Transcript 8. Sentence structure

Sentence structure
Skill focus: The production of grammatically
correct, structurally sound and meaningful
sentences.
Development of clause structure in writing:
• pre-conjunction (sequence alone)
• rudimentary (conjunction plus
sequence)
• subordinated clauses
• embedded clauses – hierarchical and
logical order predominant.
Kress (1994)
Sentence Structure intro
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Sentences have a verb, and the verb usually
has a subject and object.
Sentence Structure intro
Miranda held the book.
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Verb - held
Subject – Miranda (Who or what held?)
Object – the book
Subject may be implied (Go!)
Object may not be needed (She ran.)
Incorrect sentences - one
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long and rambling:
I woke up to find that I had grown long beautiful
hair and was wearing a fantastic new ball gown
and the crown had changed to be made of silver
and when I ran to look out of the window I was
looking at a completely new place and there
were horses and glittering streams and birds all
over the place and I was extremely happy about
all that but I did not know anyone there at all.
This sentence needs to be broken up into a number of
smaller sentences.
Incorrect sentences - two
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fragment
Because I went there.
In the mountains during winter and just before the snow
begins to fall.
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Verb errors
The crystal broken. (this could be fixed by the insertion
of was broken, is broken, will be, can’t be, broke etc)
He must of gone to the shop. (must have)
Simple and compound sentences
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I found the plates. They looked awful. (simple)
They were chipped and had lots of cracks. (compound)
I picked them up but I could not hold them. (compound)
The compound examples given here use linking words (and and
but) to join two separate ideas. The two sections of the
compound sentence can be written in the other order without
changing the position of the linking word or the meaning of the
clauses.
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They had lots of cracks and were chipped.
I could not hold them but I picked them up.
Complex sentences
A complex sentence has a main clause and at least
one dependent clause. It has two or more verbs.
The main clause can stand alone. The other clauses
depend on the main clause for meaning.
There are many different types of dependent clause.
Binding words and complexity
Sometimes it is hard to decide if a sentence is compound
or complex when the two parts are joined by a common
word such as because.
Because is an example of a binding conjunction which
triggers a complex sentence.
I am hungry. I am going to eat. (2 simple sentences)
I am going to eat because I am hungry. (complex sentence)
Binding words and complexity
Unlike the examples with the conjunctions and or but the
two sections of the sentence using because cannot be
moved while leaving because in the same place as it
changes the meaning. Because needs to travel with the
dependent clause:
Because I am hungry, I am going to eat. (complex with the
dependent clause in the first position)
One test for whether a clause is using a binding
conjunction is to consider whether the clause and its
conjunction can be moved to the first position (before the
main clause).
Binding words and complexity
If it is a complex relationship then:
1. the binding word 'sticks' to the rest of the clause and has
to be moved with it
AND
2. it makes sense when you move it to first position:
The boys finished their soccer game because the bell rang.
Because the bell rang, the boys finished their soccer game.
So here we have complexity because the clause needs the
conjunction AND because it works in first position.
More binding words
This is why if works to make a complex sentence:
If I take you will you stop crying?
Will you stop crying if I take you?
but and then does not:
I picked it up and then I hugged it.
And then I hugged it, I picked it up.
However ‘and then’ does work to create a compound
sentence:
I picked it up and then I hugged it.
I hugged it and then I picked it up.
So and complexity
Is ‘so’ a binding conjunction?
The bell rang so the boys finished their soccer game.
So the boys finished their soccer game, the bell rang.
This sentence now has a different meaning.
To move to the first position this sentence needs a different verb form:
So that the boys WOULD finish their soccer game, the bell rang.complex
This substantially changes the meaning of the sentence.
Although 'so' is bound to the second part of the sentence for
meaning, the clause does not move to first position without a change to
the sentence and so does not create complexity in the first example.
When the ‘so’ actually means ‘so that’ you do get a complex sentence.
So that and complexity
'So that' is different again:
I paid for a driving lesson so (that) you would learn to drive
(complex)
So (that) you would learn to drive, I paid for a driving
lesson (complex)
If you think the joining word or words might be a trigger for
complexity try the first position clause test as above. If it
works, (taking the conjunction with the clause to first
position) it is complex. If it does not then it is compound.
Dependent clause types
Adverbial clauses work like adverbs to modify a verb (for example to
give more information about place, time, condition purpose and
reason).
Adjectival clauses modify (or give more information about) nouns.
Verbless clauses do not have a verb but the verb is understood
when we read the sentence. Eg: Although usually late, Jane
arrived on time today.
(This could be written as: Although she was usually late…)
Non-finite clauses use non-finite verbs. A finite verb has tense, for
example: I sent a card. (past tense)
To send a card… however has a non-finite (or timeless) verb (not
fixed in a particular time).
Complex sentences - examples
I ran to the window because I needed to escape.
(adverbial clause using a binding conjunction)
Because I needed to escape, I ran to the window.
(adverbial clause in the first position)
The hat, which was colourful, lay on the floor.
(adjectival)
In this example the dependent clause cannot be moved to the
first position.
Complex sentences - examples
When I awoke, I was terrified. (adverbial in first
position)
She fell from the cliff, clawing at the air (non-finite – see
next slide) as she plummeted to her untimely death.
(adverbial)
Complex sentences - examples
I went looking for my grandmother (in order) to ask her
about the car. (non-finite)
A finite verb has tense, for example ‘I sent a card.’
‘To send a card…’ however has a non-finite (or
timeless) verb (without tense).
The use of thinking and saying verbs allow 2 verbs in a sentence:
I said that I was…
I thought that I might go…
I decided that I would take...
I wondered whether it was moving…
These constructions are common in spoken language.
In written language the use of this type of construction does not align
with development of sophisticated control of sentences.
While technically they make grammatically complex sentences, for the
application of this rubric, they are NOT considered complex.
Activity 1 - Building complex
sentences
Create 3 separate complex sentences using the
simple sentence groups below:
1.The dog smelled disgusting. He was covered in mud and slime.
2.The magician is very old. He knows many tricks.
3. We landed with a bang. We fell out onto the ground. We were not
hurt.
Activity 1 – possible answers
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The dog smelled disgusting because he was covered in
mud and slime.
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The magician who knows many tricks is very old.
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Although we landed with a bang and fell onto the ground,
we were not hurt.
Activity 2 – identifying sentences
Answer these questions for each example given in Activity
2 – use the handout of sentences to write your
answers. Answers are given on the next slides. The
dependent clauses are underlined in the solutions.
Main (independent) clauses are blue.
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Is the sentence correct?
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Is it simple or compound or complex?
If it is complex:
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What is the main clause?
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What kind of dependent clause does it have?
Activity 2 solutions 1
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Dark Magic is all around us. simple
Many princesses like to live in castles. Some
princesses like to live in swamps. two correct
simple sentences
I had a suitcase full of weapons and I was
incredibly strong. compound
Activity 2 solutions 2
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The king who was threatening me, adjectival
clicked his fingers at the guard.
It was a very bad idea because the noise
woke up the crocodile. adverbial
Five minutes later I heard the noise again.
simple (only one verb)
I ran to the oval but I couldn’t see them
anywhere. compound
Activity 2 solutions 3
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While the others were sleeping adverbial I
crept out and stole the diamond.
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After talking to him for a while non-finite
(adverbial) in first position I asked if he was
my uncle.
Activity 2 solutions 4
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You must not go into that room because there is a
monster in there adverbial that could kill you.
adjectival (2 dependent clauses)
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Ducking for cover found shelter under a rock. incorrect
– missing subject
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I entered the castle by crossing the drawbridge
adverbial and was surprised by what the inside was
like. It looked like a child’s fantasy from a Disney
animation. Two correct sentences – one simple and
one complex. The first sentence also has a compound
element (and) and two independent clauses.
Activity 2 solutions 5
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When they realised she was getting sicker, adverbial in
first position Jenny stopped to rest while Pete, who was
a fast runner, adjectival went for help. adverbial
NOTE: While Pete went for help is adverbial. The adjectival
clause is embedded in it.
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The potion made me do strange things I did not
understand. adjectival
Activity 2 solutions 6
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The tiger became vicious, slashing at the ropes. non-finite
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Caught in the trap, non-finite in first position the tiger became
vicious, slashing at the ropes with its claws and growling
ferociously. non-finite
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I decided complaining wasn’t the answer. A good simple
sentence (this is an example of the thinking or saying verb
leading to two verbs in a sentence but not creating complexity).
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Although usually curious, this time I decided not to touch the
animals. verbless in first position