Syntax: Sentences and Clauses

• Syntax is the study of the sentence, as covered in chapter four, lecture 1
• Sentences are either simple or complex, as determined by the number of clauses

Simple Sentences

• Consist of only one clause
• Contain a subject, verb, and complete thought
• Example: My teacher loves pizza

Complex Sentences

• Consist of two or more clauses
• Examples:
  • I am excited to hear the announcement of the winner
  • Matt really enjoyed the breakfast you cooked for him
  • Bring some coffee before it turns cold

Clause

• A clause includes at least one subject and one verb
• Example: Phillipa got married last week; Phillipa is the subject, and got married is the verb

Sentence Elements and Paterns

• A simple declarative sentence contains five elements; Subject (S), Verb (V), Object (Oi, Od), Complement (C) and Adverbial (A)

Five Clause Elements

• A simple sentence has five clause elements; subject, verb, object, complement, and adverbial
• Clauses typically contain a verb and a subject, and any items needed to complete the meaning of the verb

Subject of a sentence

• In a declarative sentence, the subject is typically a noun phrase (noun or pronoun) that determines the person and number of the verb
• A subject tells whom or what the sentece is about
• Refers to the doer of the action expresed by the verb
• A subject can be singular or plural
• Every sentence must have an explicit subject, except for the imperative and sentences with the infinitive form of the verb
  • Example: Go out! The 2nd person pronoun "you" is the understood subject
• In questions, the order of the subject and the first auxiliary is reversed according to the subject-auxiliary inversion rule
  • Example: Has John left?
• In sentences with the infinitive form of the verb, the subject can be omitted
  • Example: We learned to type. It is easy to fix this car.
• The subject of a passive sentence corresponds to the object of a corresponding active sentence
  • Active: John wrote two letters
  • Passive: Two letters were written by John
• Besides NPs, nominal clauses can function as subjects; that-clause, wh-clause, to-V clause, V-ing clause
• A wh-clause example: Why he resigned is not clear to me
• A to-V clause example: To travel by train costs $50
• A V-ing clause example: Typing all these reports costs a lot of money