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Sentence Structure. Basic Structure. Subject + Predicate (one main verb ) e.g. John eats an apple a day . John (subject) eats an apple a day (Predicate) e.g. An apple is eaten by John everyday . An apple (subject) is eaten by John everyday . (Predicate).
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Basic Structure • Subject + Predicate (one main verb) • e.g. Johneats an apple a day. • John (subject) • eats an apple a day (Predicate) • e.g. An appleis eaten by John everyday. • An apple (subject) • is eaten by John everyday. (Predicate)
Identify the subject and the predicate • Most students spend time playing online games. • Students can communicate with others more easily with ICQ, MSN etc. • The benefits of technology outweigh the drawbacks.
Subjects • Mr. John Wong is the vice-principal of STC. • He has taught in STC for more than 38 years. • Teaching English is his major duty. • To maintain the fame of STC is his dream. • Now that he is going to retire, he still has some loose ends to tidy up. • Whether his dream will come true depends on how willingly STC students want to speak English.
Main verb (tense) • Simple present (truth, habits) • I wake up at six. • Continuous • Students are preparing for the final exam. • Perfect / simple past • J.K. Rowling has finished the Harry Potter series, seven books in all. • J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005.
Modal Verbs • I may/might give you a surprise. • You can/could climb a tree. • He shall/should hand in his assignment before noon. • They will/would go swimming tonight. • We must speak the truth.
Conditionals (If + main) • Certainty • If you heat the ice cubes, they melt. • Possibility • If you revise hard, you will pass the final. • Impossibility • If Obama were the US president, pigs would fly. • Did not happen • John cancelled the flight to Sichuan. If he had boarded the aeroplane, he would have died in the May 12 earthquake.
If-clause + main-clause • An if-clause is incomplete: • If you heat the ice cubes, … • If you revise hard, … • If Obama were the US president, … • If John had boarded the aeroplane, … • They need the main-clause to complete the meaning. • …, they melt. • …, you will pass the final.
Conditional examples • If students have self-control, they will not affect by these online games. • If students have self-control, they will not affectbe affected by these online games.
It- structures • It is + adjective+ for + noun + to-infinitive + complement • e.g. • It is important for usto prepare well for the final examination. • It is understandable for parentsto worry about their children who spend too much time online.
There- structures • There be + noun (no more main verb) • e.g. • There is an exchange student in 4L.[An exchange students is in 4L.] • There are four students taking English Literature.[Four students aretaking English Literature.] • There have been several thousand aftershocks after the major quake in Sichuan. • There will be only one repeater place in S4 next year.[Only one repeater place will be (available) in S4 next year.]
There are people think that … • Redundant ‘there are’ • e.g. • There are many online games attract students.(Which is the main verb? be? attract?) • There are people think that technology brings bad effects to students.(Which is the main verb? be? think? bring?)