The typical complex predicate construction is composed of more than one grammatical element, each of which contributes nontrivial syntactic and semantic information to it. Like other SOV languages, Korean employs a variety of complex predicate constructions which we can frequently find in daily language use. Complex predicate constructions in Korean can be classified into verbal and nominal ones. The former group consists of only verbal expressions, and auxiliary and serial verb constructions belong to this group. The latter has a predicative nominal and a verb. Light verb constructions and bound noun constructions belong to this group. This chapter discusses the grammatical properties of the auxiliary constructions in Korean as complex predicates.

(1) a. Continuation

phwul-e ka-ta

solve-CONN gradually-DECL

b. Service

nol-a cwu-ta / ilk-e cwu-ta

play-CONN for-DECL / read-CONN for-DECL

c. Attempt

mek-e po-ta / ilk-e po-ta

eat-CONN try-DECL / read-CONN try-DECL

d. Conjecture

mek-na po-ta / o-na siph-ta

eat-CONN maybe-DECL / come-CONN maybe-DECL

e. Repetition

wus-e tay-ta / mek-e tay-ta

smile-CONN on-DECL eat-CONN on-DECL

f. Hold

mak-a twu-ta / kam-a noh-ta

block-CONN keep-DECL / wrap-CONN keep-DECL

g. Expectation

mek-ko siph-ta

eat-CONN wish-DECL

h. Existence

kelly-e iss-ta

hang-CONN exist-DECL

i. Obligation

mek-eya ha-n-ta

eat-CONN must-PRES-DECL

j. Habit

mek-kon ha-ta

eat-CONN used.to-DECL

(2) a. Mimi-ka hakkyo-ey ka-ss-ta

Mimi-NOM school-LOC go-PST-DECL

‘Mimi went to school.’

b. elum-i chachum nok-a ka-ss-ta

ice-NOM gradually melt-CONN gradually-PST-DECL

‘The ice gradually melted away.’