Difference between revisions of "Sentence types"
(Created page with " In writing courses and in sentence grammar, we often distinguish the following types of clauses, which then form different types of sentences. {| class="apatable" ! type !...") |
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+ | Simple sentences are those that consist of a single main clause [주절, 主節]. There are about seven basic grammatical patterns for simple sentences. These consist of subjects (S), verbs (V), objects (O), complements (C), and adjuncts (A). A complement is a word in the predicate [the verb phrase; 술부, 述部] that completes the meaning or description of a subject or object; an adjunct [부가사, 附加詞] is an additional, optional element that adds further information, such as an adverb or a prepositional phrase (but the sentence would be grammatical and would make sense without it). Longer simpler sentences are built on the same patterns. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {| class="wikitable" | ||
+ | ! Type | ||
+ | ! Example #1 (simple) | ||
+ | ! Example #2 (longer) | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 1. SV | ||
+ | | Janice smiled. | ||
+ | | The petite blond was grimacing. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 2. SVC | ||
+ | | Janice is tall. | ||
+ | | A new hard drive would be a great addition. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 3. SVO | ||
+ | | Janice bought a car. | ||
+ | | The incompetent repairman dropped the new hard drive. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 4. SVOC | ||
+ | | Janice made her neighbor angry. | ||
+ | | The stupid repairman made the customer very upset. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 5. SVOO | ||
+ | | Janice gave her neighbor a present. | ||
+ | | The stupid repairman had to give the customer a refund and an apology. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 6. SVA | ||
+ | | Janice left yesterday <nowiki>|</nowiki> in a hurry. | ||
+ | | The evil scientist, who was experimenting with unspeakable and horrible projects, was chased <nowiki>|</nowiki> out of town <nowiki>|</nowiki> an angry mob. | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | | class="header"| 7. SVOA | ||
+ | | Janice gave them a present <nowiki>|</nowiki> rather unexpectedly. | ||
+ | | The angry mob burned down the lab of the mad scientist <nowiki>|</nowiki> torches and kerosene <nowiki>|</nowiki> the middle of the cold, frosty night. | ||
+ | |} | ||
+ | |||
In writing courses and in sentence grammar, we often distinguish the following types of clauses, which then form different types of sentences. | In writing courses and in sentence grammar, we often distinguish the following types of clauses, which then form different types of sentences. | ||
− | + | {| class="wikitable" | |
− | {| class=" | ||
! type | ! type | ||
! definition | ! definition | ||
! discourse function | ! discourse function | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Main or independent clauses | + | | class="header"| Main or independent clauses |
− | | subject + verb | + | | subject + verb <br> (+object / predicate) - SVO <br> Can exist by itself as a sentence |
− | <br> (+object / predicate) - SVO | ||
− | <br> Can exist by itself as a sentence | ||
| Foregrounds a main idea | | Foregrounds a main idea | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Subordinate (dependent) clauses | + | | class="header"| Subordinate (dependent) clauses |
− | | sub. conjunction + SVO | + | | sub. conjunction + SVO <br> Cannot exist by itself as a sentence |
− | <br> Cannot exist by itself as a sentence | ||
| Backgrounds information, making it secondary to that of the main clause | | Backgrounds information, making it secondary to that of the main clause | ||
− | |- | + | |- |
+ | | class="header"| Participle clauses | ||
+ | | participle (adjectival form of verb) with objects / adjuncts, modifying a noun in the main clause | ||
+ | | Backgrounds information that is additional, descriptive, explanatory, indicating results, etc. | ||
|} | |} | ||
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===Basic clause-sentence types=== | ===Basic clause-sentence types=== | ||
Subordinate clauses that background information mainly include what are sometimes called adverbial subordinate clause. There are other types of subordinate clauses: relative clauses, for modifying nouns, and complement clauses for expressing complex ideas by embedding one clause into a higher clause as a subject or object of the higher clause (e.g., I know ''what you are thinking'', I know ''that you are planning something''). | Subordinate clauses that background information mainly include what are sometimes called adverbial subordinate clause. There are other types of subordinate clauses: relative clauses, for modifying nouns, and complement clauses for expressing complex ideas by embedding one clause into a higher clause as a subject or object of the higher clause (e.g., I know ''what you are thinking'', I know ''that you are planning something''). | ||
− | |||
These types of clauses can form the following sentence types. | These types of clauses can form the following sentence types. | ||
− | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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| one main clause | | one main clause | ||
| The iguana ate the rodent. | | The iguana ate the rodent. | ||
− | | Foregrounds activities and ideas | + | | Foregrounds activities and ideas |
|- | |- | ||
| class="header"| Compound or coordinate | | class="header"| Compound or coordinate | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| class="header"| Compound-complex | | class="header"| Compound-complex | ||
− | | two main clauses + subordinate clause | + | | two main clauses + subordinate clause <br>(or main clause + two subordinate clauses) |
− | <br>(or main clause + two subordinate clauses) | ||
| Some mammals hibernate in winter, but others simply adapt to cold weather, because they have evolved to adapt to and to exploit their niches differently. | | Some mammals hibernate in winter, but others simply adapt to cold weather, because they have evolved to adapt to and to exploit their niches differently. | ||
| Juxtaposes two foregrounded ideas with a backgrounded idea, e.g., for explanation | | Juxtaposes two foregrounded ideas with a backgrounded idea, e.g., for explanation | ||
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|- | |- | ||
| class="header"| Inversion | | class="header"| Inversion | ||
− | | An adjective, adverbial, or prepositional phrase moves to subject position, and the subject comes after the verb. | + | | An adjective, adverbial, or prepositional phrase moves to subject position, and the subject comes after the verb. <br>INV. + VSO |
− | <br>INV. + VSO | ||
| The farmer entered the chicken coop, not suspecting the chickens would revolt against him. As he started to prepare their feed pellets, <u>in the corner there appeared</u> a large angry rooster with a knife, ready for hand-to-hand combat. | | The farmer entered the chicken coop, not suspecting the chickens would revolt against him. As he started to prepare their feed pellets, <u>in the corner there appeared</u> a large angry rooster with a knife, ready for hand-to-hand combat. | ||
| Makes a transition from one topic scene or topic to a related topic – a smooth topic shift or scene shift | | Makes a transition from one topic scene or topic to a related topic – a smooth topic shift or scene shift | ||
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| class="header"| Cleft | | class="header"| Cleft | ||
| It’s the X that... | | It’s the X that... | ||
− | | A: The program comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Would you like the 32-bit? | + | | A: The program comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Would you like the 32-bit? <br> B: <u>It’s the 64-bit version that</u> I need. |
− | <br> B: <u>It’s the 64-bit version that</u> I need. | ||
| emphasis and contrast, between alternatives | | emphasis and contrast, between alternatives | ||
|- | |- | ||
| class="header"| Wh-cleft (pseudo-cleft) | | class="header"| Wh-cleft (pseudo-cleft) | ||
| What [clause] is... | | What [clause] is... | ||
− | | A: We only have the 32-bit in stock. | + | | A: We only have the 32-bit in stock. <br> B: <u>What I need is</u> the 64-bit version. |
− | <br> B: <u>What I need is</u> the 64-bit version. | ||
| emphasis and contrast, between alternatives | | emphasis and contrast, between alternatives | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | class="header"| Preposing (preposed object), | + | | class="header"| Preposing (preposed object), <br> topicalization |
− | <br> topicalization | ||
| object or phrase moved to sentence initial position; VSO sentence | | object or phrase moved to sentence initial position; VSO sentence | ||
− | | She prepared several gifts for the committee members. <u>One of these gifts</u> was a toy phaser for the Trek fan; <u>another</u> was a little Tardis for the Dr Who fan. | + | | She prepared several gifts for the committee members. <u>One of these gifts</u> was a toy phaser for the Trek fan; <u>another</u> was a little Tardis for the Dr Who fan. <br> ... |
− | ... | + | <q> |
− | < | ||
A: Can I get a muffin? | A: Can I get a muffin? | ||
B: We’re out of muffins. <u>A bagel</u> I can give you. Or an omelette. | B: We’re out of muffins. <u>A bagel</u> I can give you. Or an omelette. | ||
A: Okay. | A: Okay. | ||
B: So, <u>a bagel</u> you want? | B: So, <u>a bagel</u> you want? | ||
− | </ | + | </q> <br> ... <br> |
− | ... | + | <q> |
− | < | ||
I think he was Russian. | I think he was Russian. | ||
No, <u>Ukranian</u> he was. | No, <u>Ukranian</u> he was. | ||
− | </ | + | </q> |
− | | highlighting or emphasis (often said with emphatic intonation); | + | | highlighting or emphasis (often said with emphatic intonation); <br> sometimes used for repairs and echo questions. |
− | <br> sometimes used for repairs and echo questions. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| class="header"| Left dislocation | | class="header"| Left dislocation | ||
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| class="header"| Extraposition (extraposed subject) | | class="header"| Extraposition (extraposed subject) | ||
| Complement clause moved out of subject position, with a dummy pronoun left behind | | Complement clause moved out of subject position, with a dummy pronoun left behind | ||
− | | That I overslept was regrettable. → | + | | That I overslept was regrettable. → <br> It was regrettable that I overslept. |
− | <br> It was regrettable that I overslept. | ||
| Avoiding complex complement clause in subject position, which is harder for listeners to process | | Avoiding complex complement clause in subject position, which is harder for listeners to process | ||
|- | |- | ||
| class="header"| ''Like-''cleft | | class="header"| ''Like-''cleft | ||
− | | It’s like... | + | | It’s like... |
| I’ve tried the experiment three different ways. <u>It’s like'',''</u> I don’t know what to do. | | I’ve tried the experiment three different ways. <u>It’s like'',''</u> I don’t know what to do. | ||
| Highlights or emphasizes the following clause, and can also soften or qualify it (some like ''as if'') | | Highlights or emphasizes the following clause, and can also soften or qualify it (some like ''as if'') |
Revision as of 11:00, 9 August 2018
Simple sentences are those that consist of a single main clause [주절, 主節]. There are about seven basic grammatical patterns for simple sentences. These consist of subjects (S), verbs (V), objects (O), complements (C), and adjuncts (A). A complement is a word in the predicate [the verb phrase; 술부, 述部] that completes the meaning or description of a subject or object; an adjunct [부가사, 附加詞] is an additional, optional element that adds further information, such as an adverb or a prepositional phrase (but the sentence would be grammatical and would make sense without it). Longer simpler sentences are built on the same patterns.
Type | Example #1 (simple) | Example #2 (longer) |
---|---|---|
1. SV | Janice smiled. | The petite blond was grimacing. |
2. SVC | Janice is tall. | A new hard drive would be a great addition. |
3. SVO | Janice bought a car. | The incompetent repairman dropped the new hard drive. |
4. SVOC | Janice made her neighbor angry. | The stupid repairman made the customer very upset. |
5. SVOO | Janice gave her neighbor a present. | The stupid repairman had to give the customer a refund and an apology. |
6. SVA | Janice left yesterday | in a hurry. | The evil scientist, who was experimenting with unspeakable and horrible projects, was chased | out of town | an angry mob. |
7. SVOA | Janice gave them a present | rather unexpectedly. | The angry mob burned down the lab of the mad scientist | torches and kerosene | the middle of the cold, frosty night. |
In writing courses and in sentence grammar, we often distinguish the following types of clauses, which then form different types of sentences.
type | definition | discourse function |
---|---|---|
Main or independent clauses | subject + verb (+object / predicate) - SVO Can exist by itself as a sentence |
Foregrounds a main idea |
Subordinate (dependent) clauses | sub. conjunction + SVO Cannot exist by itself as a sentence |
Backgrounds information, making it secondary to that of the main clause |
Participle clauses | participle (adjectival form of verb) with objects / adjuncts, modifying a noun in the main clause | Backgrounds information that is additional, descriptive, explanatory, indicating results, etc. |
1 Basic clause-sentence types
Subordinate clauses that background information mainly include what are sometimes called adverbial subordinate clause. There are other types of subordinate clauses: relative clauses, for modifying nouns, and complement clauses for expressing complex ideas by embedding one clause into a higher clause as a subject or object of the higher clause (e.g., I know what you are thinking, I know that you are planning something).
These types of clauses can form the following sentence types.
type | definition | example | function |
---|---|---|---|
Simple | one main clause | The iguana ate the rodent. | Foregrounds activities and ideas |
Compound or coordinate | two main clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction | The iguana at the rodent and the cheetah chases the zebra. | Foregrounds two clauses equally in sequence |
Complex | main clause + subordinate clause | Zebras hate cheetahs because they always try to chase and eat them. | Backgrounds one idea to a main idea |
Compound-complex | two main clauses + subordinate clause (or main clause + two subordinate clauses) |
Some mammals hibernate in winter, but others simply adapt to cold weather, because they have evolved to adapt to and to exploit their niches differently. | Juxtaposes two foregrounded ideas with a backgrounded idea, e.g., for explanation |
A subordinate clause might go before a main clause to present secondary information leading up to the content of the main clause; or a subordinate clause could come after the main clause, to provide further explanation, evidence or support for the idea of the main clause.
- Because they always try to chase and eat zebras, zebras hate cheetahs
- Zebras hate cheetahs because they always try to chase and eat the zebras.
There are also non-finite clauses or phrases, such as participle phrases, and verbless clauses with be omitted (for modification).
- Having finished all my research writing, I decided to take a vacation.
- He talked about the different patients he was treating, many of them mentally ill.
2 Canonical verses non-canonical sentences
Canonical sentences are basic SVO sentences for normal foreground-background flow. Other types of sentences are used in academic writing, narrative writing, and informal types of writing.
type | definition | example | function | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Passive | The object becomes the subject; the agent, cause or performer of an action may optionally be expressed with by + noun | A mixture of 4% acetic acid was prepared, enhanced with ground resins and aromatic compounds, and added to the salad; it was referred to as balsamic. | Focus or attention is on the subject, and what happens to it, rather than what it does | |
Inversion | An adjective, adverbial, or prepositional phrase moves to subject position, and the subject comes after the verb. INV. + VSO |
The farmer entered the chicken coop, not suspecting the chickens would revolt against him. As he started to prepare their feed pellets, in the corner there appeared a large angry rooster with a knife, ready for hand-to-hand combat. | Makes a transition from one topic scene or topic to a related topic – a smooth topic shift or scene shift |
The following sentence types are informal, colloquial, or conversational.
type | definition | example | function |
---|---|---|---|
Cleft | It’s the X that... | A: The program comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Would you like the 32-bit? B: It’s the 64-bit version that I need. |
emphasis and contrast, between alternatives |
Wh-cleft (pseudo-cleft) | What [clause] is... | A: We only have the 32-bit in stock. B: What I need is the 64-bit version. |
emphasis and contrast, between alternatives |
Preposing (preposed object), topicalization |
object or phrase moved to sentence initial position; VSO sentence | She prepared several gifts for the committee members. One of these gifts was a toy phaser for the Trek fan; another was a little Tardis for the Dr Who fan. ...
|
highlighting or emphasis (often said with emphatic intonation); sometimes used for repairs and echo questions. |
Left dislocation | Object moved to subject position, with corresponding pronoun in the predicate | Bronchitis is manageable. But pneumonia, you have to go to the hospital for that. | Amplifies a new item or topic in the discourse. |
Extraposition (extraposed subject) | Complement clause moved out of subject position, with a dummy pronoun left behind | That I overslept was regrettable. → It was regrettable that I overslept. |
Avoiding complex complement clause in subject position, which is harder for listeners to process |
Like-cleft | It’s like... | I’ve tried the experiment three different ways. It’s like, I don’t know what to do. | Highlights or emphasizes the following clause, and can also soften or qualify it (some like as if) |