Sentence Structure

Sentence Structure ENGLISH & LEARNING SKILLS An Introduction to Clause Analysis

The Mechanics of Paragraphs, Sentences & Punctuation

3 Elements of Sentences • Individual Words (Parts of Speech) • Nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, subordinators • Groups of Words • Clauses (main, dependent, relative), phrases • Punctuation • Commas, colons, hyphens, question marks, full-stops

Text 1 Freud was born in 1856. He was born in Austria. He attended the Sperl Gymnasium. He graduated in 1873. He turned to medicine as a career. At the University of Vienna he worked with Ernst von Brucke. He trained with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert. He was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885. In 1938 he was forced into exile.

Simple Sentences He (subject) studied (verb) hard. We (subject) went (verb) to the Skillzone.

Problems with Simple Sentences • BORING • REPETITIVE • RESTRICTIVE – BASED ON FACTS

Uses of the Simple Sentence • Instructions • Reports: procedures / methods • BECAUSE: • They are clear • They are easy to understand

Text 2 Freud was born in 1856 and attended the Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873 then turned to medicine as a career, so he went to the University of Vienna and worked with Ernst von Brucke and trained with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert and was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885, but was forced into exile in 1938.

Compound Sentences • Simple sentences joined together by coordinating conjunctions • and, or, but, and then. • Simplistic • Monotonous

Options • Use no more than one or two co-ordinating conjunctions in a compound sentence. • Freud was born in 1856 and attended the Sperl Gymnasium. • Join compound sentences using semi-colons. • Freud was an educated man; he studied medicine.

The “Complex” Solution • Use ‘COMPLEX’ SENTENCES • Compress several sentences into one. • WEIGHTY • CONSIDERED • SOPHISTICATED & INTERESTING

Text 3: Example 1 He attended the Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873, subsequently turning to medicine as a career.

Example 1 Examined • Clause 1 – expresses main statement He attended the Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873 • Clause 2 – adds information subsequently turning to medicine as a career

Text 3: Example 2 After he began training with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert, Freud was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885.

Example 2 Examined • Main clause – expresses main statement • Freud was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885. • Subordinate Clause – adds information • After he began training with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert,

What is a Main Clause? • A group of words that conveys the main idea of a sentence. • always has a subject; • always has a main verb. • Freudwent to the University of Vienna. • Heworked with Ernst von Brucke.

Subordinate Clauses • Also have a subject • Also have a main verb But • Are always INTRODUCED by a word like: ‘although’, ‘because’, ‘when’

Note: Co-ordinate Clauses Sometimes sentences have more than one clause of equal importance: Freud attended the Sperl Gymnasium andgraduated in 1873. He was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885, butwas forced into exile in 1938. Both parts of each sentence are of equal importance.

Caution! • Main clauses can stand alone as fully functioning sentences. • Subordinate clauses depend for their sense on the main clause. They do not make sense by themselves because they are incomplete.

Subordinate Conjunctions although while which since despite unless even though subsequently if because where until

Functions of Subordinate Clauses • WHEN events happened • WHY / REASON • HOW • WHAT concessions are being made • WHAT limits are being set • WHAT conditions are being imposed

Punctuating Complex Sentences The comma is the stop used between main and independent clauses – it’s not always needed, but sometimes it’s crucial.

Examples • Freud had a daughter, who was a psychotherapist. (He only had ONE daughter.) • Freud had a daughter who was a psychotherapist. (He had MORE than one daughter.)

All the students who were in the Great Hall at the time were discussing Freud. • (ONLY the students in the Great Hall were doing this, but there were other students.) • All the students, who were in the Great Hall at the time, were discussing Freud. • (There were no other students apart from those in the Great Hall.)

However we may feel, Freud’s a scientist rather than a humanist. • (ie it doesn’t matter whether we feel he’s right or wrong.) • However, we may feel Freud’s a scientist rather than a humanist. • (ie on the other hand.)

Relative Clauses Defining Relative Clauses The gales which swept across Britain last night caused widespread damage. The pipeline which carries the town’s water supplies has been severed.

Relative Clauses Non-Defining Relative Clauses The gales, which swept across Britain last night, caused widespread damage. The pipeline, which carries the town’s water supplies, has been severed.

Complex Complex Sentences Complex sentences can consist of a main clause and several subordinate clauses which may cut across each other.

Text 4 Even though he was a famous psychiatrist and loved his children, Freud got cross with Anna because she had eaten all the cakes which Martha had made while he had been busy writing The Interpretation of Dreams.

Analysing Text 4 • Freud was cross with Anna – Main Clause • Even though he was a famous psychiatrist – Sub Cl • who loved his children – Sub Cl • because she had eaten all the cakes – Sub Cl • which Martha had made – Sub Cl • while he had been busy writing The Interpretation of Dreams– Sub Cl

Shifting the Emphasis Freud, who was a famous psychiatrist and loved his children,was busy writing The Interpretation of Dreams while Anna was eating all the cakes which Martha had made for him.

Foregrounding Identifying the main clause in a sentence helps you to understand a writer’s personal view or slant on what he or she has written.

The Phrase • Sentences may also contain PHRASES – these are not clauses. They: • can be a single word – ‘however’, ‘recently’; • several words – ‘on the other hand’; ‘on a good day’ . . . • can include verbs, but only ending with: • -ing / -ed / -en / -nt

Sentence Structure