Lecture 1Lecture 1

Sentence StructureSentence Structure

Teaching ContentsTeaching Contents

1.1. Clause elements1.1. Clause elements

1.2. Basic clause types and their transformati1.2. Basic clause types and their transformation and expansionon and expansion

Owing to the various sentence structures in a language, whOwing to the various sentence structures in a language, what is described here as sentence structure, sentence elementat is described here as sentence structure, sentence elements, or sentence patters is only concerned with the simple sens, or sentence patters is only concerned with the simple sentence or rather with the clause. tence or rather with the clause.

1.1. Clause elements1.1. Clause elements The clause or the simple sentence is structurally a sequeThe clause or the simple sentence is structurally a seque

nce of phrases and logically a construction of "subject + prnce of phrases and logically a construction of "subject + predicate".edicate".

1) Subject and predicate1) Subject and predicate

The subject is the topic or theme of the The subject is the topic or theme of the sentence, which tells of what the sentence is sentence, which tells of what the sentence is about. And it is generally realized by a about. And it is generally realized by a noun phrase or an equivalent of noun noun phrase or an equivalent of noun phrases. The predicate says something phrases. The predicate says something about the subject and bears the new about the subject and bears the new information which the speaker or writer information which the speaker or writer wants to transmit to the listener or reader. wants to transmit to the listener or reader.

2) Two ways of sentence analysis2) Two ways of sentence analysis

a. subject + predicate:a. subject + predicate: Predicate verb + Predicate verb + Object + Complement + Adverbial Object + Complement + Adverbial

b. subject + predicate: Operator (the b. subject + predicate: Operator (the auxiliary or the first auxiliary in a complex auxiliary or the first auxiliary in a complex verb phrase) + Predication verb phrase) + Predication

e.g. [All the men] [[have done] [their best]].e.g. [All the men] [[have done] [their best]].

1.2. Basic clause types and their transformation 1.2. Basic clause types and their transformation and expansionand expansion

1) Basic clause types1) Basic clause types

A. A. SVC subj. + linking verb + complementSVC subj. + linking verb + complement She is in good health.She is in good health. My brother has become an engineer.My brother has become an engineer.

Linking / Copular verbs:Linking / Copular verbs: a. current copular verb: describe a state. e.g. be, a. current copular verb: describe a state. e.g. be,

feel, smell, taste, stay, look, keep, sound, appearfeel, smell, taste, stay, look, keep, sound, appear

b. resulting copular verb: denote a change of statb. resulting copular verb: denote a change of statee

e.g. become, come, fall, go, get, grow, turn, provee.g. become, come, fall, go, get, grow, turn, prove

B. B. SV subj. + intransitive verbSV subj. + intransitive verb

e.g. Iron rusts.e.g. Iron rusts. Everybody laughs.Everybody laughs.

C. C. SVO subj. +(mono)transitive verb + objectSVO subj. +(mono)transitive verb + object e.g. I want a return ticket.e.g. I want a return ticket.

D. D. SVOO SVOO Double Object / Ditransitive ConstructionDouble Object / Ditransitive Construction (DOC)(DOC) subj. + ditransitive verb (give, send, teach, ssubj. + ditransitive verb (give, send, teach, s

how, tell…) + indirect object (IO) + direct ohow, tell…) + indirect object (IO) + direct object (DO)bject (DO)

e.g. I gave *(John) a book.e.g. I gave *(John) a book. Someone left (you) this note.Someone left (you) this note.

E. SVOC E. SVOC

subj. + complex transitive verb + object + subj. + complex transitive verb + object + complementcomplement

The relationship between the object and The relationship between the object and complement can be paraphrased with either “be” complement can be paraphrased with either “be” or “become”.or “become”.

e.g. She found it cold here. =…that it was cold here.e.g. She found it cold here. =…that it was cold here. The Airport Operators Council re-elected him The Airport Operators Council re-elected him

president. president.

F. SVA Subj. + V. + Adverbial F. SVA Subj. + V. + Adverbial

e.g. I live in Beijing.e.g. I live in Beijing.

G. SVOA G. SVOA

subj. + transitive verb + object + obligatory subj. + transitive verb + object + obligatory

adverbialadverbial

e.g. Put / place a note e.g. Put / place a note on my dooron my door..

The The adverbialadverbial in the SVOA pattern in the SVOA pattern most typically expresses location. It most typically expresses location. It differs from ordinary locative differs from ordinary locative adverbials in that it does not specify adverbials in that it does not specify the circumstances of the action the circumstances of the action ‘placing’, ‘putting’, etc., but rather ‘placing’, ‘putting’, etc., but rather describes where the referent of the describes where the referent of the direct object ends up.direct object ends up.

2) Transformation and expansion of basic clause 2) Transformation and expansion of basic clause typestypes

The basic clause types are all affirmative The basic clause types are all affirmative statements with verbs in the active voice. An statements with verbs in the active voice. An affirmative one can be transformed into a affirmative one can be transformed into a negative; a statement into a question; and an negative; a statement into a question; and an active into a passive; all these add varieties to the active into a passive; all these add varieties to the basic clause types. They can also be expanded basic clause types. They can also be expanded into larger grammatical units through adding into larger grammatical units through adding modifiers. modifiers.

A: modificationsA: modifications--- --- Last SaturdayLast Saturday, an , an old womanold woman worke worke

r told the students ther told the students the bitter bitter story story of of her childhoodher childhood..

B: coordination and subordinationB: coordination and subordination--- Most us were in the hall, the doors --- Most us were in the hall, the doors

had been closed and later comers hahad been closed and later comers had to wait outside.d to wait outside.

--- You can call him what you like, but --- You can call him what you like, but you won’t make him what he isn’t.you won’t make him what he isn’t.