Unit 6:the simple

sentence
1 1. Introduction
1.1. Sentence/clause/phrase
Let’s start

1.1.1. Simple/compound/complex sentence

1.2. Finite, Non-finite, Verbless Clauses
2. Syntactic classification of sentence structure
2.1. Peripheral and central elements
2.2. Grammatical functions: subjects, objects, complements and
adverbials
2.4. Basic syntactic patterns in English
3. Semantic analysis sentence structure
3.1. Processes, participants and circumstances
3.2. Different types of processes
3.3. Semantic roles of participants
1.sentence/ clause/ phrase
✗ Sentence: highest unit of grammatical
description; any stretch of talk or writing
preceded or followed by a pause or full-stop.
✗ Clause: any group of words with subject and
predicate included within a sentence.
✗ Phrase: any group of words grammatically
equivalent to a single word without subject and
predicate.
✗ .
✗ .
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 SIMPLE, COMPOUND AND COMPLEX SENTENCES
✗ a) Simple: only one verbal unit
(10)They are eating an ice-cream.
✗ b) Compound: contains two or more clauses that are on the same syntactic level.
They entail a coordination relationship
(11) They are my neighbours but I don’t know them.
✗ c) Complex: contains two or more clauses that are not on the same syntactic
level: there is one main clause on which the remaining ones depend. They entail a
subordination relationship
(12) I think that he is wrong (Od)
(13)I want to see it (Od)
(14) That he is guilty is obvious (S)

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 Quirk vs huddleston
However, consider this:
✗ d) Simple for Quirk et al. (1985; 1990) BUT complex for Huddleston
(1984) :
(16) The school [which my children attend] is within walking distance
NP (the subordinate relative is a constituent of the NP, not of the sentence)

This sentence entails subordination but within an immediate constituent of

the sentence(NP/S), its not a constituent of the sentence, for Quirk is a
simple sentence, whereas for Huddleston is a complex one.
(17) He made an attempt [to cross the river]. (Complement of a N)
(18) I am glad [to hear you again] (Complement of an A)

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 FINITE, NON-FINITE, VERBLESS CLAUSES
CLASSIFICATION OF CLAUSES ACCORDING TO THE
FORM OF THE VERBAL UNIT

a) Finite clauses: contain a tensed verbal form

I can’t go out with you because I am studying.

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b) Non-finite clauses:
i) To-infinitive clauses:
with subject: The best thing would be for you to tell everybody;
without subject: The best thing would be to tell everybody.
ii) Bare infinitive clauses:
with subject: Rather than you do the job, I’d prefer to finish it myself
without subject: All I did was hit him on the head
iii) –ing participle clauses:
with subject: Her aunt having left the room, went to the garden.
without subject: Leaving the room, he tripped over the mat.
iv) –ed participle clauses:
with subject The discussion completed, the meeting finished
without subject: Covered with confusion, they apologized abjectly.
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c) Verbless clauses: they do not have any verbal form, but
they usually have a missing form of the verb to be
Without you (being) at my side, I don’t want to answer any
question.
Sometimes they also lack a subject, which is easily
recoverable from the context
Although (she was) very upset, she performed remarkably
well.

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2 1. Introduction
1.1. Sentence/clause/phrase
Let’s start

1.1.1. Simple/compound/complex sentence

1.2. Finite, Non-finite, Verbless Clauses
2. Syntactic classification of sentence structure
2.1. Grammatical functions: subjects, objects, complements and
adverbials
2.3. Basic syntactic patterns in English
3. Semantic analysis sentence structure
3.1. Processes, participants and circumstances
3.2. Different types of processes
3.3. Semantic roles of participants
2.1 Subjects, Objects,
complements,
adjuncts(adverbials)
✗ GRAMMATICAL
FUNCTIONS
2.1Subjects
✗ Subject: it is the element of which something is predicated
in the clause. It is typically a NP, although it can be any
phrase, including the empty it and the unstressed there.
✗ Tom Cruise is a good actor
✗ The dog is barking loudly
✗ He is singing
✗ The people from Indian villages are migrating to cities.
✗ The dog who was sitting beside the road started chasing us.
✗ Speaking in public is embarrassing.
✗ …
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 2.1 Direct Objects
✗ b) Direct object: it is the single object in a transitive clause.
✗ It is never introduced by a preposition.
✗ It is typically a NP and is placed immediately after the verb
(19a) I usually read books.
✗ However, if the sentence contains an indirect object, this one follows the
verb and precedes the direct object
(19b) She gave her brother(Oi) the parcel (Od).
✗ It may usually become the subject of the corresponding passive sentence:
(20) Books are usually read;
(21) The parcel was given to her brother
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 2.1 Indirect Objects
✗ c) Indirect object: it appears, together with the direct object, in
✗ ditransitive sentences. It can be
✗ a NP as her brother in the previous example or (Oi+Od)
✗ a PP She gave the parcel to her brother (reverse order Od+Oi)
✗ It may also become the subject of a passive sentence:
✗ Her brother (Oi)was given the parcel (Od)

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 2.1 PREPOSITIONAL objects
✗ d) Prepositional object: it is a type of object introduced by a preposition. Sentences
containing prepositional objects have to two different analyses:
(i) the preposition goes with the verb (prepositional verb) and the object is a
common direct object; or
(ii) the preposition goes with the object (prepositional object (Po)) and the
verb is a simple verb.
✗ 1st Argument is in favour (prep. V): in passivized structures, the preposition
remains next to the verb:
(22) They have dealt with the transport crisis
(23) The transport crisis has been dealt with.
✗ 2nd Argument (Po): when an adverbial is inserted in the sentence, it is placed
between the verb and the preposition, which forms a single unit with the following
NP:
(24)They have dealt successfully with the transport crisis.

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 2.1 COMPLEMENTS: subject complements
e) 2 types: Cs /Co. Both types of complements are usually APs, though they can
also be NPS, PPs, and even AdvPs.
(i) Subject Complement:
(i) the subject complement is the obligatory constituent that follows a
copulative/linking verb
(25) His excuse sounds suspicious (*His excuse sounds)
(26) Daphne looks a wreck
✗ (ii) and cannot become the subject of the corresponding passive sentence
*Suspicious is sounded by his excuse/ *Wreck is looked by Daphne
✗ Brown and Miller (1991: 330-2) distinguish between:
✗ attributive and identity complements:
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 2.1 Subject complements- attributive complement
Attributive complements describes the class membership of the
N or gives a property to it.
(27) Roses are flowers
(28) Roses are red
Attributive complements can be further distinguished as:
■ State complements they describe a state or property
of the referent subject. Examples (27), (28)
■ Result complements they make reference to the final
result from the event denoted by the verb.
(29) The leaves are turning brown

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2.1 Subject complements- Identity complement
✗ Identity complement when two constituents in a
sentence can be reversed round the copula verb. It’s
always a definite NP
(30) The man with the Arrow is Harold
(31)Harold is the man with the arrow
Selecting which of these constituents is the complement depends
on textual considerations but, on standard basis, the NP following
the verb Be is identified as the identity complement.

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 2.1 Object complements
(ii) Object complement is the constituent that specifies some feature
of the direct object. It follows the Od. Although the object and its
complement are not linked by any copulative/linking verb, it is
understood:
(32) I like my coffee (when it is) black.
(33) We found the new secretary very helpful (she was very helpful)
✗ The State/ Result distinction can also be applied to Co:
(34) I consider John a fool
(35) Acid will turn litmus paper red

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 2.1 Adverbials or ADJUNCTS
f) Adverbial: it is usually an AdvP or a PP, but it can also be
a NP or a clause.
✗ Adverbials are also called ADJUNCTS
✗ It doesn’t have a fixed position in the sentence.
✗ Unlike the S, the O and the C, it is usually an optional
element of the sentence that can be omitted without
affecting the grammaticality of the sentence:
(36) *Someone has sent (a letter) to the bank manager
(37) He died (the following morning).

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 4. Complements
Summarising so far… a. Subject complement
 Attributive Cs
1. Subjects a. - States Cs
2. Objects b. - Result Cs
a. Direct Object a. Identity Cs
b. Indirect Object a. - States Cs
3. Prepositional Objects b. - Result Cs
a. Prepositional Verb b. Object complement
b. Prepositional Object b. -State Co
c. -Result Co

5. Adverbials
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 2.2 Peripheral and central elements
a) Central elements are those ones that are considered to be
compulsory constituents of the sentence.
✗ They include the S, the O and the C.
✗ Huddleston (1984: 177-180) calls them “complements”.
b) Peripheral elements are, in turn, those that are considered to be
optional elements of the sentence and which, as such, can be easily
omitted without causing any type of ungrammaticality.
✗ They include the adverbial.
✗ Huddleston (1984: 177-180) calls them “adjuncts”.

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 2.2 Peripheral and central elements
✗ However, the border line between central and peripheral
elements is not always very clear cut since sometimes the
indirect object and even the direct object can be easily
omitted, or an adverbial becomes necessary for the
grammaticality of the sentence:
(38) Someone has sent a bomb letter (to the PM) Oi
(39) John is teaching English (to kids) Oi
(40) They are eating (lunch) Od
(41) They are teaching (Chemistry) Od
(42) We found her (very charming) Co  change in meaning

Eat/ teach can be transitive or intransitive in these cases.

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 2.2 Peripheral and central elements
✗ Adverbials are optional or peripheral but in some occasion they
are compulsory for the grammaticality of the sentence.

(43) Daniel stayed in bed --*Daniel stayed

(44) Linda kept Daniel in bed -- *Linda kept Daniel
(45) They treated her kindly-- *They treated her
(46) I put your books on the table-- * I put your books

✗ Brown and Miller (1991) consider in bed and on the table as

‘locative complements’

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 2.2 Peripheral vs central elements
We may find constituents that are in between complements and adverbials.
How to distinguish them?
1. Like complements, they can specify a property of either the S or O .The
distinction ‘state’ , ‘result’ can also be applied.
(47) They painted the fence (yellow)
2. They have a looser syntactic tie to the Verbs than true Complements
they can be omitted
(48) I always buy my meat (fresh)
3. More adverbial status They can sometimes be substituted by
adverbials
(49) Jane returned home (safe). (safely)
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2.2 Peripheral vs central elements
4. Only optional adverbials can be added to any type of
sentence.
(50)Luckily, the sun is already shining
(51)Later, you can perhaps put the dish on the table

Huddleston (1984: 177-180) uses the term ‘complement’

and ‘adjunct’ as synonyms of ‘central’ and ‘peripheral’
elements.

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✗ We will examine the seven
basic clause structures in
English that are built around a
verb phrase.

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2.3 basic syntactic patterns in english
✗ a) SV (intransitive): The sun is shining.
✗ b) SVC (intensive): He is getting angry.
✗ c) SVA (intensive): My office is in the next building.
✗ d) SVO (monotransitive): The lecture bored me.
✗ e) SVOO (ditransitive): I got her a splendid present.
✗ f) SVOC (complex-transitive): He got his shoes wet
in the rain.
✗ g) SVOA (complex-transitive): You can put the dish
on the table.

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 SV structure SVO: Subject Verb Object
SV: Subject Verb Anila kicked the ball
Anila kicked
SVO: Subject Verb Object
my mother is drilling
my mother is drilling a hole
the girl laughed
Li Wei went *SVO
Verb Object
Subject
* the girl laughed it

*SVO:
Verb Object
Subject
* Li Wei went it

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SVO structure Subject Verb Object
my dad washed his car
your friend was opening the door
Verity is throwing a ball

Subject Verb Adjunct

SVA structure
the small [Adjunct of
cried very loudly
child manner]
[Adjunct of
my friend left that evening
time]
[Adjunct of
Sarah lives in America
location]
[Adjunct of
she has been sad since you left
cause]
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 SVA structure Subject Verb Adjunct (AdvP)
Rooney played superbly
my charming son was hovering rather sheepishly
she would behave so bravely

Adjunct Subject Verb Adjunct (NP)

Subject Verb
(PrepP) the boy ran two miles
Robert ran to the door your fourth
sang this afternoon
Helen’s cousin
played after his dinner
brother Ravi shouted that morning
the ball was bouncing on the pitch

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 SVC structure
Subject Verb Complement
Dawn seems happy

Complement Complement
Subject Verb Subject Verb
(NP) (AdjP)
the witch changed into an ant Brian went mad
Adam was born a hero this book is rather terrible
Kathryn became the dentist my mother appeared sad

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 Subject Verb Object Complement
SVOC structure
Paul considered your ideas rather silly

Subject Verb Object Complement

Cole found the game frustrating
the mussels made Rupinder ill
Duncan designed the room rather dark

SVOA structure
Subject Verb Object Adjunct
the boy hugged the dog gently

Subject Verb Object Adjunct

the man held the woman so softly
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SVOO structure Indirect
Subject Verb Direct Object
Object
a beautiful
Anna gave her mother
card

Indirect
Subject Verb Direct Object
Object
Graham sent Margaret his love

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 GET
A given verb can enter into more than one clause type.
The verb get is particularly versatile, for instance:
a) He is getting angry. (SVC)
b) He got through the window. (SVA)
c) He will get a surprise. (SVO)
d) He got me a very expensive present. (SVOO)
e) He got his shoes wet. (SVOC)
f) He got himself into trouble. (SVOA)

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Ambiguity
Through multiple class membership, many ambiguities
can arise:
(i) He made her a good model. SVOO
(ii) He made her a good model. SVOC
(ii) He is cooking his family dinner. SVO
(ii) He is cooking his family dinner SVOO

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3 1. Introduction
1.1. Sentence/clause/phrase
Let’s start

1.1.1. Simple/compound/complex sentence

1.2. Finite, Non-finite, Verbless Clauses
2. Syntactic classification of sentence structure
2.1. Grammatical functions: subjects, objects, complements and
adverbials
2.3. Basic syntactic patterns in English
3. Semantic analysis sentence structure
3.1. Processes, participants and circumstances
3.2. Different types of processes
3.3. Semantic roles of participants
SEMANTIC ANALYSIS OF THE
CLAUSE

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3.1 Proccess, participants, circumstances
✗ Every clause describes an action or situation which
involves one or more human beings, objects or
abstract entities.
✗ In semantic terms, the action or situation described
is called “process” and the entities involved in the
process are called “participants”.

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3.1 Proccess, parcticipants, circumstances
✗ Sometimes the sentence can also include the
“circumstances” under which the situation or
action is described:
(i) Unfortunately, their child broke my window
yesterday.
✗ Process: broke.
✗ Participants: their child, my window.
✗ Circumstances: unfortunately, yesterday.

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✗ Each participant has a semantic
role according to the way in
which it participates in the
process described by the verb.
Quirk et al. (1990)provide the
following list of
thematic/semantic roles:

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 Semantic roles of participants
✗ a) Agent: the animate participant that instigates or causes
the happening denoted by the verb:
✗ Margaret is mowing the grass.
✗ b) External cause: the inanimate or non-volitional
participant entity that causes the event:
✗ Anxiety can ruin your health.

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✗ d) Affected (or Patient): the animate or inanimate
participant which does not cause the happening
denoted by the verb, but is directly involved in it in
some other way:
✗ James sold his digital watch yesterday.
✗ e) Effected( or Resultant): the participant whose
referent exists only by virtue of the activity expressed
by the verb:
✗ They are designing a new car.

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✗ c) Experiencer: the human participant involved in
an emotional, cognitive or perceptual process:
✗ I heard a noise;
✗ Peter loves music;
✗ She knew the answer

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✗ f) Recipient: the participant to whom the action
denoted by the verb is directed and receives its results
and the subject of verbs denoting possession:
✗ I’ll give the children some sweets;
✗ He has four brothers..
✗ g) Instrument: the entity that the agent uses to
perform the action:
✗ The computer solved the problem.

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✗ h) Attribute: the participant that refers to the subject or
object in intensive sentences. It can be a current attribute
if it describes just a property of its referent
✗ John seems happy
✗ or a resulting attribute if it refers to a change of state
process in its referent
✗ He is driving me mad.
✗ i) Locative: it is the semantic role of the participant that
refers to the place in which the process takes place:
✗ London is foggy; John swam the river.

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✗ j) Temporal: it is the semantic role of the participant
that refers to the time of the action or situation:
✗ Yesterday was my birthday.
✗ k) Eventive: it is the semantic role of the participant
that refers to the event described by the sentence:
✗ The match is tomorrow;
✗ The Norman invasion took place in 1066.

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50
 Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
✗ alicia.infante@dfing.uhu.es
✗ arrizaba@dfing.uhu.es

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