Lecture2 Sentence structure Objectives: 1. Grammatical Hierarchy 2. Clause elements : subject and predicate 3. Two ways of sentence analysis 4. Seven basic sentence patterns 5. Transformation and expansion of basic clause types
2. Grammatical Hierarchy Morpheme (free morpheme, bound morpheme) Word 1)classification in terms of word-formation (simple word, derivative, compound) 2) classification in terms of grammatical function (open-class words, closed-class words) Phrase (noun phrase, verb phrase, adjective phrase, adverb phrase, prepositional phrase)
Clause ( independent clause, dependent/subordinate clause) –subject clause –object clause – predicative clause – adverbial clause -- appositive clause.
Sentence (full sentence, minor sentence) 1) classification in terms of the purpose of the speaker statement, question ( general question, special question , alternative question,tag question), imperative sentence, exclamation
2. Clause elements Subject and predicate Subject— the topic or theme of the sentence, which tells of what the sentence is about. It is generally realized by a noun phrase or an equivalent of noun phrase
Predicate—says something about the subject and keeps the new information which the speaker or writer wants to transmit to the listener or reader. It generally consists of a verb phrase with or without a complementation.
3. 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.
2) To divide the predicate into operator (aux. Or the first aux. in a complex verb phrase) and predication (It comprises the main verb with its complementation, which including object, complement or adverbial.)
4. Seven basic sentence patterns Simple sentences have seven basic patterns : SV (主 — 动) SVC ( 主 — 动 — 补 ) SVO (主 — 动 — 宾) SV0O (主 — 动 — 宾 - 宾) SVOC (主 — 动 — 宾 — 补) SVA (主 — 动 — 状) SVOA (主 — 动 — 宾 — 状)
SV (usu. V is intransitive verb.) --Day broke. --Things change.
SVC ( usu. V is linking verb.) --He died young. --The doctors seemed very capable.
SVO (usu. V is transitive verb/ monotransitive verb.) --I want a cup of tea. --Robbie didn’t deny the facts. --She heard whisperings.
SV0O ( V is ditransitive verb.) --He gave me a nice present. --We gave the baby a bath. --Judith paid me a visit.
SVOC (主 — 动 — 宾 — 补) ( V is complex transitive verb.) --I found this book easy. --He watched the maid come in. --I heard him coming up the stairs slowly, as if he were carrying something heavy.
SVA (A=adverbial) --He will flying to shanghai. --They stayed in a hotel. SVOA --I met her at the railway station. -- I put the material evidence in front of him.
SV0O In SV0O , sometimes indirect object can be shifted to the direct object by using correspondent prepositions such as “to” , “for” , “of”. that is: “v + sb/sth + prep + sb” 。 compare : Betty gave her daughter an apple. →Betty gave an apple to her daughter. Father bought him a bike. →Father bought a bike for him. He asked me a question. →He asked a question of me.
SV0O 1) Verbs that can be used in “v. + sb/sth + to + sb” : bring, take, show, pass, lend, return ; owe, offer, leave, give, send, teach , read, write, pay etc. eg: owe money to the bank offer battle to someone
SV0O --We want a teacher to teach us violin. --He offered me a glass of wine.. --She brought her sister to my office. --He died two and a half years later, leaving everything to his wife.
2) Verbs that can be used in “v + sb/sth + for + sb” : find, spare, save, fetch, buy, get, make choose, pick, select, sing, play, cook , -- Please fetch some sandwiches for this hungry boy.
2) Verbs that can be used in “v + sb/sth + for + sb” : --Would you please spare me a cup of wine? --Has she made you an offer for your car? --He never made me an apology.
5. Transformation and expansion of basic clause types 1) basic clause types statement affirmative -> negative active-> passive
2) Expansion of basic clause types Compound sentence (coordination: linked by coordinators such as: and, but, so, however, therefore, or ) -- I don’t like her but John likes her very much
2 Complex sentence (by means of adding modifiers or subordinate clauses.) --Standing in front of the mirror, Jim looked at his image, wondering at the big change that had come over him in recent years.
Compound-complex sentence (by means of the combination of coordination and subordination.) eg: --The policeman looked at me suspiciously, and he asked me what I wanted.