Seminar 7 syntax of the complex sentence Topics for Discussion

1. The nature of the complex sentence as a polypredicative unit.

2. Classifications of complex sentences according to the types of clauses.

Topics for Reports

1. The structure of complex sentences (from H.R.Stokoe “The understanding of syntax”

in the book by Blokh M.Y., Semionova T.N., Timofeyeva S.V. Theoretical English

Grammar. Seminars. Moscow, 2007, Pp. 388-391)

2. The main principles of classifying complex sentences (see: Blokh M.Y. A Course in

Theoretical English Grammar. Moscow, 2006, Pp. 355-359; КобринаН.А.,

Болдырев Н.Н., Худяков А.А. Теоретическая грамматика современного

английского языка. Москва, 2007, С. 336-351)

Literature

1. Blokh M.Y. A Course in Theoretical English Grammar. Moscow, 2006.

2. Blokh M.Y., Semionova T.N., Timofeyeva S.V. Theoretical English Grammar.

Seminars. Moscow, 2007.

3. КобринаН.А.,БолдыревН.Н.,ХудяковА.А.Теоретическаяграмматика

современного английского языка. Москва, 2007.

4. Кобрина Н.А., Корнеева Е.А., Оссовская М.И., Гузеева К.А. Грамматика

английского языка. Морфология. Синтаксис. – СПб., 1999.

5. Illyish B.A. The structure of Modern English. – M.-L., 1965.

6. Iofic L.L., Chakhoyan L.P., Pospelova A.G. Readings in the theory of English

Grammar. – Leningrad, 1972.

7. Universals of Human Language: Syntax, Stratford, Calif., 1978, v. 4.

8. Жарких Е.Ю., Биренбаум Я.Г. О границе сложносочиненного и

сложноподчиненного предложения в // Предикативность и

полипредикативность. – Челябинск, 1987. – С.58-77.

9. Иванова И.П., Бурлакова В.В., Почепцов Г.Г. Теоретическая грамматика

современного английского языка. – М., 1981.

10. Иофик Л.Л. Сложное предложение в новоанглийском языке. – Л., 1968.

11. Петрова Т.А. Свернутые конструкции как тип сложных номинативных

единиц в современном англ. языке. Автореф. дисс. на соискание уч.

степени канд. филол.наук. Иркутк, 2004.

12. Плоткин В.Я. Строй английского языка. – М., 1989.

13. Системный анализ простого и сложного предложения: Межвузовский

сборник научных трудов. – Ленинград, 1990.

14. Структура и семантика простого, сложного и осложненного предложения:

Межвузовский сборник научных трудов. – Ленинград, 1988.

15. Черемисина М.И. Сложное предложение как объект общего языкознания//

Предикативность и полипредикативность. – Челябинск, 1987. – С. 5-19.

16. Шалифова О.Н. Структурно-семантические типы придаточных

определительных в английском языке// Вестник факультета иностранных

языков. –СамГПУ, 2002, №3,стр. 51-57.

17. Universals of Human Language: Syntax, Stratford, Calif., 1978, v. 4.

Practical tasks

I. Analyse the following complex sentences in terms of categorial classification:

identify the clauses in the given sentences as a) substantive-nominal

b) qualification-nominal

c) adverbial.

1. That his letters remained unansweredannoyed him very much.

2. Did you find a place where we could make a fire?

3. The woman knew only too well what was right and what was wrong.

4. Describe the picture as you see it.

5. The man who came in the morning left a message.

6. All will be well if we arrive in time.

II. Analyse the following complex sentences in terms of functional classification:

1. define the type of clauses of primary positions:

a) subject clause b) predicative clause c) object clause of

substantive background d) object clause of adverbial background

e) object clauses of general event background f) reportive object

clauses.

1. Wainright said that Eastin would periodically report to him.

2. Why he rejected the offer has never been accounted for.

3. It is a miracle how he managed to pull through.

4. You just get yourself into trouble is what happens.

5. The trouble is that I don’t know Fanny personally.

6. We couldn’t decide whom we should address.

7. Now he could prove that the many years he had spent away from

home had not been in vain.

8. The plot of the novel centered on what might be called a far-fetched

situation.

2. The conversation centered on why that clearly formulated provision of

international law had been violated.

10. The difficulty seems how we shall get in touch with the chief.

11. After all those years of traveling abroad, John has become what you

would call a man of will and experience.

12. She looks as though she has never met him.

2) define the type of clauses of secondary positions:

a) attributive descriptive b) attributive restrictive c) appositive with nounal relation d) appositive with pronominal relation e) appositive with anticipatory relation.

1. The place where we could make a fire was not a lucky one.

2. At last we found a place where we could make a fire.

3. The news that Dr. Blare had refused to join the Antarctic expedition was

sensational.

4. It gave me a strange sensation to see a lit up window in a big house that

was not lived in.

5. I couldn’t agree with all that she was saying in her irritation.

6. You may depend on it that the letters won’t be left unanswered.

3) define the type of clauses of adverbial positions:

a)clauses of time and place b) clauses of manner and comparison

c) clauses of attendant circumstance d)clauses of immediate circumstance (consequence/result, purpose, condition, cause, concession, condition e) parenthetical clauses.

1. Jack has called here twice this morning, if I am not mistaken.

2.You talk to people as if they were a group.

3. We lived here in London when the war ended.

4. The swimmers gathered where the beach formed a small promontory.

5. Mr. Smith looked at me in a way that put me on the alert.

6. The swimmers kept abreast of one another from where they started.

7. We had lived in London all through the war until it ended.

8. As (while) the reception was going on, Mr. Smith was engaged in a lively

conversation with the pretty girl.

9. He opened the window wide that he might hear the conversation below.

10.Unless he wanted to hear the conversation below he wouldn’t open the

window.

11. As he wanted to hear the conversation below, he opened the window wide

and listened.

12. Though he couldn’t hear properly the conversation below, he opened the

window and listened.

13. The voices were so low that he couldn’t hear the conversation through the

open window.

14. If he hadn’t opened the window wide he couldn’t have heard the

conversation.

15. Whoever calls, I’m not at home.

III. Identify the type of subordination arrangement in the following complex

sentences as: a) parallel homogeneous b) parallel heterogeneous

c) consecutive direct d) consequtive oblique.

1. When he agrees to hear me, and when we have spoken the matter over, I’ll

tell you the result.

2. I’ve no idea why she said she couldn’t call on us at the time I had

suggested.

3. Mrs. L. had warned her that C. was an extraordinary place, and that one

must never be astonished by anything.

4. The speakers who represented different nations and social strata were

unanimous in their call for peace which is so ardently desired by the

common people of the world.

5. What he saw made him wince as though he had been struck.

IV. Analyze the types of the subordinative connection on the basis of the

intensity of connection between two clauses in the following complex

sentences. Consider:

1. obligatory connection in monolythic structures (merger complexes, valency complexes, correlation complexes, arrangement complexes) b) optional connection in segregative structures.

1. It was at this point that Bill had come bustling into the room.

2. Tell him to wait if he comes.

3. If he comes, tell him to wait.

4. Put the book where you’ve taken it from.

5. His nose was as unkindly short as his upper lip was long.

6.This is the report that was submitted last week.

7. He had already disappeared when she came into the room, if I am not

mistaken.