Lecture1 Sentence Structure

1. Lecture1Sentence Structure There two main points in this lecture: 1.1 Clause Elements (P15) 1.2 Basic Clause Types and Their Transformation and Expansion (P20)

2. 1.1 Clause elements • A review on what is Clause: The clause (the simple sentence) : structurally a sequence of phraselogically a construction of “subject + predicate”.

3. 1) Subject and predicate • A full-fledged clause can generally be divided into two parts: the subject and the predicate. SubjectPredicate Henry is the most studious (diligent) in the class.All the men have done their best. Mr. Carter will investigate further.

4. The subject: • the topic or theme of the sentence, tells of what the sentence is about (known information). • The subject is generally realized by a noun phrase or anequivalentof noun phrase

5. The Predicate: • says something about the subject and bears the new information (the speaker or writer wants to transmit to the listener or reader). • The construction of the predicate, which is more complicated, generally consists of a verb phrase with or without complementation.

6. Compound subject/ Compound predicate/ Double predicate

7. 2) Two Ways of Sentence Analysis 1. To divide the predicate into predicate verb, object, complement and adverbial. These elements together with the subject make the five clause elements. Five Clause Elements 3. Object ﹢ 1. Subject 2. Predicate Verb Predicate 4. Complement 5. Adverbial

8. 2. To divide the predicate into two parts: the operator and the predication. • The operator is usually the auxiliary or the first auxiliary in a complex verb phrase • The predication comprises the main verb with its complementation (object, complement or adverbial).

9. 1.2 Basic Clause Types and Their Transformation and Expansion • In terms of the different combinations of clause elements, English clauses can be classified into seven basic types. • Innumerable authentic sentences are structured on the basis of these clause types.

10. 1) Basic Clause Types • The seven basic clause types are: SVOSVOASVOCSVoO SVSVCSVA These seven combinations of clause elements are wholly or largely determined by the Main Verb in the clause.

11. SVC: • The main verb in an SVC pattern is a Linking / Copula Verb which must be followed by a Subject Complement. That car ismine. She isin good health.

12. SV / SVA: • The main verb in an SV pattern is an Intransitive Verb which is not to be followed by any obligatory element except for a limited number of intransitive verbs which require an obligatory Adverbial, thus constituting the pattern SVA. Every body laughed. The children are sleeping. I livein Beijing. The train leaves at six.

13. SVO / SVOA: • The main verb in an SVO pattern is a Monotransitive which must be followed by an object, and with some monotransitives the object must be followed by an obligatory adverbial, thus constituting the pattern SVOA. Nobody could answerthe question.Liverpool wonthe game.I put the material evidencein front of her.He treatedhervilely.

14. SVoO: • The main verb in an SVoO pattern is a Ditransitive Verb which is to be followed by two objects: Indirect and Direct Object. Mary lent meher car. I mademyselfa cup of tea.

15. SVOC: • The main verb in an SVOC pattern is a complex transitive verb which must be followed by an object + object complement. We made himour spokesman.They electedhimpresident.

16. 2) Transformation and Expansion of Basic Clause Types Ways of Transformation: The basic clause types areall affirmative statements with verbs in the active voice. Affirmative Negative Statement Question Active Voice Passive Voice

17. Ways of Expansion: • adding modifiers at various levels • by coordination and subordination Coordination Clause ﹢ Compound Sen. Complex Sen. Compound Complex Sen. ﹢ Clause Modifiers ﹢ Clause Subordination

18. When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously, but, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.

19. C1 C2 • When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously, but, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar. C4 C3 C5 C6 C7

20. When C1 reports came into London Zoo that C2 a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London , but, C3 they were not taken seriously C4 the evidence began to accumulate as C5 experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate C6 the descriptions given by people were extraordinarily similar C7 who claimed to have seen the puma , for

21. The Structure of Sentence 1 C2 Subordinate that C4 C1 as Subordinate Subordinate When Coordinate C3 C5 , but, , for Subordinate C6 Subordinate C7

22. The Structure of Sentence 1 Coordinate C3 C5 Subordinate Subordinate Subordinate C1 C4 C6 C7 C2