SENTENCES

1. Sentence forms: 2. Sentence types: 2.1. Special types:

 Declarative  Simple  Extraposed
 Interrogative  Compound  Cleft
 Imperative  Complex  Passive
 Exclamatory  Compound-  Existential
complex  Elliptic

SENTENCE POSITIONS

1. SUBJECT
-expresses the person, thing, event or situation a sentence is about
-obligatory part of a clause
-normally precedes the finite verb
-shows concord with the finite verb

Realisation:
a phrase
NP the boy saw the accident
or a clause
FC2 That he should apologize is obvious (often with extraposition)
NFC1,2 Persuading her will be difficult (also often with extraposition)

2. PREDICATE
-includes the complete verb combination (predicator) and all the words related to it
(modifiers, objects, complements)
-expresses an action by, or the state of the subject
-combined with the subject makes up a clause

2.1. PREDICATOR
Consists of a lexical verb and all its auxiliary verbs (if present)
-is always realized by a VP
-is the most important part of the predicate

3. COMPLEMENTS

3.1. DO
-is often the person or the thing that undergoes the action expressed by the verb
-is a complement occurring with transitive (mono, di, complex) verbs.

Realisation:
NP The boy saw the accident.
FC2 She told me that she doesn’t want to see you anymore.
NFC3 He considered it impolite to leave the party 5 mins after arrival.
3.2. IO
-often the receiver in the action expressed by the verb – direct object combination
-is a complement occurring with a ditransitive verb
-always occurs with DO
-can be paraphrased by a PP (to…)

Realisation:
NP Will you pass me the salt, please?
PP She left her entire fortune to her lover.

3. 3. SA
-expresses what the subject is (attribute or property)
-complement occurring with two types of verbs:
copula He is a teacher.
and complex-transitive in a passive clause. She was considered the best.

Realisation:
NP This remains a controversial issue.
AdjP The children kept very quiet.
PP She was in high spirits.

FC The question is whether she will ever give up.

NFC That is simply asking for trouble.

3. 4. OA
-typically expresses what the DO is (attribute or property)
-is a complement occurring with a complex-transitive verb
-always occurs together with DO

The OA becomes SA under passivisation.

Realisation:
NP She had the nerve to call me a liar!
AdjP The captain considered the voyage too dangerous
PP The news sent the town into great excitement.
(but: They sent the refugees into the safe zone – adverbial)

FC You will simply have to take us as you find us.

NFC I don’t call that doing one’s best.

4. ADVERBIAL
-often expresses the how, why, where, when of actions or states
-usually optional
-can occur in more than one position in a single sentence

Realisation:
NP She didn’t like it a bit.
AdvP It works very slowly.
PP The brassband marched into the town.
FC Please come and see me when you are around.
NFC To be quite honest, I don’t know what you are talking about.