <w VDB>du<w XX0>n<w VVI>no
[KR0.23]
It is not always clear if and where they should be divided. Please refer to the list of contracted forms. (See also above on appearance of contracted forms)
She suggested that they <w VVB>get married.
[CBC.12107]
Please <w VBB>be patient.
[CHJ.901]
<w VDB>Do<w XX0>n't just stand there watching!
[ACB.3470]
we're <w VVG>going <w TO0>to get killed.
[HNN.445]
you <w VM0>ought <w TO0>to let them know.
[KCT.6117]
See further - Disambiguation Guide
Section 3 Adjective vs. Participle (AJ0 vs. VVG and AJ0 vs. VVN)
Section 4 's
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
AJ0 AJC AJS
Ambiguity tags:
AJ0-NN1, AJ0-VVG, AJ0-VVN = adjective more probable
NN1-AJ0, VVG-AJ0, VVN-AJ0 = adjective less probable
AJ0 is the general tag for adjectives. It subsumes:
The ground was <w AJ0>dry and <w AJ0>dusty
[GWA.118]
The dust from the <w AJ0>dry ground
[GWA.121]
Adjectives which have a heightening or downtoning effect rather like that of comparatives and superlatives, but which do not behave syntactically like comparatives or superlatives, are treated as ordinary adjectives. Examples include utter, upper and uppermost, which are acceptable in these examples
Events in Eastern Europe were still <w AJ0>uppermost in Mr Li's mind.
[A95.366]
Family contacts were very important in uniting the <w AJ0>upper classes
[FB6.1495]
BUT not these:
* It was an utter shambles than I have ever seen.
(cf It was a worse shambles than I have ever seen.)
* The salmon pool is upper than the dam.
(cf The salmon pool is lower than the dam.)
Will you be <w AJ0>able to manage? (catenative)
Your son is very <w AJ0>able (non-catenative)
A <w AJC>faster car.
The <w AJS>best in its class.
Ambiguities frequently arise between adjectives and other worclasses, in particular adverbs, nouns and participles.
See further - Disambiguation Guide
Section 3 ADJECTIVE vs. PARTICIPLE (AJ0 vs. VVG, AJ0 vs. VVN)
Section 3 ADJECTIVE vs. NOUN (AJ0 vs. NN1)
Section 3 ADJECTIVE vs. ADVERB (AJ0 vs. AV0, AJC vs. AV0)
Section 4 well, right
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
AV0, AVQ, AVP
Ambiguity tags:
AV0-AJ0 = adverb more probable; AJ0-AV0 = adverb less probable
<w AV0>very <w AJ0>tall
<w AV0>rather <w AV0>painfully
<w AV0>However, …
<w AV0>In addition
during 1986-91 <w AV0>inclusive
[FT0.1400]
Diamonds <w AV0>galore
[FPH.900]
you know <w AV0>like, it's worthwhile opening a cinema at 4 o'clock...
[F7A.358]
The same tag, AVQ, is applied to these adverbs, whether the word occurs in interrogative or relative use.
"<w AVQ>When do your courses start?"
[A0F.3117]
"...if you let me know <w AVQ>when the police are called in."
[BMU.2291]
Yet <w AVQ>why is that so?
[CR7.3089]
See further - Disambiguation Guide
Section 3 ADVERB vs. ADJECTIVE (AV0 vs. AJ0, AV0 vs. AJC )
Section 3 DETERMINER-PRONOUN vs. ADVERB
Section 3 ADVERB vs. PREPOSITION
Section 4 about, as, but, like,
little, much, no, right,
so, well, when
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
AT0 = article
DPS DT0 DTQ = determiner-pronoun
PNP PNI PNQ PNX = pronoun only
Ambiguity tags: none
Articles are defined here as determiner words which typically begin a noun phrase, but which cannot occur as the head of a noun phrase. Examples: a/an, the, no and every
Have <w AT0>a break
<w AT0>Every year
There's <w AT0>no time
Recognising that there is a high degree of formal and functional overlap between determiners and pronouns, we have conflated under the D-- heading words that are capable of either function, such as that, few, both, another. Examples:
at <w DT0>all times of the day
[A7P.1196]
free secondary education for <w DT0>all
[ECB.1610]
<w DT0>Few diseases are incurable
[GV1.1130]
for the benefit of the <w DT0>few
[HHX.10188]
DTQ is the wh- (interrogative) determiner-pronoun (and also relative pronoun - see below). Which and what are always tagged DTQ
<w DTQ>Which country do you live in?
[A7N.979]
And she didn't say <w DTQ>which?
[KCF.352 ]
<w DTQ>What time is it?
[A0N.406]
DPS is the prenominal possessive pronoun (my, your, etc). Eg
Compare the nominal use:
That is your way. This is <w PNP>mine
[A0N.726-7]
[ View list of Determiner-Pronoun tagged words and compounds. ]
Tags beginning P-- indicate pronouns which do not share the determiner function, for example I, it , anyone. Pronouns are differentiated according to whether they are:
[ View list of Pronoun-only words and compounds ]
Which as a relative (or interrogative) pronoun is grouped with the
other determiner-pronouns, and tagged DTQ.
Give 4 details <w DTQ>which should appear on an order form Meanwhile, that as a relative clause complementizer
[HBP.417]
I got some currants <w CJT>that are left over
[KST.3734]
this girl <w CJT>that Claire knows
[KC7.1101]
He dismissed reports <w CJT>that his party was divided over tactics
[A28.11]
We both knew <w CJT>that enough was enough.
[FEX.268]
Note, however, that that takes the tag DT0 when it functions as a demonstrative pronoun or determiner:
I guess I was sad about <w DT0>that.
[BMM.239]
For D-- tagged words, the main source of ambiguity is between determiners and adverbs. See Disambiguation Guide
Section 3: DT0 vs. AV0 (illustrated by more and less) and
Section 4: much;
no; that
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
PRP PRF AVP
Ambiguity tags:
PRP-AVP = Prep more probable; AVP-PRP = Prep less probable
Most prepositions are tagged PRP, including a large number of complex prepositions (shown in bold here). Examples
<w PRP>at the Pompidou Centre <w PRP>in Paris
[A04.325]
I use humour <w PRP>as a protection
[FBL.363]
Heard <w PRP>about this have you?
[KE6.9557]
<w PRP>According to ancient tradition, ...
[A04.784]
Many disputes are dealt with by bodies <w PRP>other than courts.
[F9B.4]
Nice walls and a big sky to look <w PRP>at.
[A25.122]
a couple <w PRF>of cans <w PRF>of Coke
[AJN.283]
DNA consists <w PRF>of a string <w PRF>of four kinds <w PRF>of bases
[AE7.107]
NB. Numerous multiwords contain of, eg in front of, in light of, by means of, etc.
[ View list of Preposition-tagged words and compounds ]
Preposition-type words which have no complement are tagged AVP. Typical uses of AVP are in phrasal verb constructions, or when it functions as a place adjunct. e.g.
We gave <w AVP>up after two hours.
[KSV.1029]
there were a lot of horses <w AVP>around.
[HR7.3105]
The following is a list of possible AVP words:
| 'bout | about | along | around | back | by | down | in | off |
| on | out | over | round | through | thru | to | under | up |
Of the above list, all except back allow also a prepositional reading. Thus there are many instances of ambiguity between PRP and AVP. See further - Disambiguation Guide:
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags: CJC CJS CJT
Ambiguity tags: CJS-PRP PRP-CJS
Fish <w CJC>and chips
James laughed <w CJC>and spilled wine.
[A0N.136]
She was paralysed <w CJC>but she could still feel the pain.
[FLY.536]
"<w CJS>When you 've done it , you should go home,"
[CRE.949]
I still stayed there <w CJS>after I heard the shooting
[HW8.3264]
<w CJS>As you may know Scorton will again enter the Best Kept Village competition in 1992
[HPK.768]
Do send me an interim copy <w CJS>as soon as you can
[HD3.69]
If it's wet just take your time.
[KCL.554]
It was worse <w CJS>than she could have imagined.
[CH0.1315]
...apparently we eat more chocolate <w CJS>than any other country.
[G3U.1000]
"it's as good <w CJS>as it's going to get."
[K9K.199]
make the transporter as light <w CJS>as possible.
[CA1.1114]
Can you tell me <w CJS>whether ivies do damage trees.
[C9C.726]
Historians knew <w CJT>that this was nonsense.
[G3C.363]
China announced <w CJT>that it was ending martial law in the Tibetan capital Lhasa .
[KRU.95]
The problem <w CJT>that he was having was <w CJT>that she was his legal wife 's sister
[HE3.210]
See further - Disambiguation Guide
Section 4 as, so, that
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
Basic tags:
CRD ORD
Ambiguity tags:
CRD-PNI, PNI-CRD
<w CRD>5 out of <w CRD>10
[CGM.525]
<w CRD>one striking feature of the years <w CRD>1929-31
[A6G.134]
his <w ORD>first innings, when he scored <w CRD>forty-two, with <w CRD>seven <w CRD>fours
<w CRD>Hundreds of people audition each year
[K1S.2241]
About a <w CRD>dozen.
[H2U.5182]
We only came <w ORD>fourth in the county championship <w ORD>last year
[EDT.1629]
NOTE: ORD is also assigned to the less overtly numeric words like next and last, even in clear adverbial, adjectival or nominal contexts. This is because next and last function like ordinals both syntactically and semantically.
Measurement expressions, consisting of numbers and a unit of measurement of some kind (together as one word), are assigned a noun tag, usually NN0 (neutral for number) or NN2 (plural):
<w NN0>6kg
<w NN0>£600
<w NN0>12.5%
<w NN2>12&ins; ( = 12 inches)
Figure <w UNC>2b
[FTC.248]
Serial no. <w UNC>S835508
[C9H.2284]
<w UNC>A4 sheet of paper
[CN4.296]
Mark drove home along the <w UNC>M1
[AC2.2210]
The main ambiguity in this category is between one functioning as a cardinal number (CRD) and as a pronoun (PNI).
Contents
| Tagset
| Nouns
| Verbs
| Adjectives
| Adverbs
| Articles/Determiners/Pronouns
| Prepositions
| Conjunctions
| Numerals
| Miscellaneous
| Disambiguate tags
| Disambiguate words
The following tags are included here: EX0 | ITJ | POS | TO0 | XX0 | ZZ0 | UNC
In its existential use there does not carry any real meaning: it merely states that something exists or existed. It occurs at the beginning of a clause and is usually followed by the verb be and an indefinite noun phrase; for example
<w EX0>There was a long long pause in which nothing at all happened
[H80.3991]
Waiter! Waiter! <w EX0>There's an awful film on my soup!
[CHR.657-9]
<w EX0>There appears to be little alternative
[ECE.2139]
Compare this with there when it has a clear locative meaning ('in/to that place'):
Don't stand <w AV0>there grinning like a stuck pig
[C85.1553]
<w ITJ>Hello, Nell.
<w ITJ>Oi - come here!
<w ITJ>Yes , <w AV0>please do
<w ITJ>No <w XX0>not <w AV0>yet
For the distinction between ITJ and the unclassified tag, UNC, see section 3: INTERJECTION vs. UNCLASSIFIED.
<w NN1>teacher<w POS>'s pet
<w NN2>teachers<w POS>' pet
Note the lack of space between the noun and the following POS, as 's is tokenized in the same way whether it represents a genitive or a contracted verb. See further on tagging of 's in Section 4.
"Do you want <w TO0>to talk about it?"
[EFG.1935]
In the summer holidays I can , I can get up early if I want <w TO0>to .
[KPG.4204]
Note the morphological variation of to in the following colloquial forms:
We <w VVN>got<w TO0>ta go
We <w VVB>wan<w TO0>na stay.
<w UNC>blah <w UNC>blah <w UNC>blah
<w UNC>er I think so
<w UNC>Methinks
That <w UNC>ai<w XX0>n't right.
0.5 cm <w UNC>increments/30 seconds
[HWT.282]
Fits with most <w UNC>lap/diagonal seat belts.
[BNX.392]
In the spoken part of the BNC, words that are not completed by a speaker (eg through hesitation or an interruption) are surrounded by SGML tags <trunc>...</trunc>. An example is the partial word bathr -- tagged UNC -- in the following
The <trunc> <w UNC>bathr </trunc> er you can't beat a white bathroom suite anyway.
[KCF.722]
Occasionally in spoken data, when a multiword sequence is used, it appears to be repeated, but only partially so. In the following example, the orthographic word sort is used twice:
we're going to sort sort of summarize...
[G5X.106]
We treat the first sort as an incomplete multiword, and tag it UNC (rather like truncated words, above). The complete multiword sort of is tagged AV0, as normally.
we're going to <w UNC>sort <w AV0>sort of summarize...
See also Section 5 for further examples.
For the distinction between UNC and ITJ see section 3, INTERJECTION vs. UNCLASSIFIED.
See also features of spoken corpus tagging.
Brown <w VDD>did<w XX0>n't see it that way.
[A6W.338]
no, that is <w XX0>not correct.
[JK0.257]
ZZ0 vs. NP0 vs. CRD.
ZZ0 is the default tag for a single letter of the alphabet.
If however, the letter clearly represents a separate word, or an abbreviation of a separate word, we have tried to assign the appropriate POS-tag for the full form of that word, rather than ZZ0.
Examples:
The same should apply to v., although here the full-stop is liable to force a new sentence break. (See eg files CHS.1076, EB2.19, EDL.313)
<w ZZ0>I <w ZZ0>B <w ZZ0>M compatible
[JYM.6]
children who go to the <w ZZ0>E <w ZZ0>N <w
ZZ0>T clinic
[KB8.3807]
Contents | Tagset | Nouns | Verbs | Adjectives | Adverbs | Articles/Determiners/Pronouns | Prepositions | Conjunctions | Numerals | Miscellaneous | Disambiguate tags | Disambiguate words
The following is a guide to resolution of the most common tagging ambiguities. It states the principles by which we have drawn the line between the "correct" and the "incorrect" assignment of a tag in particular contexts (as applied in the report on tagging error rates.) Note that in the next section and section 4, Disambiguation by word, we also cite examples where the POS-tagging in the corpus is less reliable and does not match that given for the citation. In such cases we append the actual tag in the corpus to the file reference with an asterisk. Eg. under Adjective vs Adverb (next section), the preferred tag for long is AV0, but the actual tag is ambiguous AV0-AJ0.
You're not supposed to keep medicine that <w AV0>long.
[H8Y.1976 *AV0-AJ0]
Note also that in this section we use a number of invented examples (in addition to corpus citations) to clarify the distinction between categories.
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Adjective vs. Adverb | Adjective vs. Noun | Determiner-Pronoun vs. Adverb | Adjective vs. Participle | Prep vs. Prep Adverb | Interjection vs. Unclassified | Disambiguate words
ADJECTIVE vs. ADVERB
After a verb or an object, there is sometimes a difficult choice
between AJ0 and AV0, or between AJC and AV0. e.g.:
We arrived <w AJ0>tired, but <w AJ0>safe
[CCP.530]
Here, both tired and safe are AJ0. The main test is to see whether one can express the relation between these words
and their logical subjects using the verb be: They arrived tired but safe implies 'They were tired but safe'. The
word tagged AJ0 refers to a property of a noun, rather than to a property of an event or situation. Contrast:
Peter sang out <w AV0>loud and <w AV0>clear.
This sentence does not imply that Peter was loud and clear,
but is more or less equivalent to Peter sang out loudly and
clearly. It means that his singing was loud and clear.
It follows that when, in colloquial English, a word which we normally expect to be an adjective is used as an adverb, we should tag it AV0; e.g:
You did <w AV0>great though.
[HH0.3248 *AV0-AJ0]
Here is another pair of examples, where the AJ0/AV0 word follows an object:
everyone below 25 grew their hair too <w AJ0>long.
[ARP.592 *AV0-AJ0]
(i.e. 'their hair was too long'.)
Try not to keep her too <w AV0>long.
[FAB.3620 *AV0-AJ0]
(i.e. NOT 'she will be too long.')
Also note the similar distinction between AJC and AV0:
We can make this piece <w AJC>higher if you want to.
[BNG.2270]
You should aim <w AV0>higher
[ACN.985 *AJC]
and between AJS and AV0:
Delgard thought it <w AJS>best to leave the subject alone.
[FS4.1559]
BUT: I liked the cartoons <w AV0>best.
[CAM.194]
Contents
| Tagset
| Intro to Wordclasses
| Adjective vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Noun
| Determiner-Pronoun vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Participle
| Prep vs. Prep Adverb
| Interjection vs. Unclassified
| Disambiguate words
There are many words in English which can be tagged either adjective
(AJ0) or noun (NN1). Colour words like black, white and
red are fairly consistent in allowing the two tags, and
may be used to illustrate the difference. In attributive (premodifying)
or predicative (complementing) positions without further modification
these words are normally adjectives: a <w AJ0>white screen,
The screen is <w AJ0>white. When the word is the head
of a noun phrase, on the other hand, it is a noun: <w NN1>Red
is my favourite colour. They painted the wall a brilliant
<w NN1>white.
Sometimes a word cannot be used predicatively as an adjective,
but can occur attributively in a way which suggests adjectival
use. For example, past and present are
adjectives in
(1) All <w AJ0>past and <w AJ0>present employees of the branch are invited.
[K99.217]
We do not find present, etc. being used as predicative
adjectives, however:
(2) *These needs are past, present, and future.
(Note that present can be used as a predicative adjective
meaning the opposite of 'absent'; but this meaning is not comparable
to the temporal meanings of past, present and future
above.)
Contrast (1) above with cases where past, present etc. are heads of noun phrases, e.g. following the definite article, and are clearly nouns:
"You're living in the <w NN1>past."
[HGS.1045]
"I don't even want to think about the <w NN1>future."
[JY4.2864]
The only reason for treating past and present in
example (1) above as adjectives is that they have an institutionalized
meaning as modifiers, which is rather different from the meaning
they have as nouns. Further examples of this type are words such
as model in model behaviour, giant in a giant
caterpillar and vintage in vintage cars.
Words ending in -ing are a particular problem: when they premodify a noun, they can be tagged either NN1 (noun) or AJ0 (adjective). Contrast:
new <w NN1>spending plans
[CEN.5922]
a <w AJ0>working mother
[ED4.153]
his <w NN1>reading ability
[CFV.1903]
in the <w AJ0>coming weeks
[HKU.1341]
The guideline is as follows.
If X-ing + Noun is equivalent in meaning to 'Noun who/which X-es / X-ed / BE +
X-ing', then X-ing is an adjective (AJ0).
That is, a word ending -ing is an adjective when it is the notional subject of the noun it premodifies. E.g.:
two <w AJ0>smiling children ('two children who are/were smiling')
[HTT.743]
In other cases, X-ing is generally a noun (NN1). In such cases, it is often possible to paraphrase X-ing + Noun by a more explicit phrase in which X-ing is clearly a noun:
new <w NN1>spending plans ('new plans for spending')
his <w NN1>reading ability ('his ability in reading')
Further examples:
a <w AJ0>mating animal
[G08.2142]
the <w NN1>mating game
[ECG.336 *AJ0-NN1]
a <w AJ0>falling rate of unemployment
[KR2.2129]
<w NN1>slimming tablets.
[KCA.941 *NN1-VVG]
Contents
| Tagset
| Intro to Wordclasses
| Adjective vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Noun
| Determiner-Pronoun vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Participle
| Prep vs. Prep Adverb
| Interjection vs. Unclassified
| Disambiguate words
More and less can be assigned to either of the tags DAR or AV0. The difference between them is that DT0 is for noun-phrase-like (and determiner-like) uses of the word in question, whereas AV0 is for adverbial uses. The two can be hard to distinguish, particularly after a verb:
(a) You should relax <w AV0>more.
(b) You should spend <w DT0>more.
Since relax is an intransitive verb in (a), more
cannot be a noun phrase following it. Instead, more can
be paraphrased roughly as 'to a greater extent' or 'to a greater
degree'. On the other hand, spend in (b) is a transitive
verb, and so more is a determiner-pronoun form following
it. As confirmation of this, note that sentence (b) could be turned
into a passive with more as subject: More should be
spent.... There are unfortunately some verbs for which the
distinction is less clear than in the above examples, e.g.:
You should eat more. You should read more. You should smoke less.
In these cases, the verb may be used transitively or intransitively with almost identical meanings, so that the syntactic structures of the immediate and/or surrounding context are the only clues as to which is the case:
Do you smoke? (Intransitive)
How many do you smoke in a week? (Transitive)
Contrast (c) and (d) below:
(c) At the moment we have 23 fixtures per season. Personally, I would rather play <w DT0>more.
(d) You should work less and play <w AV0>more.
(In (d) the adverb more has roughly the meaning of 'more
often'.)
Note. The automatic disambiguation of determiners and adverbs is not reliable, because transitivity has not been encoded in the tagger. Sentences like (c) and (d), where more follows the verb at end of a sentence, are invariably tagged AV0.
Contents
| Tagset
| Intro to Wordclasses
| Adjective vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Noun
| Determiner-Pronoun vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Participle
| Prep vs. Prep Adverb
| Interjection vs. Unclassified
| Disambiguate words
Another area of borderline cases is the tagging of words as adjectives
(AJ0) or as participles (VVG or VVN).
The effect is <w AJ0>lasting (compare a <w AJ0>lasting effect).
The door is <w AJ0>locked (compare the <w AJ0>locked door.)
This shows that lasting or locked can easily be (but need not be) an AJ0. If the word could not be placed (with
the same meaning) before the noun, this would be evidence that the word is a participle.
The man was <w VVG>dying.
[HTM.1494 *VVG-AJ0]
BUT: the <w AJ0>dying man.
[FSH.606]
an <w NN1>interest <w VVG>earning account
a <w NN1>hypothesis <w VVN>driven approach
In these examples the NN1+VVG/VVN sequence has the character of a premodifying adjective compound. We can therefore imagine the
two words bracketed together forming an adjective: an [AJ0 interest-earning AJ0] account. But within the adjective, the VVG and VVN tags retain their verbal character, with the initial noun acting as object of the verb (cf. the account earns interest).
The same applies when the premodifying compound phase is noun-like:
a [ <w NN1>shanty <w VVG>singing ] competition
[K4W.2952]
The building was <w AJ0>infested with cockroaches
(cf.: The building seemed/became infested with cockroaches)
Bill was <w AJ0>married. (i.e. he was not single)
Bill was <w VVN>married to Sarah on the 15th May. (i.e. the actual event)
This is a manifestation of the general semantic character of adjectives
(which typically refer to states or qualities) and verbs (which
typically refer to events or actions).
However, this criterion is not definitive, as VVG and VVN can also sometimes refer to states, when the meaning of the verb is stative:
She is not <w VVN>disturbed by that sort of threat.
The tourists were <w VVG>standing around a map of the city.
A verb takes following complements such as a noun phrase, an adjective or an adverbial. These cannot follow the same word as adjective. E.g.:
Are you <w VVG>expecting someone?
The arithmetic is <w VVG>looking good.
<w VVG>Turning suddenly, she ran for the safety of the car
Contrast:
His manner was <w AJ0>insulting.
where insulting could not normally be followed by an object:
* insulting us.
Contents
| Tagset
| Intro to Wordclasses
| Adjective vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Noun
| Determiner-pronoun vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Participle
| Prep vs. Prep Adverb
| Interjection vs. Unclassified
| Disambiguate words
This kind of ambiguity occurs frequently, particularly in spoken texts. Compare:
(b) She ran <w AVP>down her best friends.
In (a), down is a preposition, because:
She ran quickly down the hill.
(But not: *She ran viciously down her best friends.)
This is the hill <w PRP>down which he ran.
<w PRP>Down which slopes do you like ski-ing?
In (b), down is an adverbial particle because:
She ran her best friends <w AVP>down.
(But not: *She ran the hill down.)
She ran them <w AVP>down. (= her best friends)
(But not: *She ran down them.)
Similarly: The dentist took all my teeth <w AVP>out. ~ The dentist took them out.
Contrast: She went <w PRP>through the gate. ~ She went through it.
Notice that the syntactic distinction between (for example) down
as an adverbial particle and down as a preposition
is independent of the semantic distinction between locative and
non-locative interpretations of down.
When the verb is simply followed by down or out, etc., without a following noun phrase, it is normally an AVP:
Income tax is coming <w AVP>down.
The decorations are put <w AVP>up on Christmas Eve.
However, it is important to recognize 'stranded' prepositions, which have been deprived of the company of their noun phrase, the prepositional complement, because it has been fronted or omitted through ellipsis (e.g. in relative clauses, with passives, in questions, etc.):
This is the hill (which) she ran <w PRP>down.
(Cf. This is the hill down which she ran.)
The poor were looked down <w PRP>on by the rich.
(Here on is the stranded preposition)
Which car did she arrive <w PRP>in?
The same tests apply to words which are tagged either as prepositions or as general adverbs (AV0), such as across, past and behind.
Note, additionally, the use of about as a degree adverb.
Contents
| Tagset
| Intro to Wordclasses
| Adjective vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Noun
| Determiner-pronoun vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Participle
| Prep vs. Prep Adverb
| Interjection vs. Unclassified
| Disambiguate words
The borderline between interjections or exclamatory particles (tagged ITJ) and unclassified 'noise' words (tagged UNC) is drawn as follows:
ITJ is used for 'institutionalized' interjections or discourse particles such as
| good-bye | oh | no | oops | hallelujah | whoa | wow |
Well, right and like functioning as discourse markers are tagged AV0.
UNC is used in contexts where no other wordclass tag seems appropriate:
<w UNC>blah <w UNC>blah <w UNC>blah
<w UNC>er I think so.
<w UNC>Erm <w ITJ>nope.
<w UNC>ai<w XX0>n't
Contents
| Tagset
| Intro to Wordclasses
| Adjective vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Noun
| Determiner-pronoun vs. Adverb
| Adjective vs. Participle
| Prep vs. Prep Adverb
| Interjection vs. Unclassified
| Disambiguate words
In this section we discuss some common words which belong to more than one word class, and are among the most problematic for disambiguation. As in section 3, if the tag stated in the example differs from the actual tag in the corpus, we append the latter to the file reference number in the next line. Eg *AV0 in
Tears <w VVB>well up in my eyes.
[BN3.5 *AV0]
The words covered are:
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: VBZ VHZ VDZ POS
[in fused words: VM0 ZZ0 CRD ]
In the BNC the apostrophe 's is generally tagged as a separate wordform (that is <w TAG>'s ), attached without a space to the immediately preceding word.
<w DT0>That<w VBZ>'s perfect is that one... (= That is...)
[KCX.1254]
<w NP0>She<w VHZ>'s got tickets. (= She has...)
[KPV.6481]
well, <w DTQ>what<w VDZ>'s he do?, is he a plumber? (= What does...)
[KD6.310]
<w NP0>Britain<w POS>'s small businesses
[HMH.67]
After <w AV0>today<w POS>'s announcement
[K6F.39]
success in the three <w ZZ0>R's
[EVY.59]
in the <w CRD>1980's
[HJ1.22024]
<w VM0>Let's <w VVI>go.
[A61.1443]
Note that let's is not considered a contraction of let us, but is treated as a single 'verbal particle', tagged VM0, on the grounds that it is closely analogous to modal auxiliaries.
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: PRP, AV0 and AVP
When about has an approximating meaning, typically premodifying
a quantifying expression, it is tagged AV0 (not PRP):
...it was <w AV0>about three weeks ago
[FAJ.1714]
<w AV0>about half the size of a grain of rice
[AJ4.33]
Note also the multiword just about, as in: We're <w
AV0>just about ready.
Examples:
my mother was reading a novel <w PRP>about gypsies... .
[ARJ.2069]
How did this transformation come <w AVP>about?
[A11.826]
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: PRP, AV0 and CJS (also multiword tags)
As is a degree adverb (AV0) when it occurs before an adjective,
adverb or determiner (and sometimes other words) in phrases of
the type as X as Y, or simply as X (where the comparative
clause or phrase as Y) is omitted but understood:
I go to see them <w AV0>as often as I can .
[AC7.1192]
and they employ ninety people, twice <w AV0>as many as last year.
[K1C.3542]
And every bit <w AV0>as good.
[EEW.1132 *CJS]
In the first and second examples above, the second as introduces
a comparative construction which expresses 'equal comparison',
as contrasted with the unequal comparison of more X than Y.
When as is a word introducing such a comparative construction,
it is tagged CJS:
Capitalism is not <w AV0>as good <w CJS>as it claims.
[CFT.2051]
Linked together, they can crunch numbers <w AV0>as fast <w CJS>as any mainframe.
[CRB.271]
She will deposit <w AV0>as many <w CJS>as a dozen eggs there.
[F9F.424]
Notice that as in this comparative use is tagged CJS whether
or not it introduces a clause. Often it introduces a noun phrase.
In the following example, it introduces an adjective:
always reply <w AV0>as quickly <w CJS>as possible.
[C9R.989]
The tag CJS is also used when introducing other subordinate clauses,
such as adverbial clauses of time or reason:
Mr Phelps arrived just <w CJS>as I was leaving.
[G1K.1685]
<w CJS>As you've gone to so much trouble , it would seem discourteous to refuse
[G1K.1685]
The tag PRP is used for as functioning clearly as a preposition:
Consider it <w PRP>as a kind of insurance
[AD0.1641]
<w PRP>As head of information, Christina will lead a team of four TEC staff...
[BM4.2830]
Usually the meaning is related to the equative meaning of the
verb be. However, the guideline restricts PRP to cases
where as is followed by the normal noun phrase or nominal,
as is normal for prepositions. Where the as is followed
by an adjective or a past participle clause, it is tagged CJS,
even though it may retain the equative type of meaning:
We regard these results <w CJS>as encouraging.
[B1G.184]
I very much hope that you will in fact support the motion <w CJS>as originally intended.
[KGX.93]
As is part of many multiwords which get tagged with a
single tag: e.g. as soon as, such as, in so far as,
as long as, as well as. The sequence as well as, for
example, is tagged as a preposition (PRP) in such examples as
Sometimes <w PRP>as well as going this way we actually need to go in this was too. [G5N.31]
Note that this is different from the multiword adverb as well (meaning
also); it is also different from the sequence of as
well as as three separate words, e.g. in:
She's <w AV0>as <w AJ0>well <w CJS>as can be expected.
[F9X.2095]
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: CJC, CJS, PRP, AV0
The coordinating conjunction CJC is overwhelmingly the most common
use of but.
But is an adverb when its meaning is similar to 'only':
She can spare you <w AV0>but a few minutes
[CCD.82 *CJC]
There is <w AV0>but one penalty.
[ALS.185 *CJC]
But is either a conjunction (CJS) or a preposition (PRP)
if it has the meaning of 'except (for)', 'other than' or 'apart
from'. CJS is used when it introduces a clause, and PRP is used
when it introduces a phrase:
...mediocre albums that do nothing <w CJS>but take up shelf space
[C9M.1014]
I couldn't help <w CJS>but notice.
[JY0.5323 *CJC]
I always feel they are open meetings in everything <w PRP>but name.
[HJ4.5520]
No one had guessed she was anything <w PRP>but a boy.
[C85.517]
Otherwise but is a coordinating conjunction, tagged CJC,
linking units of the same kind (e.g. clauses or adjective/adverb
phrases). Its function is to express contrastive or 'adversative'
meaning:
God and minds do exist , <w CJC>but materially so .
[ABM.1260]
And that's it for another week <w CJC>but don't forget the late news at eleven thirty.
[J1M.2520]
Hares ( <w CJC>but not rabbits ) are particularly vulnerable...
[B72.892]
Note also multiwords such as but for (PRP):
The fare increases would have been bigger <w PRP>but for the governments last minute intervention.
[K6D.124]
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AV0 and NN1
As a locative adverb, home has no determiner or article preceding:
We stayed <w AV0>home.
[FAP.313]
This place is my <w NN1>home.
[AMB.1805]
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: PRP AV0 CJS VVB VVI NN1 AJ0
In speech, when like has a discoursal function as a 'hedge',
we tag it AV0:
well she says <w AV0>like, I won't be a minute
[KCY.1518]
I'm driving along, you know <w AV0>like <trunc> wha </trunc> when you're
in the car by yourself and everything's turning over in your
[KBU.1096]
Like very frequently occurs as a preposition or as a verb.
The noun and adjective uses are fairly rare:
...but I <w VVB>like Monday best.
[FU4.1089]
He didn't look <w PRP>like a goodie.
[H0M.1353]
... fuel, weapons, ground crew and the <w NN1>like.
[J1N.105 *AJ0-NN1]
Churchill and Eden were not of <w AJ0>like minds...
[ACH.1299]
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AJ0, DT0, AV0, (also multiwords)
The meaning of little (AJ0) is the opposite of big:
Bless their dear <w AJ0>little faces.
[HRB.722]
<w AJ0>Little green shoots of recovery are stirring.
[CEL.968]
The meaning of little (DT0) is 'not much':
I have <w DT0>little to say.
[G1Y.1137]
...there was <w DT0>little food left.
[FSJ.721]
As an adverb (AV0), too, little has the meaning 'not much':
I care very <w AV0>little about petty-minded, selfish "rules".
[B0P.211]
Note that a little can also be a multiword adverb (AV0):
They are all <w AV0>a little drunk.
[G0F.2118]
However, the quantifier a little meaning 'a small amount' is not tagged as a multiword1 but as AT0 + DT0:
You couldn't let me have <w AT0>a <w DT0>little milk?
[GUM.1661]
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: DT0 AV0
<w DT0>Much of this work has to be done on the spot.
[C8R.24]
I've spent too <w DT0>much money.
[KPV.6261]
Thanks very <w AV0>much.
[A73.5]
I didn't sleep <w AV0>much last night
[ALH.1495]
See also DETERMINER-PRONOUN vs. ADVERB
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: DT0 AV0 AV0
You deserve <w DT0>more than a medal.
[K97.3705]
<w DT0>More haste, <w DT0>less speed.
[J10.4543]
...this will make him <w AV0>more tired than usual
[A75.282]
there's many would be glad to know her <w AV0>more.
[ECP.568 *DT0]
<w AV0>more than one in a million
[K5N.46]
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AT0 NN1 AV0 ITJ
<w AT0>No <w NN1>problem.
[H4H.227]
As a noun, no is usually an abbreviation for number:
quoting <w NN1>Ref <w NN1>No <w UNC>BCE90/10/4(NS)
[CJU.673]
but the matter was taken <w AV0>no <w AV0>further.
[ARF.183 no: *AT0]
To put it <w AV0>no <w AV0>more <w AV0>strongly, it has not been proved beyond doubt that.... [EW7.125]
No is tagged as an interjection (ITJ) where it functions
as the opposite of Yes.
"...See how easy my job can be?"
"Frankly, <w ITJ>no".
[HR4.2329]
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: PNI, CRD
The clearest cases of CRD are:
In a quantifying noun phrase, typically allowing the substitution of another numerical expression (e.g. one chip
contrasts with two chips) or of the digit 1 (1 chip):
Can I have <w CRD>one chip, please?
[KDB.1417]
So are there criticisms? Just <w CRD>one.
[CG2.1490]
... <w CRD>one in five sufferers never tells their partners.
[CF5.8 *PNI]
Orford Ness is <w CRD>one of Britain's most unusual coastal features.
[CF8.86]
In such noun phrases, one functions like a determiner-pronoun such as some.
The clearest cases of PNI are:
(a) As a substitute form, standing for an understood noun or noun
phrase:
The channel was not a broad <w PNI>one
[AEA.1461]
In this use, one has a plural form ones.
(b) As a generic personal pronoun, meaning 'people in general':
And I think <w PNI>one might go on to argue that far from saving labour it creates it.
[J17.1915]
Note that the reliability of the ambiguity tag PNI-CRD (in which the pronoun is rated more likely) is somewhat low. See Error rates, table 2.
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AV0 VVB VVI NN1
As both an adverb (AV0) and an adjective (AJ0) right means
the opposite of 'wrong' and also the opposite of 'left'. As a
noun, it generally means 'entitlements': e.g. I have a <w
NN1>right to know. The uses of right as a verb are
very rare.
Less obvious points:
As a discourse marker, right is tagged AV0:
<w AV0>Right, how you doing there?
[KBL.4671]
<w AV0>Right, er, members, any questions to <pause> the speakers?
[F7V.139]
In dialectal usage, right can be an intensifier, and is tagged AV0:
it's a ... it's a <w AV0>right soft carpet.
[KB2.1242-4]
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AV0 AV0 CJS
"<w AV0>So this is where you work..."
[H8M.2964]
Right, <w AV0>so what's fifty three per cent as a decimal?
[JP4.354]
They waited but nothing happened <w AV0>so they made a fuss.
[FU1.2484]
<w AV0>So say I and <w AV0>so say the folk.
[G11.230]
"Yes, I think <w AV0>so."
[CCM.151]
tough and long lasting -- that's why they're <w AV0>so popular.
[BN4.940]
... there are <w AV0>so many lonely people in hospitals
[FPS.2227]
Drink your tea <w CJS>so they can have your cup.
[KB2.1767]
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: DT0 CJT AV0
<w DT0>That<w VBZ>'s my coat yeah.
[KBS.1310]
he's getting hooked on the taste of vaseline, <w DT0>that dog.
[KCL.197]
This applies to that as a complementizer:
Many experts claim <w CJT>that it is good for your growing baby, too.
[G2T.1091]
and also to that as a relativizer (introducing a relative
clause):
A ship <w CJT>that never enters harbour.
[BPA.1326]
This is different from the more traditional analysis which treats
that introducing a relative clause as a relative pronoun.
It wasn't all <w AV0>that bad.
[KPP.322]
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AV0 AJ0
In all functions except clear adjectival usage (AJ0, usually following the), then
receives the tag AV0:
And <w AV0>then she spoke.
[H8T.2675]
"Come on, <w AV0>then."
[K8V.1722]
Mr Willi Brandt, the <w AJ0>then Mayor of West Berlin.
[A87.84]
...the <w AJ0>then state governor , who wasn't <w AV0>then Bill Clinton
[JSM.131]
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: TO0 PRP AVP
Note elliptical uses of the pre-infinitival to, especially in informal spoken texts:
In the summer holidays, I can, I can get up early if I want <w TO0>to.
[KPG.4204]
Note also the common colloquial spelling of want to, got to,
and going to as fused words:
wanna = <w VVB>wan<w TO0>na
gotta = <w VVN>got<w TO0>ta
gonna = <w VVG>gon<w TO0>na
That 's the school that Terry goes <w PRP>to.
[KB8.2443]
...what you're entitled <w PRP>to by law is money back
[FUT.360]
"Where <w PRP>to?"
"<w PRP>The moon."
[FNW.240-1]
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AV0 VVB VVI AJ0 NN1
When well has the function of a discourse marker, it is
treated as an adverb (AV0):
Oh <w AV0>well. That'll be the finish.
[FX6.196-7]
I bet he doesn't get up till about, <w AV0>well, it's eleven now.
[KBL.3808]
Well is tagged AV0, too, where it has an intensifying function: e.g.
It was dark outside and <w AV0>well past your bedtime.
[ASS.898]
Well is tagged as an adjective where it means 'in good
health': You don't look <w AJ0>well.
[HPR.107]
Tears <w VVB>well up in my eyes.
[BN3.5 *AV0]
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AVQ CJS
When can introduce three types of clauses: an adverbial
clause, a nominal clause, or a relative clause. Where it introduces
an adverbial clause, it is tagged CJS. Otherwise it is tagged AVQ.
The AVQ tag is also used for when introducing a question.
Examples:
<w CJS>When I got back to my flat, I decided to ring Toby.
[CS4.1265]
the crowd left quietly <w CJS>when the police arrived.
[APP.1017]
(when = at the time at which)
If you smoke <w CJS>when you're pregnant...
[A0J.1600]
(when = whenever)
Note that when is also a conjunction (CJS) in abbreviated
adverbial clauses which lack a subject and finite verb, such as
when in doubt, when ready, when completed.
I can't remember <w AVQ>when we last had a frost.
[KBF.11728]
"Do you remember <w AVQ>when we used to go with Daddy in the boat on Saturdays?"
[A6N.2022]
You never know <w AVQ>when the next big story will break.
[HJ6.101]
(when = at what time)
Before an infinitive, when is also tagged AVQ:
Otto knew <w AVQ>when to change the subject.
[FAT.1606]
Also when the rest of the infinitive clause is understood: Tell me <w AVQ>when.
in the year <w AVQ>when I was born (when = in which)
the moment <w AVQ>when he arrived (when = at which)
Note that when can often be omitted in relative clauses:
the moment he arrived.
<w AVQ>When did you find out?
apostrophe 'S |
ABOUT |
AS |
BUT |
HOME |
LIKE |
LITTLE |
MUCH |
MORE |
NO |
ONE |
RIGHT |
SO |
THAT |
THEN |
TO |
WELL |
WHEN |
WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: AVQ CJS
Where is like when in that it can be a wh-
adverb (AVQ) or a subordinating conjunction (CJS). However, with
where the CJS tag is much less likely than the AVQ tag.
Examples:
...to hit him <w CJS>where it hurts.
[CEN.2816]
I don't know <w AVQ>where she picked them up.
[G1D.1163]
It was the house <w AVQ>where the poor woodcutter lived with Hansel and Gretel
[CH4.2635]
<w AVQ>Where are you going?
[KB9.363]
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
Choice of tags: PRP NN1
Worth is tagged PRP where it could answer the question 'How much is ... worth?' or 'What is ... worth?'
these pictures are <w PRP>worth a small fortune.
[FNT.1060]
That makes him <w PRP>worth about $dollar;60m.
[CT3.479]
'Darling, it's not <w PRP>worth getting upset.
[HH9.2310]
Worth also occurs as a 'stranded preposition' in questions used to elicit such responses, and in some other common constructions:
how much d'ya think it's <w PRP>worth?
[KCX.1344]
share prices say nothing about what a company is <w PRP>worth.
[A9U.305 *NN1]
Please go ahead and push Grapevine for all you are <w PRP>worth.
[AP1.575]
Worth is tagged NN1 when it is an obvious noun (meaning 'value'). Typically this occurs following expressions of quantity, whether or not the quantity is expressed by a possessive or genitive (e.g. its, 's).
Baker showed his <w NN1>worth for Ipswich in the 20th minute
[CF9.103]
hundreds of pounds' <w NN1>worth of damage.
[A0H.15]
£2,500 <w NN1>WORTH OF PRIZES
[ECJ.1147]
apostrophe 'S | ABOUT | AS | BUT | HOME | LIKE | LITTLE | MUCH | MORE | NO | ONE | RIGHT | SO | THAT | THEN | TO | WELL | WHEN | WORTH |
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs
The spoken and written texts of the BNC have been tagged in the same way, except that the following phenomena occur almost entirely in the spoken part of the corpus.
children who go to the <w ZZ0>E <w ZZ0>N <w ZZ0>T clinic
[KB8.3807]
...ten ninety minute tapes! <w ZZ0>T <w ZZ0>D <w ZZ0>K tapes!
[KPG.3564-5]
In the written corpus these items would nearly always be written and tagged as whole words (ENT = AJ0-NN1, TDK = NP0).
Words that are left incomplete by the speaker are surrounded by SGML tags <trunc>...</trunc>. Examples include bathr and su -- tagged UNC -- in the following
The <trunc> <w UNC>bathr </trunc> er you can't
beat a white bathroom suite anyway.
[KCF.722]
Aye, they only came in the <trunc> <w UNC>su </trunc> they only came up here in the summer.
[GYS.127]
(i) Partial repetition of multiwords
Occasionally in spoken data it happens that only a portion of a multiword sequence is repeated. In this example, the word sort is used twice; in both cases it appears to function not as a separate word but as part of the multiword adverb sort of.
we're going to sort sort of summarize...
[G5X.106]
We treat the first sort as an incomplete multiword, and tag it UNC (rather like truncated words, above). The complete multiword sort of is tagged AV0, as normally.
we're going to <w UNC>sort <w AV0>sort of summarize...
Further examples of incomplete multiwords are the as long in as long as (conjunction), of in because of (preposition) and the in in in general (adverb) below
<w UNC>As <w UNC>long <w CJS>As long as everyone recognizes that for an area of that size...
[J9T.258]
<w PRP>because of the <pause> <w UNC>of the drought. When we were away it didn't
get watered on.
[KCH.982]
I know that <w UNC>in <w UNC>in <w AV0>in general, in in in erm, imperial measure, it is <trunc> f </trunc> five feet eight inches
[JK1.480]
Note: The second example shows that when words are repeated, the incomplete portion of a multiword is not necessarily immediately adjacent to the fully formed multiword. In the last example, the three instances of in before erm, imperial measure have not been analysed as part of the multiword in general; they are instead tagged as ordinary words (in this case, ambiguous between preposition and prepositional adverb: PRP-AVP). There are a few cases where the tagger has probably been over-zealous in spotting repeated portions of multiwords:
What happens <w UNC>now, <w CJS>now that you are winched down?
[HEF.9]
Here, the first instance of now would probably have better been interpreted as a single word adverb (='at this time'), not part of the multiword conjunction now that.2
(ii) Er and erm inside multiwords
Generally (in both written and spoken texts) the pause fillers er and erm take the tag UNC. Yet when they occur inside a multiword sequence, as in every er so often, these fillers are not assigned a separate POS-tag:
And your homework was handed in <pause> <w AV0>every er so often, you know
[G64.152]
something had gone wrong with the <pause> gas pipes <w PRP>because erm of <pause> flooding.
[KB8.5356]
these kind of books were, er, generally er, at , <w AV0>at er best ignored
[HUN]
Note that in the last example the word at preceding the multiword at er best is treated as a partial repetition of that multiword, and therefore tagged UNC.
2 In our experience, human analysts too sometimes have difficulty resolving ambiguities such as these, especially when using the plain orthographic transcriptions of the BNC, and with no direct access to the original sound recordings.
Contents | Tagset | Intro to Wordclasses | Disambiguate tag pairs | Disambiguate words
Date: 17 March 2000