Практическая грамматика современного английского языка

Л. В. Хведченя, Р. В. Хорень, И. В. Крюковская

Sentence Structure Types of Sentences

Sentences fall into four general groups - declarative, im­perative, interrogative and exclamatory.

DECLARATIVE

A declarative sentence states facts or opinions; it ends with a period.

The class discussed a very important problem yesterday. The basic word order of an English sentence (a statement:).

SUBJECT	VERB	OBJECT	ADVERBIALS
			How? Where? When?
I	learned	the poem	in class yesterday.
We	ate	our meal	in silence.

NOTE: We can also put the time reference at the beginning: Yesterday the class discussed a very important prob­lem.

Imperative

An imperative sentence requests or demands action; it ends with a period. Some imperative sentences sound like questions. These sentences do not require a response in words; they sug­gest or require an action by someone.

Will you please call Dale Jennings.

Open / don't open the window.

EXCLAMATORY

An exclamatory sentence shows emotion; it ends with an exclamation point.

How well she dances!

Interrogative

An interrogative sentence asks a question; it ends with a question mark.

Are you leaving Minsk for Moscow tomorrow?

There are following types of questions:

1. "Yes/no"-questions, i.e. questions which can be answered 'yes' or 'no' (general questions).

The typical word order is auxiliary verb + subject group + main verb + object + adverbial modifier

Is she typing?

Has he been working?

2. "Wh"-questions (special questions).

The scheme of all types of special questions except questions about the subject of the sentence is interrogative word + auxil­iary verb + subject group + main verb + object + adverbial modifier

When did she get the letter?

Mind the word order in questions about the subject of the sentence: interrogative word + predicate + object + adverbial modifier

Who plays the piano well?

3. Question tags (disjunctive questions).

Tags generally repeat auxiliaries, or do / did. A positive state­ment has a negative tag, a negative statement has a positive tag.

He is not friendly, is he?

You will help me, won't you ?

NOTE; a) It is possible for a positive tag to follow a positive statement, to express interest, or ask for confirmation.

So, you like working here, do you?

b) Tags with will and won't can be used after imperatives. Don't drive so fast, will you?

c) Let's ... has a tag formed with shall. Let's have a drink, shall we ?

d) Everyone / Someone / Anyone / No one —^- they? Someone is knocking at the door, aren 't they ?

4. "Or"-questions (alternative questions).

Are you a lecturer or a student!

5. Indirect questions.

Mind the direct word order in indirect questions. / wonder if you can help me. He inquired whether he could see her.

Sentence Elements

A sentence consists of words or word groups. Every sen­tence must have a subject and a predicate.

SUBJECT

The subject identifies "who" or "what" the sentence is about.

California is a large state.

If a subject is being described or modified, the subject and the modifiers become the complete subject.

Our branch office in California will be closing in April.

Subject	Ways of expression	Example
	Noun	The station was close to our house.
	Numeral	Five stayed away from the lecture.
	Verbals	Smoking is not allowed here. To smoke here means to violate the rules.
	Substantivised adjective	The blind usually walk with white sticks.
	Pronoun	Nobody saw him yesterday.

NOTE:

a) The pronoun it can be either a notional or a formal sub­ject. In the latter case we must distinguish the impersonal it, the introductory or anticipatory it and the emphatic it.

The impersonal it is used to talk about times, distances, temperatures and weather. These words don't have another subject.

It is 8 a. m.

It will be cool tomorrow.

c.f. There was a heavy snowfall last night. (In sentences like this, the noun introduced by the construction there is is the subject.)

The introductory or anticipatory it introduces the real subject.

It's pleasant to lie in the sun.

The emphatic it is used for emphasis.

It was John who paid for dinner.

b) The subject can be expressed by the indefinite pronoun one or the personal pronouns they, you, we which refer to peo­ple in general. They is used when the speaker is excluded, one and we when the speaker is included.

They build new blocks of flats in our town. One / we must know this.

PREDICATE

The predicate indicates something about the subject. We distinguish the simple predicate and the compound predicate, which in its turn can be nominal or verbal.

They arrived in the morning.

He looked good-natured and happy.

I have to work for my living.

In the English language the predicate agrees with the sub­ject in person and number.

She works in the marketing division.

NOTE:

a) Use a singular or plural predicate when two or more subjects are separated by or or nor. The predicate must agree with the subject closest to it.

The other secretaries or Jane has to solve the problem.

b) Use a singular predicate with such words as each, eve­rybody, and nobody.

Nobody was laughing.

c) Use a plural predicate when the subject is a number. Use a singular predicate when the subject is the number.

A number of students fail in the exams every year. The number of car accidents has increased.

d) Use a singular predicate with periods of time or sums of money expressed as total units.

Five dollars is the amount of money I plan to donate for Sylvia's gift.

DIRECT OBJECT

The direct object usually follows a verb in a sentence. The subject acts on an item through the verb. The direct object an­swers the questions "what?" or "who?" to an action verb.

She bought a ring.