Dr. Abha Pandey

Sentence

Types of Sentence

Formal labels; Functional Labels

Basic Sentence Pattern

Basic Sentence Types: Formal and Semantic labels

Coordination, subordination and embedding

Two ways of defining:

Formal – based on punctuation

Notional- based on meaning

Definition: In terms of

a. functions(statement, question, command)

b. Constitutents or elements(verb, subject)

c. Types (simple, compound, complex)

d. punctuation

1.Simple Sentences: single clause-Independent

2. Multiple Sentences: more than one cluases-

further subdivided into

Compound Sentences- two or more

independent clauses

Complex Sentences- atleast on independent

and one or more dependent clauses.

Compound-Complex Sentences- two or

more independent clauses+ one or more

dependent clauses.

Independent clause- free clause

Dependent clause- bound clause

Classification of sentences similar to

traditional grammar.

Modern English Grammar includes non finite

verb forms as clauses :

Infinitives- (to + verb), ing participles and ed

participles termed as phrases in traditional

grammar

Phrases are parts of sentences. They

are group of words which perform

various function within clauses,

which in turn form sentences.

Sentences are made up of clauses

Clauses are made up of phrase

Phrases are made up of words

Noun, verb, adjective, adverb are formal

labels assigned to words in isolation

Subject, object and complement are

functional labels as they refer to the

function words or phrase perform in a clause

or sentences.

A word or phrase may perform a function or

role in one clause or sentence and a

different function or role in another clause

or sentence.

(SV) Birds fly

(SVCS) Penguins are birds

(SVCa) Penguins live in the Antartica

(SVO) Children love penguins

( SVOIOd) Sheela got Kumar a present.

(SVOCO) Sheela made Kumar her secretary

(SVOCa) Sheela left Kumar in the office

Suject, verb and object are called nuclear

elements, adjuncts are called marginal

elements.

Formal and semantic labels

Form of sentences

Formal labels:

Declarative, interrogative, imperative,

exclamatory

Semantic Labels based on mening

and content

Statements, questions, orders,requests,

promises, warning prohibitions.

Coordination

• Two or more units( clauses of same level)

• Goutam lost his job and his wife won a lottery

subordination

• A unit (clause) placed at lower level

• Gautam lost his job while his wife had won a lottery

embedding

• A clause being made part of another clause

• Gautam discovered that his wife had won a lottery

Gautam lost his job while his wife had won a lottery

Sentence

Subject verbal object adjunct

Dependent clause

Gautam lost his job while his wife had

won a lottery

Main clause subordinate clause

Gautam discovered that his wife had won a

lottery (sentence and matrix clause)

Sentence

Subject verbal object

Dependent clause

Gautam discovered that his wife had

won a lottery

(embedded clause)

Gautam lost his job while his wife had won a lottery

Sentence

Subject verbal adjunct

Dependent clause

The truth was revealed when the holy man

was arrested

Main clause subordinate clause

The truth was that the holy man was arrested (sentence and matrix clause)

Sentence

Subject verbal subject complement

Dependent clause

The truth was that the holy man was arrested

(embedded clause)

Passivization involves changing an active

sentence to a passive one. The object of the

active sentence is changed to the subject of

corresponding passive sentence.

Passivization is done when importance /

emphasis is given to the object. In cases

when the subject is not important,

understood need not be mentioned,

sentences are better in passive voice.

The bridge was built in 2003

The glass was broken