The Sentence Structure Presentation in English

Bugaychuk Olga group 53

Definitions of sentence
Sentence is a group of words which expresses a complete thought (Ancient Greece). A sentence is a structure of logical relationships (Stanley Fish).

Definitions of sentence
Sentence is a group of words used to say something, to ask something, or to tell somebody to do something (George Davidson).

Definitions of sentence
a set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses (Oxford Dictionary).

The term structure refers to the way anything is constructed, built or shaped.

Simple and composite sentences consist of

clauses

According to the structure sentence can be

simple

multiple (composite)

compound

complex

compound - complex

Clause
is a group of words that contain subject and predicate

Independent (main) clause

can function as a single sentence

The problem is solved. Emma is like every girl in the world. She has a few little secrets.

Dependent (subordinate) clause

contains a subject and predicate, but cannot function as an independent sentence
while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben Hur.

when we were right in the middle of discussion.

If it doesnt rain soon

Simple Sentence
contains a single, independent clause

I dont like dogs. His face is growing pillar-box. I feel the most almighty bound of shock.

Compound Sentence
contains two independent clauses
I like red dresses and my sister hates red color at all. You can write on paper or you can use a computer.

Complex Sentence
contains an independent clause plus one or more dependent clauses I know that shes pretty. We were watching wedding video when he entered the room.

Compound-complex Sentence

contains three or more clauses (of witch at least two are independent and one is dependent)

Basic sentence elements:

Subject Predicate Object Adverbial Complement

Randolph Quirk
distinguishes 5 functional categories of clause constituents

Subject (S)

Verb (V)

Direct object (Od)

Object (O)
Indirect object (Oi)

Subject complement (Cs)

Complement (C)
Object complement (Co)

Subject-related (As)

Adverbial (A)

Object-related (Ao)

Subject

one of the clause elements other than the verb; the most important and most often present element

Subject

Everybody has left for the day. Nancy knows my sister.

Verb

other main part of sentence that describes something that the subject is or does.

Verb

I like dogs. A tree fell onto a school roof in a storm.

Object

direct & indirect objects are normally a noun phrase, follow the S and V

Object

I gave him my adress. Oi Od They amuse me. Od

Complement

Identifies or characterizes the referent of the clause element to which it is related

Complement

Shes not herself today. His friend calls him Tom.

Adverbial

refers to the circumstances of the situation, comments on the form or contest of the clause or provides a link between clauses

Adverbial

Your children are outside. Dorothy is remaining at Oxford.

George Davidson
distinguishes 9 elements of the sentence:

George Davidson
Subject Predicate Verb Direct object Indirect object Complement Adverbial Vocative Exclamatory

Subject
of the sentence is the word or group of words that names the person or thing being talked about in sentence

Predicate
of a sentence is everything that is not part of the subject of the sentence

Verb
of a sentence is a word or group of words that say something about what the subject of the sentence is doing, what is happening to the subject of the sentence

Subject, predicate, verb

Verb

Tom stared at his friend in amusement.

Subject Predicate

Direct object
of a sentence is the person or thing that is most directly affected by the action or state described by the verb

Indirect object
the word or word-group that describes the person or thing that the direct object is given to or done for

complement
is a word or group of words that says something about the subject or object of a sentence

adverbial
is a word or a group of words that provides information about when, where, how etc the action or state described in a sentence take place, or that makes more comment about what is said in the rest of the sentence

vocative
is a word or a group of words used to address someone or something directly

vocative
Do you want to come with us, John?

Exclamatory
is a word or a group of words that expresses strong emotions, such as surprise or pain or pleasure or that is used to attract someones attention

Exclamatory
Gosh, thats a big car!

Generally we distinguish:
Principal parts of sentence
Subject Predicate

Secondary parts of the sentence

Attribute

Object

Adverbial Adjunct

Subject
Complete subject Personal subject Simple subject Complex subject Impersonal subject

Predicate
Complete predicate Simple predicate Compound predicate Nominal predicate Verbal predicate Compound nominal predicate

Attribute and Object

Apposition Direct object Indirect object Complex object

Adverbial modifier
Adverbial modifier of place Adverbial modifier of time Adverbial modifier of manner Adverbial modifier of degree Adverbial modifier of cause Adverbial modifier of purpose Adverbial modifier of result Adverbial modifier of condition Adverbial modifier of concession

Used Resources
1. A University Grammar of English/Sidney Greenbaum, Randolph Quirk. Longman, 1973. 484p. 2. Davidson G. Phrases, Clauses and Sentences/ George Davidson. Singapore: Learners Publishing Pte Ltd, 2003. 211p. 3. English Grammar for Today/ Geoffrey Leech, Margaret Deucher, Robert Hoogenraad. London: The MACMILLAN PRESS LTD,1982. 224p. 4. Quirk R. A Comprehensive Grammar of English Language/ Randolph Quirk. New York: Longman Inc, 1985. 1779p. 5. Rayevska N.M. Modern English Grammar/ N.M. Rayevska. KIEV: VYA SKOLA PUBLISHERS, 1976. 292p. 6. http://www.ranez.ru/article/id/234/ 7. http://grammar.about.com/od/basicsentencegrammar/a/basicstructures.ht m 8. http://studentu.ucoz.ua/index/0-62 9. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentence 10. http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/sentence