Sentence-Structure

SentenceStructureSentenceStructureWhensentencestructureisdescribed,weusuallyfocusonthestructureofsimplesentences,i.e.theindependentclauses.Thereasonsforsodoing:Sentencesinauthenticlanguagedifferstructurallyinthousandsofways;Clauseismoreregularandstable,thusmakingalegitimateobjectforourobservation.1.ClauseelementsTheconstructionofthesimplesentenceorclauseorganizedbyagroupofphrasesgoesasfollows:subject+predicateSubject:thetopicorthemeofthesentence/tellingofwhatthesentenceisabout/realizedbyanounphraseoranequivalentofnounphrasePredicate:sayssomethingaboutthesubjectandbearsthenewinformationwhichthespeakerorwriterwantstotransmittoreceivers;amorecomplicatedconstructionconsistingofaverbphrasewithorwithoutcomplementation1.1CompoundsubjectsandPredicatesCompoundsubject,e.g.,Theboysandthegirlsareplanningadance.Fruitfliesandladybugsareinsects.CompoundPredicate,e.g.,Myfriendlivesinagreenhouseandridesaredbicycle.Iopenedthemagazineandbegantoreaditquietly.1.1.1DoublePredicatesDoublePredicates:thosetransformedthroughcomplicateddeepstructures,e.g.,Helefthomeamerechildandreturnedquiteadifferentman.=Hewasamerechildwhenhelefthome,andhebecamequiteadifferentmanwhenhereturned.Abirdfelldeadtotheground.Thedoctorsatreadinganewspaperintheshade.Thedifferencebetweencompoundpredicateanddoublepredicate.Compare:Abirdfelldeadtotheground.Abirdfelltogroundanddied.Abirddiedandfelltotheground.Abirdfelltothegroundanditwasdead.*Abirdfelldiedtotheground.DoublepredicatecompoundpredicatecompoundpredicateCompoundsentence1.1.2Twowaysofclauseanalysis:Subject+PredicateVerb+(complementation):Averb-centeredanalysistheirbesthavedoneAllthemenObjectPredicateverbSubjectNPVPNPClauseSentence1.1.2Twowaysofclauseanalysis:Subject+PredicateAllthemendonetheirbesthavePredicationOperatorpredicateSubjectClauseSentence2.1.1BasicclausetypesThecombinationofclauseelements(phrases)arewhollyorlargelydeterminedbythemainverbintheclause,thuswehave:Linkingverborcopular:SVCIntransitive:Monotransitive:Ditransitive:Complextransitive:SV;SVASVOSVOOSVOC2.1.2Majorclauseelements:aclearerpictureSubject:Thebookismine.(SVC)Predicateverb:Thebookismine.Subjectcomplement/predicative:Thebookismine.Object:Johnhasreadthebook.(SVO)DirectObject:Johngaveherabook.(SVoO)Indirectobject:Johngaveherabook.Objectcomplement/predicative:Weelectedhimourpresident.(SVOC)Adverbial:IliveinNanjing.(SVA)Hetreatedhervilely.(SVOA)Discussion:identifythefollowingsentencepatternThey’reoutofbreath.They’reoutoftown.Sheisyoungandingoodhealth.Randolphispayingforthemeal.Itturnedoutahugesuccess.Weareputtingupatamotel.SVCSVC/SVA?SVCSVO/SVA?SVCSVATheylookedonmeastheirrolemodel.Slowlyisexactlyhowhespeaks.Outonthelakewillbesplendid.BecauseSallywantstoleavedoesn’tmeanthatwehaveto.SVOCSVACSVCSVO2.1.3TherealizationofthesemajorclauseelementsClENPVPAPAdvPPPFCl-ingClInf.ClEdClS√√√√√√V√Cs√√√√√√√Od√√√√Oi√√Co√√√√√A√√√√√√√AdvPsandPPsassubjectSlowlyisexactlyhowhespeaks.Outonthelakewillbesplendid.Willaftertheshowbesoonenough?FiniteclauseasindirectobjectTheindirectobjecthasthefollowingcharacteristics:Foundwithditransitiveverbsonly;CharacteristicallyaNP,butoccasionallybeafinitenominalclause,e.g.GivewhoeverhasityouroldCub.Intheaccusativecaseofpronouns;Normallyplacedbetweentheverbphraseandthedirectobject;OftenallowsaparaphrasewithaPPobject.FiniteclauseasobjectcomplementOnlywh-clausescanbefoundwiththiskindofusage,e.g.,Perhapsitisuswhomadethemwhattheyare.2.1.4TheperipheralclauseelementsParentheticals:Atprecisely11.07(Earthtime),amessageflasheduponthescreen.Prefaces/leftdislocation:PooroldDoctorJones,hesaidyou’llneverwearyourheartout.Tags:Itmakesyouwonder,youknow,allthisunemployment.Itlookslovely,doesn’tit?He’salrightheis.Discoursemarkers:Please,Dad,Iknowyou’rebusyandthat,butImustknow.Ohwell,hewouldhavetosellsomestock.Vocatives:Please,Dad,Iknowyou’rebusyandthat,butImustknow.Oh,Madonna,God,andLordJesus,fortheloveofGod,cometoearthagainandchangethisworldwheresometimeswedarenoteventrustpriests.2.1.5Sentenceinrealtext:verblesssentencesTheaxiom:Sentencesshouldbebuiltaroundthemainverb;anyfiniteclauseshouldtakeanexpressedsubject.Intherealtextwrittenbynativespeakers(especiallythoseliteraryones),therearealotofsentenceswithnoexpressedverbandsubject,forexample,Aswetoppedthehill,thecloudsliftedandtheharbourlookedmostbeautifulinitssemicircleofhillsandhalflights.Thecolourofapalepearlgreyandofafairytexture.Quiteindescribableandunpaintable,theaircrispandfresh.ThisArcticsceneryhasabeautywhichistheexactantithesisoftheChristmascardoftradition.Soft,meltinghalftones.Nothingbrittleorgarish.AnthonyEden,Menoirs:TheReckoningAswetoppedthehill,thecloudsliftedandtheharbourlookedmostbeautifulinitssemicircleofhillsandhalflights.Allthiswasinthecolourofapalepearlgreyandofafairytexture.Quiteindescribableandunpaintalbe,theairwascrispandfresh.ThisArcticsceneryhasabeautywhichistheexactantithesisoftheChristmascardoftradition.Itissoft,andinmeltinghalftones.Nothingisbrittleorgarish.Aswetoppedthehill,thecloudslifte