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Unit1

The Parts of a Sentence

I.Grammar Points

A sentence is a grammatically independent unit of expression,made up of two essential parts called the subject and the predicate.In the following sentence:

● My father teaches at a university.

My father is the subject part,teaches at a university is the predicate part.

In English,parts of sentence usually consist of 7 elements,namely:1) subject,2) predicate,3) object,4) predicative,

5) complement,6) attribute,7) adverbial.

1.Subject

The subject is usually realized by a noun phrase (NP) or sometimes by a clause.The subject of a sentence is the part naming the person or thing that the sentence speaks about.

● Mary is painting a picture.

In this example,Mary is the subject.Typically,subjects start off a sentence,but there are a number of constructions where they do not.For instance,in the following examples:

● Fortunately for us,she managed to join the government.

● Do those people like anything?

● He made no answer,and they were again silent till they had gone down the dance,when he asked her if she and her sisters did not very often walk to Meryton.

2.Predicate

The predicate always contains a verb or a verb phrase (VP).The predicate of a sentence is the part that speaks about the subject.It tells what the subject does or asserts that the subject is something.The key word (or words) in the predicate—the word stating the actual doing or being—is called the simple predicate (or just predicate) or verb.For example:

● A noted scientist from France will speak here tonight.

In this sentence,will speak is the predicate.

3.Object

The object is a key element of sentence structure.Some clauses effectively have two objects of different kinds,one direct and the other indirect.It takes several definitions to show the range of things a direct object can be,let alone the indirect kind.

(1) Direct objects can be the target,goal or product of the action of the verb:

● She moved the bed over to the window.

● He baked a pizza for lunch.

The object can also express the arena or extent of the action:

● They could weed the garden.

● The students walk 5 kms to school.

The direct object is sometimes a person affected by the action,as in:

● They put their mother into the hospital.

In spite of their variety,these objects have one thing in common:they would all be the item identified if you took the verb and asked what/who immediately after.

● He baked what?A pizza.

● They put who into hospital?Their mother.

(2) Indirect objects only appear when there is already a direct object in the clause.They are associated particularly with a group of verbs that express the idea of transmitting something and the indirect object is the person or thing that receives whatever is being transmitted.

● They sent the agent a confirmatory fax.

● He gave the door a kick.

As the examples show,the indirect object precedes the direct object.If the two were in reverse order,the indirect object would have to be expressed through a prepositional phrase:

● They sent a confirmatory fax to the agent.

(3) In statements,objects normally follow the verb,as in the examples above.That order is occasionally altered in conversation,to highlight the object in front of both subject and verb:

● Roses she liked better than anything.

In questions seeking discursive answers,the object is regularly put up front:

● Which newspaper do you prefer?

● What will they do now?

4.Predicative

Predicative is an element of the predicate of a sentence which supplements the subject or object by means of the verb.Predicative may be nominal or adjectival.

For example:

● He seems nice.(adjectival predicative of the subject)

● Bob is a postman.(nominal predicative of the subject)

● We painted the door white.(adjectival predicative of the object)

● They elected him president.(nominal predicative of the object)

5.Complement

A complement is a word in the predicate that completes the meaning of the verb.There are four kinds of complement.

(1) A direct object is a noun (or pronoun) that tells whom or what after an action verb.

● I opened the package.[opened what?]

● The city is employing teenagers.[employing whom?]

● The fans cheered the players and the coach.[compound complement]

(2) An indirect object is a noun (or pronoun) that appears after certain action verbs,telling to or for whom,or to or for what,the action of the verb is done.

● Flo sent Tony a present.[sent to whom?]

● Tony had done Flo a favor.[done for whom?]

● Marcia bought Tony and Flo a new dog.[compound indirect object]

(3) A subjective complement (predicate nominative) is a noun (or pronoun) that follows a linking verb and renames or explains the subject.

● Henfield was the Democratic candidate.[Candidate gives another name or title for Henfield.]

● A kumquat is a fruit.[Fruit explains what kumquat is.]

● Henfield is unbeatable.

● The tree seems dead.

(4) An objective complement is a noun that follows a direct object and renames or explains it.

● They called Henfield a hero.[Hero gives another name or title for Henfield.]

● The electors declared Henfield the winner.

● Their angry parents considered Sheila and Bob the biggest culprits.

6.Attribute

Attribute refers to a word,phrase or clause,that modifies a noun or a noun phrase.For example:

● She is a beautiful girl.

● He had a great desire to travel.

● Children who live by the sea usually begin to swim very early.

7.Adverbial

Adverbial is the optional element in the sentences that provides background information on when,where,why,and how about the event described by the verb and its objects.It is important to be aware that adverbials are not always realized as Adverb Phrases (APs),but can also be realized as Prepositional Phrases (PPs) or Noun Phrases (NPs) or as clauses.Note that the term"adverb"refers to the category that heads the Adverb Phrase (AP) and that"adverbial"refers to the function.For example:

● Happily,they painted those pictures.

● She wrote the story quickly.

● Unfortunately,he drove the car to work.

II.Grammar Exercises

1.Identify the parts in the following sentences.

(1) Main Street is usually crowded on late shopping nights.

(2) The girls armed with hockey-sticks chased the burglar.

(3) Quite by accident I came across a very rare postage-stamp.

(4) Away in the distance you can see Mount Kilimanjaro.

(5) What I am going to tell you must not be repeated.

(6) About fifty or sixty thousand years ago,there lived on earth a creature similar to man.

(7) Skulls and bones of this extinct species of man were found at Neanderthal.

(8) Where the first true men originated we do not know.

(9) These newcomers eventually drove the Neanderthalers out of existence.

(10) In Asia or Africa there may be still undiscovered deposits of earlier and richer human remains.

2.Find all the parts of sentences in the following text and classify them (direct object,indirect object,subject,predicate,etc.).

Continued hostilities have resulted in catastrophic human rights abuses inside Afghanistan.All warring factions have carried out attacks against residential areas.The factions have targeted civilians.They have killed tens of thousands of people in various parts of the country.The vast majority of the victims have been Kabul residents.Previous attacks against Kabul stopped when the Taliban forces entered Kabul about five months ago.Now,Taliban has threatened a bombardment.This will leave many people dead and many more wounded.

3.In the following passage,the subjects have been left out from most of the sentences.Fill in the blanks with appropriate subjects.What is science?(1)____is usually used to mean one of three things,or a mixture of them.(2)____do not think (3)____need to be precise—(4)____is not always a good idea to be too precise.(5)____means,sometimes,a special method of finding things out.Sometimes (6)____means the body of knowledge arising from the things found out.(7)____may also mean the new things (8)____can do when (9)____have found something out,or the actual doing of new things.

(from Richard Feynman,The Meaning of It All)

III.TEM-4 Exercises

1.In the following sentence"It's no use waiting for me",the italicized phrase is____.

A.the object B.an adverbial C.a complement D.the subject

2.In"How much do you think he earns?"how much is____of the sentence.

A.the subject B.the adverbial C.the object D.the complement

3.Which of the following sentences has an object complement?

A.The directors appointed John manager. B.I gave Mary a Christmas present.

C.You have done Peter a favor. D.She is teaching children English.

4.Which of the following italicized phrases indicates CAUSE?

A.Why don't you do it for the sake of your friends?

B.I wish I could write as well as you.

C.For all his efforts,he didn't get an A.

D.Her eyes were red from excessive reading.

5.Even as a girl,____to be her life,and theater audiences were to be her best teacher.

A.performing by Melissa were B.it was known that Melissa's performances were

C.knowing that Melissa's performances were D.Melissa knew that performing was

IV.Key Words of TEM-4

Group 1 respectable respectful respective perspective

respectable a.

(1) worthy of respect (2) decent

If you can build a business up big enough,it's respectable.

For practical reasons motorcyclists often dress in old clothing which looks much less respectable than the clothing of people who ride in cars.

respectful a.full of or showing respect,be respectful of

If you want other people to respect your time,be respectful of theirs.

He was always respectful of my independence.

respective a.referring to the different things that belong to each separate person

We all went back to our respective homes to wait for news.

perspective n.

(1) a way of thinking about something,viewpoint

His father's death gave him a whole new perspective on life.

(2) from somebody's perspective

The novel is written from a child's perspective

TEM-4 Question 1

The neighbors do not consider him quite____as most evenings he awakens them with his drunken singing.

A.respectful B.respected C.respective D.respectable

Group 2 award reward rewarding compensation

award v.to give money or a prize or other things following an official decision

The editors decided to award Mr.Murong the magazine's annual literature prize.

These universities have the right to award the degrees.

award n.a prize that is given to somebody who has achievements

I feel that this academy award was not made to me as a man,but to my work,a life's work in the agony and sweat of the human spirit.

reward v.to give money or payment or other things to somebody for something good that has been done

She rewarded herself by buying a new pair of shoes.

She was rewarded with a cash bonus.

His effort was rewarded.

reward n.something that is given in return or that is offered or given for some service

The police offered a reward for his capture.

The contest offered a cash reward to the first person who could breed a blue rose.

in reward for

Members will receive a discount in reward for getting friends or family to join.

rewarding a.valuable,satisfying,profitable

It was a rewarding experience.

Nursing is a very rewarding career.

The investment has been very rewarding.

compensation n.something that is done or given to make up for damage,trouble,etc.

The court awarded the victims millions of dollars in compensation.

She offered to pay for lunch as compensation for keeping me waiting.

TEM-4 Question 2

The police have offered a large____for information leading to the robber's arrest.

A.award B.compensation C.prize D.reward

Group 3 abandon abolish terminate surrender

abandon v.to leave and never return to

The child had been abandoned by his parents as an infant.

Fearing further attacks,most of the population had abandoned the city.

abolish v.to officially end or stop something (such as a law);to completely do away with something

He is in favor of abolishing the death penalty.

To fight such behavior effectively,one must abolish paper money.

terminate v.to cause something to end,to take a job away from someone

You have to terminate the program before the computer shuts down properly.

Are you suggesting I terminate my relationship with Amy?

Plans are being made to terminate unproductive employees.

surrender v.

(1) to agree to stop fighting,resisting;surrender to somebody

The enemy finally surrendered after three days of fighting.

After a short chase,the suspect surrendered to the police.

(2) to give the control or use of something to somebody else

He surrendered his weapon to the police.

They were required to surrender their passports.

TEM-4 Question 3

Slavery was____in America in the 19 th century.

A.terminated B.cancelled C.abandoned D.abolished

Group 4 precede preceding predict proceed

precede v.to happen,go,or come before something or somebody

The meeting was preceded by a brief welcoming speech.

She preceded him into the room.

preceding a.existing,happening,or coming before

I highly appreciate the preceding man's precious precise exercise.

predict v.to say that something will or might happen in the future

She claims that she can predict future events.

It's hard to predict how the election will turn out.

proceed v.to continue to do something

After the interruption,she proceeded with her presentation.

Before we proceed further,does anyone have any questions?

TEM-4 Question 4

Metal,valued by weight,____coins in many parts of the world.

A.processed B.produced C.preceded D.proceeded

Group 5 on view at a glance on the scene in sight

on view being displayed

His paintings are now on view at the local museum.

at a glance with a quick look

She was able to identify the problem at a glance.

on the scene (1) at the place where something happens,usually,something bad

Our correspondent interviewed all those on the scene.

(2) appearing

She was lonely for a while,but now there's a new boyfriend on the scene.

Our lives have changed a lot since computers have come on the scene.

in sight that can be seen

For Strauss,living on credit,desperate to work,but with no job in sight,that dream looks a thing of the past,not the future.

TEM-4 Question 5

At three thousand feet,wide plains begin to appear,and there is never a moment when some distant mountain is not____.

A.on view B.at a glance C.on the scene D.in sight

V.Working with Words and Expressions

Complete the following sentences with a word or an expression from the box.Change the form if necessary.

respectable respectful respective perspective precede preceding

abolish predict proceed on view at a glance on the scene

in sight abandon terminate surrender award compensation

reward rewarding

1.I think bullfighting should be____.

2.Her success is just____for her hard work.

3.The gunman____and was taken into custody.

4.Fearing further attacks,most of the population had____the city.

5.As he failed to abide by the contract,his contract was____last month.

6.Two of my sister's pictures are____in the local Art Gallery.

7.The mayor____the police officer a medal of honor for his heroic deed in rescuing the earthquake victims.

8.Consumers or other victims who suffer personal injuries or property damage as a result of defective commodities may demand____from the sellers or producers.

9.The new mayor is very different from the person who____her in office.

10.If we desire respect for the law,we must first make the law____.

11.It was late when the concert let out,so we all went our____ways.

12.She won the election,as I____.

13.After inspecting the house,the couple decided to____with the sale.

14.They had a reporter____who was covering the event live.It was very exciting.

15.There is much that might be said about friendship.They allow us to see ourselves from the____of another. QiTqi5ukaF+CRX6yGT9QGiJRmo9Lk1YjFubQo54jMG4i8ql3oTxiIZZBPh7O9FQ9

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