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Looking for happy turns up examples like this one:

        (S (NP (PRP We))
           (VP (VBP 're)
               (ADJP (ADVP (RB just))
                     (ADVP (RB real))
                     (JJ happy)
                     (PP (IN for)
                         (NP (DT the)
                             (NNS players))))))                                 

The following query matches instances of an adjective phrase (ADJP) that is a complement to a form of be. (/^.re/ matches are and 're.)

tgrep 'VP < (/^VB/ < /^.re/|/^.m/|/^.s/|were|was|be|been|being) < ADJP' | more

Of course, predicative uses of adjectives can show up after verbs other than be. To get these other uses, the following query will work:

tgrep 'VP < ADJP' | more

However, some of the cases returned by that query are less clear-cut than others. Compare (1) and (2):

(1) (VP (VBG keeping)
        (NP (DT the)
            (NNS prices))
        (ADJP (JJ reasonable)))   

(2) (VP (VBN seen)
        (ADJP (NN fit))
        (S (NP (-NONE- *))
           (AUX (TO to))
           (VP (VB distribute)
               (NP (DT these)
                   (NNS funds))
               (PP (IN through)
                   (NP (DT the)
                       (NN welfare)
                       (NNS departments)
                       (PP (IN of)
                           (NP (PDT all)
                               (NNS counties)
                               (PP (IN in)                             
                                   (NP (DT the)
                                       (NN state)))))))))

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Emily M. Bender
Last modified: Fri Dec 8 12:00:22 2000