Download Beyond the parts of speech…… In a nutshell

Beyond the parts of speech……
In a nutshell:
•
Phrases - Verbals
Gerunds
Participles
infinitives
•
Clauses
Independent
Subordinate
Noun
Adjective
adverb
•
Kinds of sentences
Simple
Compound
Complex
Compound-complex
NOTES:
Verbals and verbal phrases
1
A VERBAL is a word that is formed from a verb and that acts as a noun, an adjective, or
an adverb.
Gerunds and gerund phrases
GERUND is a verbal that ends in –ing and acts as a noun. Like nouns, gerunds may
be subjects, predicate nouns, direct objects, indirect objects, and object of the
preposition.
Inventing can be dangerous.
A GERUND PHRASE consists of a gerund plus its modifiers and complements.
Like a gerund, a gerund phrase functions as a noun.
Writing Frankenstein must have given Mary Shelley good bumps.
USING GERUND PHRASES
Subject
Calling the monster Frankenstein is a mistake.
Predicate noun
Frankenstein’s error was creating the monster.
Direct object
I like watching horror movies.
Object of the preposition
The monster was responsible for killing three people.
Literary model
My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still
chatted. The ringing became more distinct…….Edgar Allen Poe, “The Tell Tale Heart”
NOTES:
Participles and participial phrases
A PARTICIPLE is a verb form that acts as an adjective. It modifies a noun or
pronoun.
2
The exhausted campers found a crumbling schoolhouse.
A PARTICIPIAL PHRASE consists of a participle plus its modifiers and
complements. The entire phrase modifies a noun or a pronoun.
The spied a shape lurking in the dark shadows.
Frightened by the sight, they stopped cold.
Using words that end in –ing
Example
Clue
Participle What’s that scampering sound?
Gerund
It’s the scampering of rodents.
Mice are scampering beneath the floorboard.
Verb
Could be replaced by an adjective
Could be replaced by a noun
Always preceded by a helping verb
Literary Model
He was thin, nondescript, with a cap pulled down over his eyes….I was just slowing
down for one of the tunnels – when I saw him – standing under an arc light by the
side of the road. I could see him quite distinctly. The bag, the cap, even the spots of
fresh rain splattered over his shoulder.
-Lucille Fletcher, The Hitchhiker
NOTES:
Infinitives and infinitive phrases
An INFINITIVE is a verb form that usually begins with the word –to and acts as a
noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
3
Mars is a place some people want to visit.
An INFINITIVE PHRASE is an infinitive plus its modifiers and complements. The
entire phrase functions as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
To believe in life on Mars was common in the 1930s.
(acts as a noun)
Martians might use flying saucers to invade Earth.
(acts as an adverb)
I took time to read an old science fiction book.
(acts as an adjective)
Using Infinitive Phrases
Nouns
To colonize Mars is a real possibility. (subject)
My dream is to live on Mars. (predicate noun)
Would you like to go there? (direct object)
Adverb
Science fiction writers wrote about little green Martians to scare readers.
Adjective Even some scientists believed Mars to be inhabited.
Literary Model
“I’d like to go to India myself,” said the old man, “just to look around a bit, you
know.”
“Better where you are,” said the sergeant-major, shaking his head.
“I should like to see those old temples and fakirs and jugglers,” said the old man.
-W.W. Jacobs, “The Monkey’s Paw”
NOTES:
Sentence structure
It all begins with the clause!
A CLAUSE is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.
4
Kate
(subject)
noted
the day’s events in her journal.
(verb)
An INDEPENDENT CLAUSE expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as
a sentence.
Kate noted the day’s events in her journal.
A DEPENDENT (SUBORDINATE) CLAUSE does not express a complete thought
and cannot stand alone as a sentence. Most dependent clauses are introduced by
words like although, before, because, so that, when, while, and that.
before she went to bed.
A dependent clause can be joined to an independent clause to add to the complete
thought that the independent clause expresses.
Kate noted the day’s events in her journal before she went to bed.
Some writers keep journals so that they can remember details about events.
Why are clauses important in writing? The kinds and numbers of clauses
used in a sentence determine what kind of sentence has been written. It is
important to use a variety of clauses and a variety of sentences when
writing.
NOTES:
An adjective CLAUSE is a subordinate clause used as an adjective which modifies a
noun or a pronoun. It tells what kind, which one, how many, or how much. An
adjective clause begins with a relative pronoun:
who
whom
whose
that
which
5
Devon Kim is a climber who likes challenges.
His hardest climb, which took him three days, is Mount Whitney.
NOTEWORTHY: Use commas to set off adjective clauses when the
information is NOT necessary to the understanding of the sentence.
An Adverb clause is a subordinate clause used as an adverb. It modifies a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb. An adverb clause tells where, when, how, why, to what
extent, or under what conditions. It is introduced by a subordinate conjunction:
after
although
as
as if
as long as
as soon as
as though
because
before
even though
if
since
so that
than
though
unless
until
when
whenever
where
wherever
while
They checked their gear before they started the climb.
They were cautious because ice made the trails slippery.
Devon worries about the weather more than Andy does.
When Devon started his climb, the weather was good.
NOTEWORTHY: An adverb clause should be followed by a comma
when it comes before an independent clause. When an adverb
clause comes after an independent clause, a comma is not needed.
Because the weather was bad , Devon canceled the climb.
Devon canceled the climb because the weather was bad .
NOTES:
A NOUN CLAUSE is a subordinate clause used as a noun. Like a noun, a noun
clause can serve as a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, an object of the
preposition, or a predicate noun.
6
subject
That the dedicated actor practiced her role every day surprised no one.
direct
object
indirect
object
predicate
noun
object of a
preposition
The director determined who would design the set.
The set designer gave whoever helped a bonus.
A love of theatre is what motivates her.
She takes great satisfaction in whatever they perform.
Words that introduce noun clauses:
that
why
whoever
how
what
whomever
when
whatever
which
where
who
whichever
whether
whom
NOTEWORTHY: If you can substitute the word something or someone for a
clause in a sentence, it is a noun clause.
The director determined who would design the set.
The director determined someone.
NOTES:
Kinds of sentences
1. Simple sentences contain one independent clause only.
Milika sings.
Ben competes at chess every day after school.
7
2. compound sentences contain two or more independent clauses.
Malika sings every day, and she practices with the choir.
Noteworthy: Independent clauses can be joined by a comma and a
coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon.
The choir rehearsed late on Tuesday, and the director praised their hard
work.
The choir rehearsed late on Tuesday; the director praised their hard work.
Coordinating conjunctions which join independent clauses:
and
or
nor
for
but
yet
so
3. Complex sentences contain one independent clause and one or
more subordinate clauses.
_____________________________________________________________
(Mr. Hernandez, (who is a professional story teller), performs at many
subordinate clause
independent clause
different festivals.)
_____________________________________________________________
(When Mr. Hernandez performs), (he enchants the audience).
Subordinate clause
independent clause
________________________________________________________________________
(Young people love the way he tells stories) (because he changes his
independent clause
subordinate clause
voice and wears costumes).
4. compound-complex sentences contain two or more
independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses.
(While she was fishing), (Amy saw many deer), and (she tried not to
8
subordinate clause
independent clause
independent clause
disturb them).
(Amy unhooked the salmon from the line), and (she threw it back into the
independent clause
independent clause
stream) (so that it could live).
subordinate clause
Notes:
9