005 Greenbaum Sent Structure

S. Greenbaum, R. Quirk. English Grammar

Sentence structure

In the English sentence the following constituents are distinguished:

S - subject

V - verb

P/C (P=C according to different sources) - complement to complete the meaning of the verb or the object

O - object (direct and indirect)

A - adverbial

Complementation

1. If the verb is copular (or linking) it needs the complement - the subject predicative (P/C)

The subject predicative is characterized in these ways:

1. The subject predicative comes after the verb.

2. The subject predicative cannot become the passive subject of the sentence, unlike the direct and indirect objects, since the distinction between active and passive applies only to sentences with transitive verbs. If the copular verb is be and if the subject predicative identifies the subject, the subject and subject predicative can change places: The president (S) was (V) Bill Clinton (P). Bill Clinton (S) was (V) the president (P).

3. If the subject predicative is a pronoun with distinctive subjective and objective forms, we have a choice. The subjective form tends to occur in formal style: It (S) is (V) / (P). [formal] It's me (P).

4. The subject predicative typically characterizes the person or thing referred to by the subject. It also commonly identifies the subject or the location of the subject.

5. Predicatives (P/C) are obligatory and are dependent on the main verb. For example, last night in is required to complete the sentence Our committee meeting (S) was (V) last night (P).

6. The subject predicative completes a sentence beginning with a subject and a verb. The basic structure of the sentence is SVP.

2. an object predicative (P/C) is required to complete the meaning of the object.

/ (S) have made (V) my position (0) clear (P). The basic structure of is SVOP.

Only the direct object in an SVOP structure can be made the subject of a passive sentence:

/ (S) have made (V) my position (0) clear (P).

My position (S) has been made (V) clear (P).

The basic structures of the sentence

SV	Subject + Verb	My glasses (S) have disappeared (V).
SVO	Subject + Verb + Direct or Indirect Object	Our country (S) is absorbing (V) many refugees (0). He (S) will get (V) a surprise (O).
SVOO	Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object	/ (S) am sending (V) you (0) an official letter of complaint (0). He (S) got (V) her (O) a splendid present (O).
SVP= SVC	Subject + Verb + Subject Predicative	The water-bed (S) was (V) very comfortable (P). It (S) was (V) freelance teaching (P). He (S) is getting (V) angry (P).
SVOP= SVOC	Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object Predicative	/ (S) have made (V) my position (0) clear (P). They (S) called (V) it (0) freelance teaching (P). He (S) got (V) his shoes and socks (O) wet (P).
SVA	Subject + Verb +Adverbial	He (S) got (V) through the window (A). Mary (S) is (V) in the house (A).
SVOA	Subject + Verb + Object +Adverbial	He (S) got (V) himself (O) into trouble (A). I (S) put (V) the plate (O) on the table (A).