Types of Simple Sentences

(1)

SVA

Mary is in the house.

(2)

SVC

Mary is kind/a nurse.

(3)

SVO

Somebody caught the ball.

(4)

SVOA

I put the plate on the table.

(5)

SVOC

We have proved him wrong/a fool.

(6)

SVOO

She gives me expensive presents.

(7)

SV

The child laughed.

Sometimes she sings beautifully /In America, most students are now on vacation
/She kindly sent us some photographs.
The baby is sleeping

The baby is asleep

He hurried

He went fast

He is jobless

He is without a job

Queen Victoria considered him a genius

Queen Victoria

He was considered a genius by

Adverbials
Units realizing adverbial functions
(1)
Adverb phrase, i.e. phrases with adverbs as head or sole realization: Well
stay there
(2)
Noun Phrases (less common): Peter was playing last week
(3)
Prepositional phrases:
Peter was playing with great skill
(4)
(5)

(6)

Finite verb clause:

Peter was playing although he was very tired
Non-finite verb clauses in which the verb is
(a) infinitive
Peter was playing to win
(b) ing participle Wishing to encourage him, they praised Tom
(c) -ed participle

If urged by our friends, we will stay

Verbless clauses:

Peter was playing unaware of the danger

Adverbial Clauses (time, place, condition & concession, purpose, result, manner &
comparison, proportion & preference)
They went wherever they could find work/He looks as if he is going to be ill/If you
treat her kindly, shell do anything for you/When I first saw you, you lived in
Washinton/Please do it exactly as I instructed/ John visited London so (that) he could
see his girlfriend/ We planted many shrubs, so (that) the garden soon looked
beautiful/ Although he hadnt eaten for days, he looked very fit/Even if you dislike
music, you would enjoy this concert/Buy your tickets as soon as you reach the
station/ Where the fire had been, we saw nothing but blackened ruins/ They left the

door open in order for me to hear the baby/The harder he worked, the happier he
felt/Whereas John seems rather stupid, his brother is clever/ Where(ver) known,
such facts have been reported/If hes poor, at least he is honest/ Where(ver)
possible, all moving parts should be tested/Sooner than go there by air, Id take the
slowest train/Rather than sitting quietly at home, he preferred to visit his friends.
Finite, non-finite, and verbless clauses
Finite Clauses: a clause whose V element is a finite verb phrase
John has visited New York
Because John is working, he
Non-finite Clause: a clause whose V element is a non-finite verb phrase
Having seen the pictures, he
Verbless Clauses: a clause containing no V element (but otherwise generally
analyzable in terms
of one or more clause elements)
Although always helpful, he.
John, then in New York, was.
Non-finite Clauses
(i) Infinitive with to
without subject:
with subject:

The best thing would be to tell everybody

The best thing would be for you to tell everybody

(ii) Infinitive without to

without subject:
All I did was hit him on the head
with subject
Rather than John do it, Id prefer to give the job to Mary
(iii)ing participle
without subject:
with subject:
love for
(iv)
ed participle
without subject:
with subject:

Leaving the room, he tripped over the mat

Her aunt having left the room, I declared my passionate

Covered with confusion, I left the room

We left the room and went home, the job finished

Nominal Clause
that-clause
The that-clause can occur as:
subject:
That she is alive is a consolation
direct object:
I knew that he was wrong
subject complement:
The assumption is that things will improve
appositive:
Your assumption, that things will improve, is unfounded
adjectival complement: I am sure that things will improve
Wh- interrogative clause
subject:
How the book will sell depends on its author
direct object:
I cant imagine what made him do it
subject complement:
The problem is not who will go, but who will stay
appositive:
My original question, why he did it at all, has not been
answered

adjectival complement: I wasnt certain whose house I was in

prepositional complement:
No one was consulted on who should have the
prize
Nominal relative clauses
subject:
direct object:
indirect object:
subject complement:
object complement:
appositive:

What he is looking for is a wife

I want to see whoever deals with complaints
He gave whoever came to the door a winning smile
Home is where your friends and family are
You can call me what(ever) (names) you like
Let us know your college address (that is, where you live
in term time)
prepositional complement: Vote for which(ever) candidate you like
To- infinitive nominal clause
subject:
direct object:
subject complement:
appositive:
adjectival complement:

For a bridge to collapse like that is unbelievable

He likes everyone to be happy
My wish is to be a pilot
His ambition, to be a straight actor, was never fulfilled
I am glad to help you

Nominal ing clause

subject:
Telling lies is wrong
direct object:
No one enjoys deceiving his own family
subject complement:
His favourite pastime is playing practical jokes
apposition:
His hobby, collecting stamps, absorbed him
prepositional complement:
I am tired of being treated like a child
adjectival complement: The children were busy building sandcastles
Bare infinitive and verbless clauses
All I did was (to) turn off the gas/Turn off the tap was all I did
Yes no interrogative clauses
Do you know if/whether the banks are open?
I dont know whether it will rain or be sunny
I dont care if your car breaks down or not/ I dont care whether or not your car
breaks down
I dont care if it doesnt rain/ whether it rains or not doesnt
concern me.