1. Compound Structures Ed McCorduck English 402--Grammar SUNY Cortland

2. slide 2: compound structures, coordination and coordinators
Compound structures are created through coordination.
coordination - the joining of elements capable of filling the same slot in a sentence
accomplished through the use of coordinating conjunctions (a.k.a. coordinators) which are a structure class (see the “Descriptive Grammar of English” lecture)
The coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or and nor (the last of which is quite formal in register).
English 402: Grammar

3. slide 3: examples of sentences with compound structures
exx
A stamp and an envelope are all I need.
subj subj
They drew and quartered the miserable traitor.
V V
Fatboy demanded the last piece of cake or a slice of the pie.
dir obj dir obj
English 402: Grammar

4. slide 4: more examples of sentences with compound structures
He’s a weenie but a good friend.
NP NP
subj comp subj comp
He’s a weenie but cool.
NP ADJ
subj comp subj comp
The grammar lecture left me bewildered and confounded.
obj comp obj comp
Gilligan built Mary Ann and Ginger a new hut.
indir obj indir obj
Her sage advice went in one ear and out the other.
PP PP
ADV ADV
English 402: Grammar

5. slide 5: correlative conjunctions
coordination is also accomplished through the use of correlative conjunctions
The correlative conjunctions are
both and
either or
not only but (also)
neither nor
English 402: Grammar

6. slide 6: examples of sentenceswith correlative conjunctions
exx
Either Groucho or Harpo will emcee our event.
subj subj
Constance speaks neither Russian nor Polish.
dir obj dir obj
They work both efficiently and cheaply.
ADV ADV
You’re not only a moron but also an asswipe.
subj comp subj comp
English 402: Grammar

7. slide 7: Reed-Kellogg diagrams of sentences with compound structures
In Reed-Kellogg diagrams, compound structures are indicated through parallel lines that split off the main line and/or through dashed lines to the right of or on top of which are written the coordinating and correlative conjunctions that join the elements of the compound structure. For example, following is the diagram of the sentence Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pigged out in which the subjects Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are joined by the coordinating conjunction and (i.e., the sentence has a compound subject):
English 402: Grammar

8. slide 8: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram with a compound subject
(Note: In our Understanding English Grammar textbook, conjunctions are written from bottom to top, i.e.,
but because the SenDraw program we are using draws vertical text from top to bottom, this is the format I will use in these lectures. In addition, for better symmetry with the dashed lines I will give vertical text to the right of the lines, whereas the book puts them on the left.)
English 402: Grammar

9. slide 9: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram with a compound subject complement
If the compound structure functions as a subject complement, it is also written with a “fork” coming out of the main line, but because of its function in the sentence it must also preceded by the slanted line that always separates complements from preceding elements. For example, here is the diagram of the sentence David Copperfield is a book and a movie:
English 402: Grammar

10. slide 10: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram with a compound direct object
Similarly, if the compound structure functions as a direct object it is also written with a “fork” coming out of the main line, but because of its function in the sentence it must also preceded by the perpendicular that always separates direct objects from preceding elements. For example, here is the diagram of the sentence David Copperfield wrote a book and a movie:
English 402: Grammar