Download Tree DIAGRAMS for Sentence Forms

Tree DIAGRAMS for Sentence Forms
From Morenberg’s Doing Grammar
ALL sentences begin with a noun phrase (NP) and a verb phrase (VP). The make up the
tradition Subject and Predicate. Morenberg prefers to label the function of major constituents.
S
NP:subj
VP:pred
The VP further expands to the Main Verb and anything else. This includes the AUX (for
auxiliary verbs) and the Verb (V) itself:
S
NP:subj
VP:pred
AUX
V
SENTENCE TYPES are determined by the VERB. The verb will be marked to indicate what
kind of verb it is. The structure of the VP:pred will be determined by the type of verb.
1. INTRANSITIVE VERB sentences:
S
NP:subj
VP:pred
AUX
The professor
should
VI
run
1
Intransitive sentences may have additional constituents (which provide additional information),
but the basic structure remains the same. Here’s an example with an ADVERB (Adv) added to
the VP:
S
NP:subj
VP:pred
AUX
The professor
VI
should
run
Adv
daily
2. TRANSITIVE VERB sentences must show action from the subject (NP:subj) to another
NP in the VP:predicate. The second NP is called the Direct Object (NP:DO). ONLY
noun phrases may be subjects or objects. [This means that if another part of speech—say
an adjective or a verb—is used as a subject or an object, then that part of speech
automatically functions as a noun phrase.]
S
NP:subj
VP:pred
AUX
The professor
VT
should
print
NP:DO
the exam
Again, the sentence may become more complicated, but the basic structure remains the same.
Here’s an example with an Adverb (Adv) added to the VP:
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
AUX
The professor should
VT
print
NP:DO
Adv
the exam
tomorrow
2
3. Vg VERBS: Another kind of Transitive verb has both Direct Objects (NP:DO) and
INDIRECT Objects (IO). Morenberg calls these verbs Vg because they model after the
verb “give.” Verbs that take Indirect Objects show action from the Subject NP to the
direct object, but they also show the beneficiary (so to speak). For example, in a “give”
sentence, the subject gives something to Somebody. So the “SomeTHING” is the Direct
Obect and the SomeBODY is the Indirect Object:
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
AUX
The professor should
Vg
give
NP:IO
NP:DO
the students
the exam
Again, you can add more. The same sentence with an adverb:
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
NP:IO
AUX
should
The professor
Vg
give
NP:DO
the students
Adv
the exam
tomorrow
An ALTERNATIVE form of INDIRECT OBJECT sentences uses a PREPOSITIONAL
PHRASE(PP) to show the Indirect Object:
S
NP: Subj
VP:Pred
MV
The professor
AUX
should
Vg
give
NP:DO
the exam
PP
Prep
to
NP:Obj of Prep/Recep
the students
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3. Vc VERBS. Still another kind of transitive verb has a Direct Object noun phrase, AND a
noun or an adjective immediately after the direct object NP which modifies it. That
second noun is called a “complement” (as in “completing). Usually, adjectives come
before the noun in English, as in “beautiful garden,” but in these sentences the adjective
(or noun) comes after. This happens ONLY with these verbs. It’s the difference between
“The students should see a beautiful garden” and “The students should call the garden
beautiful” (BTW: I put the “should” in so y’all could see a sentence with something in
the AUX.)
Here’s a sentence where the Object Complement is an ADJECTIVE:
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
The students
AUX
should
NP:DO
Vc
call
the garden
Adj:Obj Comp
beautiful
We get a similar structure is the Object Complement (the word or phrase describing the
Direct Object) is a NOUN instead of an adjective:
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
The students
AUX
should
Vc
call
NP:DO
the garden
NP:Obj Comp
a masterpiece
4
The remaining types of verbs create sentences with SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS in the verb
phrase. OBJECT Complements rename or describe the DIRECT OBJECT. SUBJECT
Complements rename or describe the SUBJECT.
4. LINKING VERBS (VL). Verbs of the senses (“taste,” “feel,” etc.) or of states of being
(“become,” “remain,” etc.) take Subject complements. That is the Adjective or Noun Phrase
that appears in the verb phrase renames or describes the Subject. Some example sentences
are “I feel happy.” “This hamburger tastes funny.” “Alice became a dancer.”
Here’s an example with an Adjective as the Subject Complement
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
The hamburger
AUX
should
Adj:Subj Comp
VL
taste
funny
Here’s an example with a Noun Phrase as the Subject Complement:
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
Alice
AUX
should
NP:Subj Comp
VL
become
a dancer
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5. BE Verbs (VBE) Regardless of tense, the MAIN verb “BE” shows a state of existence:
“Something IS something.” [Do not confuse it with the *auxiliary* verb “be” used in
Progressive and Passive.)
BE verb sentences have three forms. The first two take SUBJECT Complements—i.e., a
noun or an adjective renames or describes the Subject of the sentence.
So
1. Josh is happy (adjective subject complement AKA Predicate Adjective)
2. Josh is a mechanic (Noun phrase subject complement AKA Predicate Nominative)
BE Verbs can also take ADVERB complements of either Time or Place:
So
1. Josh is in the classroom (Adverb of place—here a Prepositional Phrase)
2. The test is tomorrow (Adverb of time)
Here are examples of each type of BE verb sentence:
ADJECTIVE subject complement
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
Josh
AUX
should
ADJ:Subj Comp
VL
BE
happy
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NOUN PHRASE subject complement
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
Josh
AUX
should
NP:Subj Comp
VL
BE
a mechanic
ADVERB of Place complement
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
Josh
AUX
should
PP: Adv of Place
VBE
BE
in the classroom
ADVERB of Time complement
S
NP:Subj
VP:Pred
MV
The test
AUX
should
ADV: time
VBE
BE
tomorrow
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