Синтаксис английского языка от слова к тексту = A Students’ Guide to English Syntax from Word to Discourse. Учебное пособие

Chapter II. The structure of a simple sentence

There it comes! (it = bus).

2) The subject follows the predicate after direct speech: e.g. “Hello!” said John.

NB! When the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun there is no inversion!

“Hello!”he said (he = John)

II.FULL EMPHATIC INVERSION

1)Adverbial particle is emphasized, i.e. placed in the initial position in the sentence.

e.g. Down went the roof!

Out ran the girl crying bitterly! Off flew the birds!

NB! When the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun there is no inversion!

Down it went! Out she ran! Off they flew!

2)Predicative is emphasized, i.e. placed in the initial position in the sentence before the link verb and the subject.

e.g. Great was my surprise when I saw them together! “Tender is the Night” (a novel by F.S. Fitzgerald)

NB! When the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun the link verb follows the subject!

e.g. So worried she looked that I couldn’t leave her. What a nuisance he is!

III.PARTIAL GRAMMATICAL INVERSION

1)In interrogative sentences the auxiliary or the modal verb precedes the subject and the notional verb follows it.

e.g. What are you doing tonight? Could you help me move a table?

2)In subordinate clauses of condition when the conjunctions IF, EVEN IF, UNLESS are omitted.

e.g. Might it be another day, I would accept your invitation. Should you need anything else, ring the attendant up.

Had I known beforehand about your problem I would have certainly helped you to solve them.

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Ю. М. СЕРГЕЕВА, И. О. СЫРЕСИНА. СИНТАКСИС АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА: ОТ СЛОВА К ТЕКСТУ

YULIA SERGEEVA, IRINA SYRESINA. A STUDENTS’ GUIDE TO ENGLISH SYNTAX: FROM WORD TO DISCOURSE

NB! In the Past Subjunctive all verbs can be used in the clauses with inversion. In the Present Subjunctive only these verbs – were, had, could, might, should – can be used in the clauses with inversion.

3)In short replies starting with SO, NEITHER, NOR which mean a shared quality or action.

e.g. All my fellow students speak English. And so do I. Mary has never been to Australia.– Nor has John.

She doesn’t remember anything about it.– Neither does he.

NB! If SO means really, indeed (emphatic agreement with the statement) there is no inversion!

e.g. You look gorgeous today! – So I do! This dish is disgusting! – So it is!

You seem to have quarreled with your boyfriend.– So I have!

4)After NOR, NEITHER in compound sentences.

e.g. She never helps anyone, nor does she have any qualms about it. The party was not altogether an easy one, nor was the host at his

best that night.

IV. PARTIAL EMPHATIC INVERSION

1) The predicative is emphasized in subordinate clauses of cause (conjunctions AS, THAT) and concession (conjunctions AS, THOUGH, ALTHOUGH)

e.g. Tired as I was, I went to bed early. Tired though I was, I went on working. Pretty as the girl is, she has no boyfriend.

NB! We use the zero article with the noun-predicative:

Child though he is, he understands everything.

2). The object can be emphasized if placed before the predicate and the subject.

e.g. Little did he tell us of his problems. Nothing could I do in such situation.

3) Adverbial modifier can be emphasized if placed before the predicate.

e.g. Only then could I understand what really happened. Scarcely had I closed the door when the doorbell rang.

Many a time did I sit on the bank of the lagoon waiting for a ship to come.

Not until I saw him did I remember his name.

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Chapter II. The structure of a simple sentence

EXERCISES TO CHAPTER II

THE SUBJECT

Exercise 1. Point out the subjects and say what they are expressed

by.

1. There is no turning back. 2. To see is to believe. 3. Dark green is her favorite color. 4. Her stepson was in and out of the house. 5. What are your plans for the weekend? 6. It often rains here. 7. People were saying afterward he’d always been strange. 8. Which of them is your uncle? 9. There is some unfortunate division between them. 10. Five dollars is enough. 11. Two plus two makes four. 12. Who will be the first to answer? 13. Unless they made a mistake, it would be impossible to find them. 14. The two looked at each other. 15. There was something about his tone that made Johnson uneasy. 16. No one can touch them without awaking you. 17. The scarlet letter “A”! It was on him! 18. Mine is Room 401, not 104. 19. They were such commonplace initials, anyone might have them. 20. Writing letters nowadays is a waste of time.

Exercise 2. Use “it” or “there” as the subject of the following sentences. Distinguish introductory (formal) subjects and types of sentences according to the subjects (definite personal, indefinite personal, impersonal).

1. … were shady trees, and heather, and, as far as the eye could see, a rich landscape. 2. … won’t be until three days later. 3. … was a good deal of dust. 4.… was a Saturday morning in early April. 5.… was a long pause on the other end. 6. … was after 5 o’clock. 7. … was no one to pay to! 8. … made me feel slightly nervous. 9. … was the extraordinary cough! 10. Cleary … was nothing else to be done. 11. But … was no one there except a fat man with a white apron,who was clearing the counter.

12.… must be the celebration, the feeling of joy that maddens them.

13.And … was not far to the station, though somehow… seemed farther than when I came; and somehow, too, … seemed to have grown steep, though I could not remember having noticed any slope the other way on my arrival. 14. Cold as … was, the beads of perspiration stood out upon my forehead as I forced myself along. 15. I dashed, baggage and all, into a compartment; … was empty, and … was a second-class one, precisely

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YULIA SERGEEVA, IRINA SYRESINA. A STUDENTS’ GUIDE TO ENGLISH SYNTAX: FROM WORD TO DISCOURSE

similar to the one I had occupied before; … might have been the very same one. 16. … were at least five or six travelers besides myself, very respectable, ordinary-looking folk, with nothing in the least alarming about them. 17. I had never been there before, but … was easy to find.

18.Was … something in the look that had passed between them?

19.… was very well done. 20. … was already dusk, if not dark, and … was not much bustle in the station, nor apparently many passengers.

21.He was about to follow them when … was another ring at the bell.

22.“Who is …? Whoʼs …?” he called out. 23. The shop was nowhere to be found; … was just empty space where … had been, a vacant lot.

24.… were some who sold their huts and their land because … cost a lot of money to get to America; but then, once there, you had three dollars a day, and if you were clever you could find places where true gold could be picked up on the ground.

Exercise 3. Fill in the gaps with the proper articles. Point out the real subject of the sentence.

1. There was … bed on the verandah at the side. 2. There was … long high jetty at the south end of a shallow bay. 3. Then there came … voice from the distance. 4. There was … blue-water lake in the rear of the picture. 5. There was … recurrent concern for Ruth in his mind. 6. There flowed … best blood of Chicago in her veins. 7. There came … rather stout man in a green velvet hat. 8. There were … governess’ poor toilet things on her dressing table. 9. There stood … shabby black trunk in the corner. 10. There were … brushes and … silver mirror in her bag. 11. There hung from the ceiling … enormous chandelier with electric bulbs. 12. There was … vague disquiet at the back of her mind. 13. There was … long silence before he hazarded a remark. 14. There went … little path just down the low cliff. 15. There seemed to be … only way out. 16. There’s … narrow trail on the other side of the woods. 17. There was … ruler in his right hand. 18. There was … certain menace in his voice. 19. There was not … sign of life anywhere. 20. There was … faint square mark on the wall where the picture had hung.

Exercise 4. Work in pairs. Ask and answer questions with “BE + there”. Use the following words. Mind the use of articles with the real subject in this pattern.

Model: Is there a trail to walk on in the woods? Yes, there are nature trails there.

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Chapter II. The structure of a simple sentence

I. Tell me about the park.

1.a place to swim? 2. a big parking lot? 3. a picnic area?

4.mosquitoes? 5. wildlife? 6. a playground for children? 7. a closed gate? 8. picnic tables? 9. wood to make a fire? 10. drinking water nearby?

II. Tell me about the lake.

1.a lifeguard? 2. pollution? 3. a boat to rent? 4. rocks on the beach?

5.soft sand? 6. fish in the water? 7. a place to change into a bathing suit? 8. a tent on the beach? 9. a bathhouse? 10. a snack bar nearby?

III. Tell me about the snack bar.

1.soda? 2. soup? 3. hotdogs? 4. milkshakes? 5. sandwiches? 6. ice cream? 7. tea or coffee? 8. French toast? 9. potato crisps? 10. grilled sausages?

Exercise 5. Say it in English.

1. Над дверью магазина была вывеска. 2. В доме большая го- стиная, нооченьмаленькиеспальни. 3. Вееглазахбылаглубокая тоска. 4. Где-топоблизостидолженбытьгараж. Тамнепременно есть механики, они нам помогут. 5. В его голосе была приятная хрипотца (huskiness). 6. В то время у меня была возможность получить любую работу. 7. Кажется, у тебя есть причина откла- дывать этот разговор. 8. В их глазах стояли слезы. 9. В комнате оченьстараямебель. 10. Вэтомдомеестьподходящаянампоце- не квартира, но в ней нет центрального отопления. 11. В вашем магазине есть книги на испанском языке? 12. В комнате стояла тишина. 13. Наподносестояличашкиизтончайшегокитайского фарфора. 14. В сумке лежали вещи, только что купленные в ма- газине беспошлинной торговли. 15. Здесь есть люди, которые знают об этом гораздо больше меня.

Exercise 6. Comment on the functions of IT in the following sentences (demonstrative, introductory, personal, impersonal, emphatic). Point out the real subject of the sentence.

1. It is far more difficult to be polite to your inferiors than to your superiors. 2. What a day it is! 3. It is true to say that he is a crook. 4. It is a long-proven truth that the certainty of punishment deters criminals more than the severity of it. 5. Isn’t it a shame to take such big money for such a trifle? 6. It was only relief that he felt, not shame or remorse. 7. It turned out he was away at that time.

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YULIA SERGEEVA, IRINA SYRESINA. A STUDENTS’ GUIDE TO ENGLISH SYNTAX: FROM WORD TO DISCOURSE

8. It is an honour to us to talk to such a person as you. 9. It needs high courage to do such things in cold blood. 10. What fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! 11. I didn’t know how early it was. 12. It is you for whom I’ve been looking since morning! 13. It is no use worrying. 14. It was quiet and pitch-dark in the room. 15. It is not likely that the weather will change soon. 16. It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you on the event. 17. It hasn’t been too difficult to find the house. 18. It is John who has spilled the beans, not I! 19. It is strange that you don’t know such things. 20. It is growing dark; let’s go home. 21. The day of the party came at last. It was warm and sunny. 22. It was five miles or more to the nearest town. 23. It was an old coat, dark and dirty. It gave me the shivers to put it on. 24. It was nearly midnight and the streets were empty. 25. I told her my story and soon it was discussed everywhere.

Exercise 7. Internet activities

If you would like to go to visit any places in the world, the website is good source for you to find out necessary tips about destinations, cuisine, hotels and travel agencies. Go to any website to make a project “Invaluable Tips for Travelling Cheap in Tokyo (You can choose any place)”.

You can follow the plan: a) Accommodation b) Food c) Transport d) Shopping. In your project you need to use formal subjects: it (impersonal or introductory), there or indefinite personal sentences with the subjects: one, they or you.

Exercise 8. Make the words in bold type more emphatic by using IT.

Model: They got acquainted in Paris.– It was in Paris where they got acquainted.

1. I speak Italian better than Spanish. 2. Gregory refused to participate in the conference. 3. And then they agreed to help me. 4. In 2006 David worked in the Silicon Valley. 5. Now we are researching gender stereotypes in mass media. 6. She is very shy because of her stutter. This is really a big deal for her. 7. I have seen this film five times. It is terrific! 8. Only Jane knew about our plans. 9. “A girl with a pearl ear-ring” is one of the most famous portraits in the world. 10. Queen Victoria was born in 1819. 11. I learnt to skate when I was five. 12. Leonardo da Vinci designed

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a flying machine 400 years before the first one flew. 13. You can easily get there by tram. 14. He came back to his native town in early spring. 15. Thomas was always the first to arrive. 16. They stay indoors because of a heavy rain. 17. He graduated from Oxford. 18. He has just bought a Ferrari. She is gorgeous! 19. A diamond ring makes a perfect wedding present. 20. Thanks to your help we have finished the project in time.

Exercise 9. Translate into English using constructions with emphatic IT.

1. Это он придумал, а не она. 2. Только его находчивость спа- сла нас в этой опасной ситуации. 3. Именно вчера он мне это

ирассказал. 4. Виноваты они, а неты. 5. Они отравились рыбой, а не мясом. 6. Это Эйнштейн создал теорию относительности. 7. Она любит розы или тюльпаны.– Она предпочитает орхидеи. 8. Мы поедем на твоей машине, а не на моей. 9. Ты набираешь вес. Тебе поможет только спорт! 10. Ты любишь кошек или со- бак? – Ялюблюкошек. 11. Тольковчерамывернулисьизотпуска, а кажется, что прошел месяц с тех пор! 12. Это его улыбка заста- вила всех улыбнуться в ответ и разрядила обстановку. 13. Когда мама приехала? Во вторник? – Она приехала в понедельник, а не во вторник. 14. Только благодаря усердной работе ты дела- ешь большие успехи в языке. 15. Именно это упражнение нам

инужно сейчас сделать. 16. Только старый пиратзнал, где спря- танысокровища. 17. Ивмартеонинаконецпоженились. 18. Ров- но в полночь зазвонил колокол на городской башне. 19. Как раз этукнигуяхочупрочесть. 20. Толькоблагодарявезениюемууда- лось выбраться из беды.

THE PREDICATE

Exercise 1. Compare the types of the predicate.

1. She was completely taken up with her own worries. 2. Out in the drive he took a deep breath in the frosty air. 3. He took out a paper and showed it to me. 4. Take care that your son doesn’t take to drugs or drinking. 5. I take it you’ll be making a complaint about the boy’s behavior. 6. And then he was suddenly taken ill. 7. I took my watch to pieces. 8. In looks she takes after her mother. 9. Please, take a seat.

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YULIA SERGEEVA, IRINA SYRESINA. A STUDENTS’ GUIDE TO ENGLISH SYNTAX: FROM WORD TO DISCOURSE

10. If you don’t like the dress, I can take it back. 11. We haven’t taken any time off since last summer. 12. The new surgeon will take up her post in May. 13. I like chocolate, but I can take it or leave it. 14. The Olympics take place every four years. 15. You need to take more exercise. 16. May I take a picture of the two of you? 17. She won’t take my advice. 18. I’m afraid she took offence at my remarks.

19.You take my help too much for granted, but I am not your servant!

20.We took a taxi to reach the airport on time.

Exercise 2. State the type of the verb ‘to be’ and the type of the predicate.

1.What color is your car? 2. When are you to take the finals?

3.What film were you shown there? 4. When is your birthday?

5.There were many people in the room; it was very stuffy. 6. I am afraid, there is no preventing it. 7. There is no sense in our wasting time. 8. This book is a rare manuscript; it is nowhere to be bought.

9.Unfortunately he is not with us now. 10. It is high time you were at school. 11. There is a storm coming on! 12. She said it was your fault.

13.The window was broken. 14. It is cold, isn’t it? 15. Then there was a sudden furious barking. 16. You are to stay here until I send for you. 17. I am sure there is a rule for it and it is not the rule you refer to. 18. Where have you been? Your friends have been looking for you. 19. I’m next, aren’t I? 20. You’re not helping. 21. Kay’s still at the office. 22. You are to be congratulated on your wise decision.

23.It had been a slow tricky job because steps were icing as fast as they were cleared. 24. It was snowing hard. 25. The important thing is to get there on time.

Exercise 3. Fill in the correct prepositions or adverbial particles. Comment on the type of the predicate. Point out phrasal verbs and give variants of their periphrasis.

Combinations with get and be

1. The car stopped in front of the house and two men got … 2. He got … his bicycle to talk to his friend. 3. She wants to do her best but I don’t think she is … … it. 4. Is she …? – No she’s … and won’t be …/… till ten o’clock. 5. Shall I marry him? Well, it is … … you. 6. John hasn’t been working; he won’t get … his exams. 7. I tried to ring him up but I couldn’t get … 8. She talks so much that it is difficult to get … from her. 9. I’m going to Paris on business and I shall be … for

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a week. 10. It took her a long time to get … the death of the mother.

11.What shall we do now? – I’m … keeping quiet and saying nothing.

12.If you don’t give the children something to do, they’ll be … … some mischief. 13. How are you getting … … your work? 14. Get …/…/… the bus at the next station.

Combinations with look and keep

1.Look …! You nearly knocked my plate out of my hands. 2. They walked so fast that the child couldn’t keep … … them. 3. He looked … to see who was following her. 4. My windows look … …/… to the garden. 5. He looked … the book to see if he had read it before.

6.Since our quarrel she looks … me whenever we meet. 7. I am looking …… meeting you soon. 8. Looking …, I see now all the mistakes I made when I was younger. 9. Look … the cat while I’m out. 10. We must look … and make plans for the future. 11. I’m looking … a new house.

12.If you don’t know the word you can look it … in a dictionary. 13. He wanted to see me but I kept … reading and refused to talk to. 14. Keep …/…/…! Don’t come any nearer.

Combinations with go and come

1.The gun went … by accident and wounded him in the arm. 2. It’s no use trying to keep it secret; it’s sure to come … in the end. 3. She goes … a lot. She doesn’t often spend evenings at home. 4. They are at home all day. Come … whenever you have time. 5. She came … … me and told the news. 6. Let’s wait till prices come … again before you buy a car. 7. Why don’t you go … … sports? 8. Her weight went … …

80kilos when she stopped swimming. 9. He came … a fortune two years ago. 10. He had his lunch and went … working. 11. The party went … very well; we all enjoyed ourselves. 12. Come …/… It’s too cold to wait here.

Combinations with take and run

1.People often take me … my brother. We are very like each other. 2. I’m sorry I was wrong. I take my words … 3. I can’t start the clock; the battery has run … 4. She takes … her mother; she has got green eyes and fair hair. 5. He took … jogging to lose weight.

6.I couldn’t take … the lecture at all. It was too difficult for me. 7. If she takes …/… this job she’ll have to work harder. 8. He took … going to cinema every month. 9. You’d better take … your sweater if you are hot. 10. I ran … my friend in the tube today. 11. You are looking rather run …; I think you need a day off. 12. She is always running … her friends behind their backs. She soon won’t have any friends left.

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YULIA SERGEEVA, IRINA SYRESINA. A STUDENTS’ GUIDE TO ENGLISH SYNTAX: FROM WORD TO DISCOURSE

Combinations with turn, call and break

1.The car broke … and we had to go by bus. 2. They broke … their conversation when I came in. 3. She was plain as a child but she turned … pretty. 4. We arranged to meet at the university but he didn’t turn … 5. The firefighter had to break … the door to rescue them. 6. War broke … in 1939. 7. The situation is difficult and calls

…great tact. 8. The boat turned … and we were in the water. 9. Turn

…the telly if you don’t watch it. 10. On his way to work she called … the bakery to buy some cakes. 11. We called … a specialist when he grew worse. 12. I turned … the job because it was badly paid.

Combinations with give, put and make

1.I don’t believe that story. I am sure you made it … 2. If you can’t find a room in a hotel, my sister could put you … 3. Put … the clock, it is twelve minutes fast. 4. This clock is always slow; I put it …/… fifteen minutes every day. 5. The names of the winners will be given … on the radio. 6. It is high time they made … their quarrel. 7. Traveling is getting too expensive; I’ll have to give it … 8. I’ll keep it in secret. I won’t give you …. 9. She makes … very skillfully. She looks much younger than she is.

Exercise 4. Analyze the structure of the compound nominal predicate. State the type of the link-verb and the way the predicative is expressed.

1. Rather than become eye-openers, these newspapers mislead people. 2. She has turned an excellent and a most accomplished wife to him. 3. It just seems the wrong way to go about it. 4. Since he is the manager of this estate he is responsible for everything. 5. Why are you looking so depressed, Jack? 6. He sounded perfectly cheerful about it. In fact, it didn’t sound as if he minded anything much. 7. The lobster was still alive when it was served.– Phew! How disgusting! 8. All that was to be speedy. 9. The morning was fresh and bright, the flowers had never smelt so nice. 10. To retreat was impossible. All that I had to do was to avoid you both. 11. Eleanor grew impatient for some tidings of Edward. 12. Your hobby is doing nothing! What a lazy-bones you are! 13. Don’t touch the glasses, they are Granny’s. 14. To prolong this discussion is to waste everybody’s time. 15. Eva decided he was interested in people, in his rather detached way, because they were people, not because they were famous. 16. The world around him seemed to have become equally mad and hateful.

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