NP Movement Examples

A. Passive Sentences

1a. Big Blue beats Kasparov (active sentence)
1b. Kasparov is beaten by Big Blue (passive sentence)

Case:
1c. *Kasparov is beaten Big Blue

Theta Roles:
2a. *       beats Kasparov
2b. Kasparov is beaten

B. Passives Verbs and Auxiliaries

1a. Big Blue will beat Kasparov
1b. Kasparov will be beaten by Big Blue
2a. Big Blue has beaten Kasparov
2b. Kasparov has been beaten by Big Blue
3a. Big Blue is beating Kasparov
3b. Kasparov is being beaten by Big Blue

C. Passives, Raising, and Case

Passive Sentences:
1. The citizens believe [CPthat John has committed the crime] (active)
2.  [That John has committed the crime] is widely believed by the citizens (passive)

3a. [That John has committed the crime] is widely believed
3b. It is widely believed [that John committed the crime]

4a. *[John to have committed the crime] is widely believed
4b. *It is widely believed [John to have committed the crime]

5a. John is widely believed [___ to have committed the crime]
5b. *John is widely believed [___ has committed the crime]

Raising Sentences:
6a. [CPThat John has won] seems unlikely
6b. It seems unlikely [that John has won]

7a. *[John to have won] seems unlikely
7b. *It seems unlikely [John to have won] 

8a. John seems unlikely [___ to have won]
8b. *John seems unlikely [___ has won]

D. Theta Theory, Case Theory, and NP Traces

Theta Roles:
1a. John has committed the crime
1b. * Has committed the crime

2a. It seems [John has committed the crime]
2b. *It seems [has committed the crime]
2c. *It seems [to have committed the crime] 
2d. John seems [to have committed the crime]

2d’. Johni seems [ti to have committed the crime]
(Note: here Johni ‘inherits’ theta role from ti ; and ti inherits case marking from Johni .)

E. NP Traces and Binding Theory

1a. Johni is believed [ ti to be the best candidate]
1b. *Johni is believed [ti is the best candidate]

2a. Johni believes [himselfi to be the best candidate]
2b. *Johni believes [himselfi is the best candidate]

3a. *Johni is believed [Mary likes ti]
3b. *Johni is believed [Mary to like ti]

4a. *Johni believes [Mary likes himselfi]
4b. *Johni believes [Mary to like himselfi]