Download IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ELEMENTS

Understanding Complex Sentencesi
Sentences in academic texts are often long and dense, and it can be difficult to understand them.
Taking a closer look at how sentences are constructed will help you get closer to the meaning and
it should also help you to formulate yours.
1. SENTENCES
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought that makes sense by itself. It
normally has a subject and a verb.
2. THE NORMAL ORDER OF ELEMENTS IN THE SENTENCE
The normal order of the basic elements in a sentence is SUBJECT - VERB - OBJECT. All of
these elements can be simple (one word or phrase) or more complex (several words or phrases).
Other elements may occur elsewhere in the sentence.
Task 1 Can you put the phrases into their original order in these sentences?
1
posed the transfer of political power as far as bureaucracy was concerned two important questions
2
from observers of the Third World scene come under fire often bureaucracy has
3
as for what he omitted
to the human factor in his administration
not so much for what he put into it
others have also drawn attention
4
little of importance happened there a result of the assumption is
that before the onset of industrialisation
the failure to study the north of England before the late eighteenth century
3. CLAUSES
A clause has a subject and a verb. (When it expresses a complete thought that makes sense by
itself, it is also a sentence.)
Example 1:
In recent decades, Western nations have become more multicultural and multifaith as a result of
immigration and migrants have developed multiple identities, embracing new nationalities yet
retaining faith identities and familial links to the country of origin.
1
The main division in this sentence comes here: immigration / and migrants. It can be divided
into 2 clauses.
1. In recent decades, Western nations have become more multicultural and multifaith as a result
of immigration
+
2. Migrants have developed multiple identities, embracing new nationalities yet retaining faith
identities and familial links to the country of origin.
 When we break down clause 1, the main information is:
Western nations (SUBJECT ) (‘who’) have become (VERB) more multicultural and multifaith
(OBJECT) (‘what’).
We also get information about ‘when’ (in recent decades) and ‘why’ (as a result of immigration).
 Clause 2 gives us the following main information:
Migrants (SUBJECT) (‘who’) have developed (VERB) multiple identities (OBJECT) (‘what’)
We also get information about ‘how’ ([by] embracing new nationalities yet retaining faith
identities and familial links to the country of origin)
 These 2 clauses are linked by ‘and’, which is a ‘co-ordinating’ conjunction as it links 2
independent clauses. The only other co-ordinating conjunctions are:
 so, for (meaning ‘because’)
 but, yet (meaning ‘however’)
 or, nor.
 ‘and’, ‘or’ and ‘but’ can also link constituents (=smaller parts of the sentence): e.g. ‘good
and bad’, ‘today or tomorrow’ etc. so we cannot assume that these words divide clauses.
Example 2:
Although we can welcome the ostensibly better news of reduced deforestation in 2008, we must
consider that additional pressures - of road-building and settler immigration, as well as mining,
dam-construction, and commercial logging - are likely to stimulate yet greater deforestation in
the future.
The main division in this sentence comes here: 2008 / we…
Again, this information consists of 2 clauses:
1.
We can welcome the ostensibly better news of reduced deforestation in 2008
+
2. We must consider that additional pressures - of road-building and settler immigration, as well
as mining, dam-construction, and commercial logging - are likely to stimulate yet greater
deforestation in the future.
 When we break down clause 1, the main information is:
We (SUBJECT ) (‘who’) can welcome (VERB) the ostensibly better news of reduced forestation
in 2008 (OBJECT) (‘what’).
2
Here ‘in 2008’ does not give us information about ‘when’ the events in this whole clause
happened (‘we can welcome the news’), but about when the deforestation happened and it is thus
part of the object.
We could reduce this clause to ’We (S) can welcome (V) the news (O)’. The object in this clause
consists of a noun phrase. (A phrase is a group of words that do not contain a subject or a verb).
‘News’ is a noun, the head word; ‘ostensibly better’ and ‘of reduced forestation in 2008’ describe
this head word.
 Clause 2 gives us the following information:
We (SUBJECT) must consider (VERB) that additional pressures - of road-building and settler
immigration, as well as mining, dam-construction, and commercial logging – are likely to
stimulate yet greater deforestation in the future (OBJECT).
The main information in this clause is: ‘We (S) must consider (V) that additional pressures are
likely to stimulate deforestation (O).
The object is another clause (i.e. it has a subject and a verb). Within this clause, the subject
‘pressures’ is the head word of a noun phrase again, with ‘additional’ and ‘of road-building and
settler immigration, as well as mining, dam-construction, and commercial logging-’ giving extra
information about this noun.
It is often possible to keep breaking down the clauses into smaller parts, but let’s return here to
the 2 main clauses:
 These 2 clauses are linked by the word ‘Although’. Other examples in the same category
of linker, a ‘subordinating’ conjunction’ are:
 where, wherever (place)
 as soon as, now that, after (time)
 because, so that (cause/effect)
 as if, like, than (comparison)
 if, in case (condition)
 even if, unless (contradiction)
and there are many more.
The information that follows these types of conjunctions is not the most important information in
the complete sentence. Here this means that the clause ‘we must consider…’ gives the most
important information (and is the main clause), whereas ‘we can welcome …’ gives extra, but
less important information (and is the subclause).
Task 2 Divide these sentences into clauses where possible. Decide whether they are main
clauses or subclauses. Identify the subject and verb in each clause.
a
The mechanisms underlying releases of both methane and nitrous oxide are poorly
known, and the degree to which they could be manipulated by changes in farming and livestockmanagement practices is even less well understood.
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b.
Although one strand of the research was to discover how younger learners respond
directly to corpus-based approaches to learning about language - and some of our data were
therefore collected in classrooms - a parallel objective was to explore features of the corpus itself.
c.
While human activities have evidently increased global emissions of methane, changes in
natural sinks may also be included in its build-up.
4. DECIDING WHAT THE MAIN POINT IS
Examples
1
While human activities have evidently increased global emissions of methane, changes in
natural sinks may also be included in its build-up.
2
While changes in natural methane sinks have evidently increased global emissions of
methane, the effects of human activities may also be included in its build-up.
These sentences seem to cover the same information. However:
The S and V of the main clause in sentence 1 are ‘changes (in natural methane sinks) may be
included’. The main point the writer is making is about natural changes.
In sentence 2 they are ‘the effects (of human activities) may be included’. The writer of this
sentence is making a point about human activities.
Usually, a writer will continue writing about the main point.
Task 3
a. Work out the main point in the sentences in I (by identifying the S and V of the main
clause). Then decide which of the 2 sentences would normally be followed by the sentence
in II.
I
II
1A Although many deaths arise from natural causes, and
many others from illnesses and diseases, each year sees a
large number of deaths caused by `accidents", and also a
number caused by acts or omissions which amount to some
form of homicide in English law.
1B Although each year sees a large number of deaths caused
by `accidents", and also a number caused by acts or omissions
which amount to some form of homicide in English law,
many deaths arise from natural causes, and many others from
illnesses and diseases,
2A If a link exists between body temperature and the
sensation of fatigue, then it is reasonable to enquire if the
abilities to fall asleep and remain asleep are also related to
body temperature.
2B If a link exists between body temperature and the
abilities to fall asleep and remain asleep, then it is reasonable
to enquire if the sensation of fatigue is also related to body
temperature.
4
For 1987 the statistics show that
there were some 20,000
accidental deaths, of which some
7,000 occurred in the home,
6,000 at work, and 5,000 on the
roads.
Experiments have been
performed to investigate, at
different times of the day and
night, how easy it is to fall
asleep, how likely it is to wake
up spontaneously, and how long
volunteers can stay asleep.
3A Although Weismann's ideas are fundamental for an
understanding of evolution, modern genetics originated with
the rediscovery of Mendel's laws in 1900.
3B Although modern genetics originated with the
rediscovery of Mendel's laws in 1909, Weismann's ideas are
fundamental for an understanding of evolution.
4A While Weber tended to emphasise the advantages of this
style of administration, Robert Merton analysed the negative
side of the picture.
4B Weber tended to emphasise the advantages of this style of
administration, but did not really see the negative side of the
picture, which was later analysed by writers such as Robert
Merton.
Gregor Mendel, a contemporary
of Darwin's, and the head of a
monastery in Moravia, had been
trained in the physical sciences,
and this training shows up in his
approach to heredity.
Weber's analysis was a partial
one in that he did not consider
fully the human factors involved
in administration,
Task 3b. Look again at task 2, sentences b. and c. How would the next sentence start?
Suggest possible subjects for the next sentence.
.
5. MAIN AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION IN CLAUSES
Noun phrases consist of a noun or they give extra information about the main word (noun) in the
phrase.
Example
He (S) tended to emphasise (V) the advantages of this style of administration (O).
‘of this style of administration’ gives more information about the noun, ‘advantages’
There are different types of phrases. In academic writing, participial phrases are common,
especially those with a present participle (a verb ending in –ing)
Present participial phrases present supplementary information and can have various meanings:
 addition of a new point ("and") or more detail
 contrast with another point ("while")
 the reason for something ("as", "since", "because")
 an indication that two things happen at the same time ("when").
How does this grammar help our understanding? It signals which is the main point the writer
wants to make, and what is supplementary information.
Examples:
a.
Of this [atmospheric carbon], slightly less than half remains in the atmosphere, the rest
disappearing into the oceans or being absorbed by plants (through the so-called fertilizer effect)
or by other `sinks".
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b
In practice, however, the amount remaining in the atmosphere would be larger, because
the oceans, experiencing a lesser ‘load’ of carbon to be taken up, would tend to absorb a smaller
proportion of the airborne volume.
c
In antiquity only the Hellenistic astronomers used hours of equal length, these being the
same as the seasonal hours at the date of the spring equinox.
d
The tree-planting concept has already been accepted in principle by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, which proposes planting an area of 120,000 km2 per year for twenty
years in various parts of the world, making an ultimate total of 2.4 million km2.
e
This passage sums up well the general approach of the French to colonialism - to
incorporate the indigenous population into the bureaucratic model as it existed in France leaving
behind mere remnants of customary authority.
Task 4. Make single sentences, by adding the information from the second sentence to the
first, using -ing forms for the supplementary information.
i)
The doctrine known as 'Indirect Rule' was applied in a number of British-ruled territories;
the most notable example was Northern Nigeria.
Reasoning: the second sentence gives supplementary information; the verb in sentence 2 is ‘was’,
the -ing form is ‘being’
Answer: The doctrine known as 'Indirect Rule' was applied in a number of British-ruled
territories, the most notable example being Northern Nigeria.
ii)
Administrative institutions were built up during colonial rule. They supplied a framework
for what was to follow.
iii)
The flashes of light average out to a magnitude of 24.5. This makes the pulsar one of the
faintest objects ever detected.
iv)
If evolution by natural selection is to lead from some random sequence to one unique
optimal sequence, there must be a series of intermediate sequences, between the random and the
optimal. Each of these must be a slight improvement on the one before, the steps from one
sequence to the next must be a change in one amino acid, or at most of two or three amino acids.
KEY
1.
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1. The transfer of political power posed two important questions as far as bureaucracy was
concerned.
2. Bureaucracy has often come under fire from observers of the Third World scene.
3. Others have also drawn attention to the human factor in his administration, not so much for
what he put into it as for what he omitted.
4. The failure to study the north of England before the late eighteenth century is as a result of the
assumption that before the onset of industrialisation little of importance happened there.
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2.
a.
2 independent clauses:
1. The mechanisms underlying releases of both methane and nitrous oxide (s)
are (v) poorly [(adv)] known (v)
and (co-ordinating conjunction)
2. the degree to which they could be manipulated by changes in farming and livestockmanagement practices (s)is (v)even less well [(adv)] understood (v).
b.
Although one strand of the research was to discover how younger learners respond
directly to corpus-based approaches to learning about language, a parallel objective was to
explore features of the corpus itself.
2 clauses
although: subordinating conjunction
1. subclause: one strand of the research (s) was (v) to discover how younger learners respond
directly to corpus-based approaches to learning about language
2. main clause: a parallel objective (s) was (v) to explore features of the corpus itself
c
While human activities have evidently increased global emissions of methane, changes in
natural sinks may also be included in its build-up.
2 clauses
while: subordinating conjunction
1. subclause: human activities(s) have (v)evidently [(adv)] increased (v) emissions of methane
2. main clause: changes in natural sinks (s) may (v) also [(adv)] be included (v) in its build-up
3a.
1A; 2A; 3A; 4B
3b.
Suggestions:
c. This objective led to…/The features that were considered were: …
d. These changes…/Examples of natural changes are…
4a.
b.
4b.
ii)
Administrative institutions were built up during colonial rule, (these) supplying a
framework for what was to follow.
iii)
The flashes of light average out to a magnitude of 24.5, making the pulsar one of the
faintest objects ever detected.
iv)
If evolution by natural selection is to lead from some random sequence to one
unique optimal sequence, there must be a series of intermediate sequences, between the random
and the optimal, each being a slight improvement on the one before; the steps from one sequence
to the next being a change in one amino acid, or at most of two or three amino acids.
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Last updated by EVG, 2010
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