Pseudo-coordination

The XTAG grammar does handle one sort of verb pseudo-coordination. Semi-idiomatic phrases such as 'try and' and 'up and' (as in 'they might try and come today') are handled as multi-anchor modifiers rather than as true coordination. These items adjoin to a V node, using the $\beta$VCONJv tree. This tree adjoins only to verbs in their base morphological (non-inflected) form. The verb anchor of the $\beta$VCONJv must also be in its base form, as shown in examples ((387))-((389)). This blocks 3rd-person singular derivations, which are the only person morphologically marked in the present, except when an auxiliary verb is present or the verb is in the infinitive.

(386)0(386

(387)

$\ast$He tried and came yesterday.  (387)0(387

(388)

They try and exercise three times a week.  (388)0(388

(389)

He wants to try and sell the puppies.