CM305 EditingUnderstanding the English Sentence

Basic Sentence Parts

There are four…

• Subject

• Verb

• Direct Object

• Subject Complement

Intransitive Verbs

Some sentences express a complete idea with nothing but a subject and verb. Verbs that do not take direct objects or subject complements are intransitive verbs.

Ex: Rivers flow.

Ex: She teaches.

Direct Objects

Most sentences have a third part that identifies receiver of the action, which is called the object of the verb or the direct object.

Ex: Germany invaded Poland.

Ex: Kim teaches literature.

Transitive Verbs

Verbs that take a direct object to complete the meaning of the sentence are transitive verbs.

Linking VerbsIn some sentences, the verb is not an action word. It is a state-of-being word. We call these verbs linking verbs.

Words or phrases that follow linking verbs are called subject complements.

Ex: Editors are leaders.

Ex: Editors are curious.

Subject Complements

Subject complements come in two varieties: predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives.

Predicate nominatives rename the subject.

Ex: Editors are leaders.

Predicate adjectives describe the subject.

Ex: Editors are curious.

Linking Verbs

Verbs followed by subject complements include all forms of the verb to be:

am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been

In addition, some verbs can function as either an action verb or a linking verb:

Ex: That lettuce looks wilted.

Linking Verbs

• look

• feel

• sound

• smell

• taste

• appear

• become

• remain

• stay

• find

• grow

• prove

• seem

Assignment #1

1. Write 10 sentences with intransitive verbs.

2. Write 10 sentences with transitive verbs (meaning with direct objects).

3. Write 10 sentences with to be verbs. Five should take predicate nominatives and five should take predicate adjectives.

4. Write 10 sentences with the substitute linking verbs. In five they should be active verbs and in the other five, true linking verbs.

Modifiers

Modifiers serve to change or identify other parts of the sentence. Only two kinds of modifiers: adjectives and adverbs.

Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns (subjects, objects, and predicate nominatives)

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Modifiers

Ex: Metallic paint shines brightly.

Serious problems exist today.

To find adjectives: What kind? Which one? How many?

To find adverbs: How? When? Where? Why? To what extent?

Pronoun CaseIs it important to know when a word is used as an object and when it is used as a subject complement?

Yes! Personal pronouns take one form for the subject complement and a different form for objects.

Subjects and predicate nominatives use nominative case pronouns. Objects take objective case pronouns.

Pronoun CaseNominative Case

• I

• you

• he

• she

• it

• we

• they

Objective Case

• me

• you

• him

• her

• it

• us

• them

Pronoun Case

Subjects and predicate nominatives must come from the nominative case list. Objects must come from the objective case list.

Ex: It was ___ who complained.

Ben took the pictures of ____.

Rodley took ______ to work.

Indirect Objects

Sentences with transitive verbs and direct objects often have another complement that receives the direct object called the indirect object.

Ex: Shannon brought me her article.

Becki gave Audrey an A.

LT sent us his résumé.

Compound Sentence PartsIt is quite common for sentences to have compound parts (S, V, O, SC) or compound modifiers:

Ex: President Schneider has lowered the college deficit and improved staff morale.

Ex: Audrey is capable and dependable.

Ex: Spec staffers love pizza and M&Ms.

Ex: Audrey and Shannon gave the reporters and photographers their assignments.

Compound Sentence Parts

Coordinate conjunctions join compound sentence parts and compound modifiers. They keep the combined parts equal in importance.

and, but, or, nor, for, yet

Correlative conjunctions are always used in pairs.

either…orneither…norboth…and

not only…but alsowhether…or

Correct Verb UsageMost English verbs can be used as either transitive or intransitive verbs. However, three pairs of particularly troublesome verbs can be used in only one way. The key to using them correctly lies in knowing which way they are being used – transitively or intransitively.

Correct Verb UsageIntransitive (No direct object)Present Pres. Part. Past Past Part.lie (recline) lying lay (has) lainsit (rest) sitting sat (have) satrise rising rose (has) risenTransitivelay (placed) laying laid have laidset (put) setting set (had) setraise raising raised (has) raised

Clauses

Clauses are subject-verb groups of words that act as part of a sentence.

The independent clause carries the main idea of a sentence. Two or more independent clauses in a sentence constitute a compound sentence.

Ex: Audrey is interviewing LaMonte, and Ben is taking the photos.

Ex: LT and Bruce like Meat Lovers pizza; however, Audrey and Shannon prefer cheese.

Compound SentencesIndependent clauses can be joined into compound sentences in two ways:

1. The two independent clauses can be joined by coordinating or correlative conjunctions and a comma.

2. The two independent clauses can be joined by conjunctive adverbs or transitional expressions and a semicolon.

Conjunctive Adverbsaccordinglycertainlyconsequentlyconverselyfinallyfurthermorehencehowever

indeedlikewisemeanwhilemoreoverneverthelessnonethelessotherwisesimilarlytherefore

PracticeWrite five compound sentences joined with coordinating conjunctions or correlative conjunctions.

Write five more compound sentences joined with conjunctive adverbs and a semicolon.

ClausesDependent clauses are subject-verb word groups that act as a single part of speech (adjective, adverb, or noun only) or a single part of a sentence, i. e., a subject, subject complement, or object.

Dependent clauses never contain the main idea of the sentence. Always identify the independent clause(s) first.

Adverb ClausesAdverb clauses are dependent clauses that function as an adverb in a sentence. They are known as subordinate clauses because they make the clause’s idea(s) less important than the idea in the independent clause.

If a clause is an adverb clause, it will answer one of the adverb questions: How? When? Where? Why? Under what conditions? To what extent?

Adverb ClausesEx: The Union declared war after South Carolina fired upon Fort Sumter.

Ex: When Shannon submitted her story, Jillian edited her copy.

Ex: The board will not approve a new dormitory unless the money has already been raised.

The words after, when, and unless are subordinating conjunctions. Even when they appear at the beginning of the sentence, subordinating conjunctions join the two clauses.

Subordinating Conjunctionscause, effect as, because, since so, so that, in order that

condition if, even if, if only, unless

contrast although, even though, despite

comparison as if, as though, than, whereas, while

choice rather than, whether

sequenceafter, as , as long as, before, once, since, until, when, whenever, while

space where, wherever

Punctuation RuleWhen an adverb clause precedes the independent clause, separate the clauses with a comma.

No comma is needed when the adverb clause follows the independent clause.

PracticeWrite five sentences with adverb clauses.

Use the following subordinating conjunctions: because, as long as, since, whenever, and where.

Place three of the adverb clauses after the independent clause and two of them before the independent clause.

Punctuate correctly.

Adjective ClausesAdjective clauses are subordinate clauses that modify nouns or pronouns. Usually, the noun or pronoun being modified immediately precedes the adjective clause.

Ex: Betsy Shaffer, who edits the campus life pages, wrote that feature story.

Ex: The student who edits the campus life pages wrote that feature story.

Ex: The book that the bookstore sold you was not the book that I ordered.

Adjective ClausesAdjective clauses begin with relative pronouns. These pronouns are “relatives” or substitutes for the noun or pronoun being modified.

In most cases, the relative pronoun in an adjective clause is the subject, predicate nominative, or direct object within the adjective clause.

Relative Pronouns

whowhomwhosewhoeverwhomeverwhosoever

whichthatwhatwhicheverwhatever

Punctuation RuleWhether or not an adjective clause is punctuated depends upon the clause’s importance to the clarity of the entire sentence.

When the clause is necessary to make a completely understood statement, it is restrictive or essential; commas are omitted.

When the clause merely adds extra information, it is nonrestrictive or nonessential, and commas are required.

PracticeWrite five sentences with restrictive adjective clauses. Begin the sentences with the relative pronouns who, whose, which, that, and whoever.

Write five sentences with nonrestrictive adjective clauses. Use the same relative pronouns as the preceding five sentences. Punctuate correctly.

Noun ClausesNoun clauses can be used wherever a noun is used – that is, as a subject, predicate nominative or object in an independent clause.

NOTE: Since a noun clause is actually a basic part of the independent clause and not just a modifier, the independent clause does not make a complete sentence without the dependent noun clause.

Ex. David said [that] he was telling the truth.

Ex. That Titanic is a lousy movie is rarely disputed.

Ex. Photography is what Ben does best.

Ex. The EMT did what he could, but it wasn’t enough.

Ex. Closer analysis revealed that the clause was acting as the direct object.

Noun Clauses

Noun clauses, like adjective clauses, begin with introductory words. It is uncommon for the introductory word in a noun clause to be the subject or object within the clause. However, as the third example showed, it can happen.

That is the most common introductory word used to start noun clauses, but the following are also used: what, where, how, if, when, why, whether, lest.

Noun Clauses

PracticeWrite five sentences with noun clauses.

• Sentences 1 & 2, use noun clause as subject.

• Sentences 3 & 4, use noun clause as DO.

• Sentence 5, use noun clause as predicate nominative.

Phrases

A phrase is a word group that begins with a preposition or a verb form that acts as a single part of speech.

Prepositional PhraseA prepositional phrase is a word group that begins with a preposition followed by a noun or pronoun object (and any modifiers of that object).

Prepositional phrases are always adjective phrases or adverb phrases.

NOTE: (1) Prepositional phrases can function as predicate adjectives. (2) Noun clauses often act as the object in a prepositional phrase.

Prepositionsaboutaboveafteragainstamongaroundatbeforebehindbeneathbetween

bydownduringexceptfollowingforfromininsideintolike

ofoffonontooverpastsincethanthroughtotowards

Prepositional PhrasesEx. Tate ran around the table and returned to his chair.

Ex. Each of the editors from the Spectator received advice about punctuating clauses.

Ex. The referee told Coach Swartzendruber to talk to the commissioner about whatever problems he had with his calls.

PracticeWrite sentences (any number) that include a total of five prepositional phrases functioning as adverbs and five prepositional phrases functioning as adjectives.

Verbal PhrasesA verbal phrase is a word group that begins with a verb form and that acts as a single part of speech.

Because verbal phrases begin with a verb form, they often take objects. The objects receive the action expressed by the verbal, just like a direct object.

NOTE: Noun clauses can serve as the object in a verbal phrase.

There are three types of verbal phrases:

1. Gerunds – Gerunds are always nouns.

2. Participles – Participles are always adjectives.

3. Infinitives – Infinitives can be adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

Verbal Phrases

The verb forms used as verbals are based upon the principal parts of verbs:

Infinitive PresentParticiple

Past PastParticiple

to run running ran (have) run

to talk talking talked (have) talked

Verbal Phrases

Gerund phrases always begin with present participles (-ing verb forms) and always function as nouns in sentences or clauses.

Ex: Playing flag football is a popular intramural sport.

Ex: She objected to my inviting him to the party.

Ex: Benjy enjoys singing sad songs in the sauna.

Ex: Shannon’s favorite pastime is playing volleyball.

Gerund Phrases

Usage RuleSince gerunds are nouns, they are often preceded by possessives. (See example 2, previous slide.) Thus, “me inviting” would be as wrong as “me car” or “me book.

Use possessive pronouns, not personal pronouns, before gerunds.

Write five sentences that include gerund phrases.

• Sentences 1 & 2, use gerund phrase as subject.

• Sentences 3 & 4, use gerund phrase as DO.

• Sentence 5, use gerund phrase as an object of the preposition.

Practice

Participial phrases begin with either a present participle or a past participle (-ing or -ed verb form) and always function as adjectives in sentences or clauses.

Ex: Students selecting easy courses may later regret their choices.

Ex: All students elected to SGA must attend leadership workshops.

Ex: Defeated by a single point, the Bulldogs left the floor dejectedly.

Participial Phrases

Write five sentences with participial phrases.

• Sentences 1 & 2, use the present participle.

• Sentences 3, 4 & 5, use past participle.

Practice

Infinitive phrases are word groups that almost always begin with infinitives (to + verb form). They can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Ex: To edit copy carefully requires attention to detail.

Ex: To provide necessary funds for student journalism, SGA increased the Spec budget.

Ex: The need to find alternative energy sources is growing daily.

Participial Phrases

Write five sentences with infinitive phrases.

• In Sentences 1 & 2, use the infinitive phrase as a noun.

• In Sentences 3 & 4, use the infinitive phrase as an adjective.

• In Sentence 5, use the infinitive phrase as an adverb.

Practice