Looking at Distribution

First we’ll look at start + to-infinitive in fiction, then in non-fiction; then do the same for begin.

Before you start, follow this link and make a copy of the table - either print it out or copy-and-paste it over to a word processor. Then you can use it to keep a note of your results.

Now log on to BNCweb.

1. Let’s start with written texts. You can limit your search to these texts by clicking on "Written texts" (instead of "Quick query" which we used previously).
2. In the boxes on the right, click on (Medium of text) [ ] Book, and (Text type) [ ] Imaginative.
3. Look for start as a base verb: start=VVB
4. Write down in the table:
• the frequency
• the frequency per million words
• the total number of words
5. In the box marked "Thin...", click and go down to "Complex query". Click "Go".
   
   
   
   When the next page loads, press "Submit".
6. You should reach a fresh window with several columns. Each one represents a word position in relation to start (which is called the node word; this just means the "search word"). In the box for the word to the right of start, position +1, find the tag for the infinitive marker. It’s TO0, and submit.
7. You now have a concordance for start to in fiction texts. Note down the frequency, and frequency per million words in the table.
8. Repeat steps (1-7) for non-fiction texts - that is, all the other Text Types put together.
9. Do the same steps (1-8) for begin to. If you have time, you should also look at start -ing (i.e. start followed by any verb in the ing-form) in fiction and non-fiction.

What can you say about the distribution of each verb?

Does this fit in with what you expected?