Download 1) Subject and predicate

Lecture 1
Sentence Structure
There two main points in this lecture:
2.1 Clause Elements (P15)
2.2 Basic Clause Types and Their
Transformation and Expansion (P20)
1.1 Clause elements

A review on what is Clause:
The clause (the simple sentence) :
structurally a sequence of phrase
logically a construction of “subject +
predicate”.
1) Subject and predicate
A full-fledged clause can generally be divided
into two parts: the subject and the
predicate.
Subject Predicate

Henry is the most studious (diligent) in the class.
All the men have done their best.
Mr. Carter will investigate further.
The subject:
the topic or theme of the sentence, tells of
what the sentence is about (known
information).
 The subject is generally realized by a noun
phrase or an equivalent of noun phrase

The Predicate:
says something about the subject and bears
the new information (the speaker or writer
wants to transmit to the listener or reader).
 The construction of the predicate, which is
more complicated, generally consists of a
verb phrase with or without complementation.

2) 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.
Five Clause Elements
3. Object
1. Subject
﹢ 2. Predicate Verb
4. Complement
5. Adverbial
Predicate
2. To divide the predicate into two parts: the
operator and the predication.
The operator is usually the auxiliary or the
first auxiliary in a complex verb phrase
The predication comprises the main verb with
its complementation (object, complement or
adverbial).
Examples:
People have thought about going into space
for many years.
 Saturn is one of the most beautiful planets
to look at through a telescope because of
the many rings that surround it.
 The cold winds that blow off the Arctic
Ocean make the North Pole a very cold
place.

1.2 Basic Clause Types and Their
Transformation and Expansion
In terms of the different combinations of
clause elements, English clauses can be
classified into seven basic types.
 Innumerable authentic sentences are
structured on the basis of these clause
types.

1) Basic Clause Types

The seven basic clause types are:
SVO
SVOA
SV
SVOC
SVC
SVA
SVoO
These seven combinations of clause elements
are wholly or largely determined by
the Main Verb in the clause.
SVC:

The main verb in an SVC pattern is a
Linking / Copula Verb which must be
followed by a Subject Complement.
That car is mine.
She is in good health.
SV / SVA :

The main verb in an SV pattern is an
Intransitive Verb which is not to be followed
by any obligatory element except for a
limited number of intransitive verbs which
require an obligatory Adverbial, thus
constituting the pattern SVA.
Every body laughed.
The children are sleeping.
I live in Beijing.
The train leaves at six.
SVO / SVOA :

The main verb in an SVO pattern is a
Monotransitive which must be followed by an
object, and with some monotransitives the
object must be followed by an obligatory
adverbial, thus constituting the pattern SVOA.
Nobody could answer the question.
Liverpool won the game.
I put the material evidence in front of her.
He treated her vilely.
SVoO:

The main verb in an SVoO pattern is a
Ditransitive Verb which is to be followed by
two objects: Indirect and Direct Object.
Mary lent me her car.
I made myself a cup of tea.
SVOC:

The main verb in an SVOC pattern is a
complex transitive verb which must be
followed by an object + object
complement.
We made him our spokesman.
They elected him president.
Exercises:
The police caught the thief red-handed.
 No doubt they will tell us the same old story
tomorrow.
 On wages policy, the leader of the
opposition is being extremely cautious.

2) Transformation and Expansion
of Basic Clause Types
Ways of Transformation:
The basic clause types are
all affirmative statements with verbs in the
active voice.
Affirmative
Negative
Statement
Question
Active Voice
Passive Voice
Ways of Expansion:
1.
2.
adding modifiers at various levels
by coordination and subordination
Clause
Clause
﹢Modifiers
Clause
Compound Sen.
Complex Sen.
Compound Complex Sen.
Melt!
 Ice melts.
 The ice melts quickly.
 The ice on the river melts quickly under the
warm March sun.
 Lying exposed without its blanket of snow,
the ice on the river melts quickly under the
warm March sun.

Simple
 My friend invited me to a party.
 I do not want to go.
 Coordination
 My friend invited me to a party, but I do not
want to go.
 Subordination
 Although my friend invited me to a party, I
do not want to go.

Exercise:


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
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
He was nearing the top.
His eyes were already glowing with triumph.
He was climbing faster and faster.
He climbed recklessly fast.
He suddenly slipped and fell.
He tumble to the ground.
He lay motionless there.
He was a crumbled pile of arms and legs.

Nearing the top, he climbed recklessly
faster and faster, his eyes already glowing
with triumph, but suddenly he slipped and
fell, tumbling to the ground and lying
motionless there, a crumbled pile of arms
and legs.