Mohamed V University

BA IN SECONDARY EDUCATION (S3)

GRAMMAR III
Lecture 1: An Introduction to the
Course
Dr. Khalid ELASRI
 OBJECTIVES OF THE MODULE
The aim of this course is to help students understand, identify
and use different types of sentences that include clauses and
phrases. The course goes beyond the study of elements of
the simple sentence (taught in grammar 1 & 2) to cover
compound and complex sentences, the knowledge of which is
necessary to develop students’ control of the form and
meaning of important grammatical structures, and, therefore,
to develop their writing skills.
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

 Write longer, more complex sentences, incorporating the grammatical

structures studied in this course and all previous grammar classes.
 Identify different types of sentences, clauses and phrases, and recognize the
properties of each.
 Identify and classify different conjunctions (coordinate/subordinate) and
recognize how they determine different types of sentences.
 Rewrite and combine sentences of different types: compound, complex and
Compound-Complex.
 Overview of the Course
Lectures
Week 1: Introduction to the course: phrases, clauses, sentences
Week 2: The basic elements of a sentence: subject, predicate; objects and complements
Week 3: The verb and its complementation
Week 4 : Phrases: type of phrases: The Noun phrase and the Adjective phrase
Week 5: The adverb phrase and the prepositional phrase
Week 6: verbal phrases (participial phrase, gerund phrase, infinitive phrase)
Week 7: Review
Week 8: Clauses: Independent clauses and coordination
Week 9: Clauses: dependent clauses and subordination (the noun clause, the adjective clause,
Week 10: Clauses: the adverb clause, participial clauses)
Week 11: Sentence Types: simple and compound sentences
Week 12: Sentence Types: complex & compound-complex sentences
Week 13: Review
Week 14:Final exam
 Grading

I. Assignments & active participation: 30%

II. Midterm Exam: 30%

III. Final Exam: 40%

Reference
The grammatical units of English are
these:
word,

phrase,

clause and

sentence.
 Parts of
Speech: words

2-8
Words in a language can be grouped into different classes according to how they are used
grammatically. These word classes are known as parts of speech.

The nine main parts of speech in English are:

noun, for example ….
pronoun, for example……
verb, for example ….
adjective, for …
determiner, for example ….
adverb, for example ….
preposition, for example ….
conjunction, for example …..
interjection, for example …..
Words in a language can be grouped into different classes according to how they are used
grammatically. These word classes are known as parts of speech.

The nine main parts of speech in English are:

noun, for example book, cat, stone, truth, beauty, warmth, opinion, Singapore, Tom
pronoun, for example, me, you, myself, themselves, this, those, hers
verb, for example sit, run, eat, think, laugh, sew, come, add, be, have, do
adjective, for example green, big, extreme, childish, loud, mere, two
determiner, for example a, the, some, any, which, my
adverb, for example finally, surprisingly, extremely, very, yesterday, sometimes, often, there, inside
preposition, for example by, with, from, at, ta, in
conjunction, for example and, but; because, if, when, while, although
interjection, for example alas, oh, gosh, ouch, hello, good-bye
 After each, tell whether it names a person, a place, a thing, or an idea. If the word does
not name, write not a noun.

1. novelist 8. silly 15. Midwest

2. biscuits 9. plumber 16. advertise
3. sharpen 10. patriotism 17. supposedly
4. sharpener 11. believe 18. faith
5. gratitude 12. belief 19. file
6. gratify 13. across 20. joy
7. loses 14. for

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Phrases

2-12
 Phrases
A phrase is any group of two or more words that can occupy the same function slot in a
sentence as a single word:
A noun phrase is a phrase that can occupy the same position in a sentence as a noun or pronoun:
john is here again. (noun)
He is here again. (pronoun)
That old man is here again. (noun phrase)

An adjective phrase is a phrase that can occupy the same position in a sentence as a single
adjective:
a big dog (adjective)
a very big dog (adjective phrase)

Prepositional phrase is a phrase that begins with a preposition:

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the water 13
An adverb phrase is a phrase that has an adverb in it and that can fill the same slot in a sentence as an
adverb:
Drive carefully! (adverb)
Drive very carefully! (adverb phrase)

A verb phrase is a phrase that can function in the same way as a single verb:
She sings beautifully. (verb)
She is singing beautifully. (verb phrase)
She can sing beautifully. (verb phrase)

A phrasal verb is an expression consisting of a lexical verb followed by an adverb, a preposition, or both an
adverb and a preposition:
She came back.
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How do you put up with all that noise
CLAUSES
 WHAT ARE CLAUSES?

• Clauses are groups of words that contain a subject and a

verb.
• Sometimes they express a complete thought. These clauses are
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES.
• Sometimes they do NOT express a complete thought. These clauses
are DEPENDENT or SUBORDINATE CLAUSES.
 Independent Clauses

• Sometimes called a Main Clause, the independent clause has

a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
• One independent clause is a simple sentence.

• Example:

• Millions of people live in cities.

 Subordinate Clauses

• Sometimes known as dependent clauses, these clauses have

a subject and a verb but do NOT express a complete thought.
• Dependent Clauses are NOT sentences.

Ex: John is a man that people can trust.

 Independent or Subordinate?

•When the sun set.

•Most people know that camels are stubborn.
•He paid a low price.
•Which he bought on sale.
•Before automobiles were available.
•Where you ride is your choice.
Sentences

2-20
What is a sentence?
• The word ‘sentence’ is derived from Latin ‘sententia’ meaning feeling,

opinion or thought. ‘Sententia’ itself derived from the Latin verb

‘sentire’ meaning to feel, think or view.

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Sentences:
• A sentence should provide the person hearing it or reading it with
enough information for them to form a complete idea in their
mind of the message that is being communicated to them.

• A written sentence must begin with a capital letter and end with a
fuIl stop (.), a question mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!).

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 What is a sentence?
A sentence expresses a complete thought in the form of
• a statement ending in a full stop or period (.)
• Shrek has good animation.

• a question ending in a question mark (?)

• What is your favorite film?

• a command and ending in a period(.)

• Call me when you arrive.

• or expressing exclamation ending in an exclamatory mark (!). Shrek is a great film!

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 a fifth sentence type
Some grammarians recognize a fifth sentence type, the optative sentence. Optative
sentences express wishes:
God save the Queen!
Long live the President!
Peace be upon him.
May you live a long and happy life together.
May she never know a day's peace as long as she lives!

Optative sentences are not as common as the other four types of sentences. Some
occur as fixed sayings:
God save….
Long live ...
Optative sentences formed with may are found mainly in very formal or rather dated
language.
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The following groups of words are sentences:

 Their son doesn't want to go on holiday with them.

 The local team's performance last Saturday was abysmal.

 What a lovely day it has been!

 How did she manage to do that?

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A group of words that does not convey a complete message is not a
complete sentence:

 the boy along the road

 we cannot have with us
 watched the big green insect in amazement
 their new car yesterday

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Which of the following groups of words are sentences, and which are not . ?
Put a capital letter at the beginning and a full stop at the end of the examples you think are
complete sentences.
1. closed the door
2. the little girls sang beautifully
3. had a pain in her back
4. big grey woolly
5. 'she went into the garden
6. like cake tomorrow
7. we saw her last week
8. was crying bitterly in her bedroom
9. for breakfast every day
10. the door opened
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Decide whether the following sentences are declarative, interrogative, imperative,
exclamatory or optative.
1. He is leaving tomorrow.
2. Are you coming with us?
3. Don't move!
4. God bless this ship and all who sail in her.
5. How much does it cast?
6. There's been a nasty accident in Oxford Street.
7. Who were you speaking to just now?
8. The birds flew from the nest.
9. May I go to the party?
10. May the best man win.
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Parts of a
sentence

2-29
 Parts of a sentence

A sentence consists of two parts: the subject and the predicate.

• The subject of the sentence is the part about which something is

being said.

• The predicate is the part which says something about the

subject.
 Sentence Elements

• John carefully searched the room [1]

• The girl is now a student at a large university [2]
• His brother grew happier gradually [3]
• It rained steadily all day [4]
\______________/ \___________/
subject predicate
What is being talked about? What the subject is
What the subject is doing
What is being done to the subject
Predicates may appear in two parts in a sentence,
'sandwiching' the subject:
o Is your aunt coming tomorrow?
o Have you ever been to India?
o Where are you going now?
o In Britain, the weather can be cold even in summer.
o Sadly they said good-bye.
o What a beautiful dress that is
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1. Identify the complete subject of each sentence.
1. Some large animals can move very quickly.
2. The rhinoceros, one of the world's largest animals, can charge with great speed and
change direction rapidly.
3. Its big, bulky body makes it a fearsome sight.
4. Animals such as the water buffalo and the elephant are more dangerous, however.
5. The legs of a rhinoceros are rather stout and short and end in broad feet.
6. Jutting from its upper lip is a large, heavy horn.
7. Other mammals have horns in more appropriate locations.
8. Doesn't the rhinoceros charge at the slightest disturbance?
9. Its eyesight is very poor, however.
10. Swarms of bloodsucking parasites crawl all over its back.
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EXERCISE 3. Remembering that a sentence must have a subject and a predicate, revise
the following fragments to make the thoughts complete. Number your paper 1-10 and
write each complete thought after the proper number.

1. my bruised toes
2. food for the puppies
3. seems unnecessary
4. a wasp on the back of your neck
5. flashing neon signs
6. rolled down the mountainside
7. dropped thirty degrees during the night
8. a capsized canoe
9. completely destroyed the old building
10. soared high above the dark clouds

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 The direct object, indirect object,
subject complement, and object
complement,
• The subject and predicate make up the two basic structural parts of
any complete sentence.

• In addition, there are other elements, contained within the subject

or predicate, that add meaning or detail: subject, verb,
complement, object, adverbial, abbreviated as S, V, C, O, A
 Objects
A direct object is usually a noun or pronoun that answers the question What? or Whom?
Subject Verb Object
Sarah needed a new car.
I met them.

This basic sentence pattern may also employ an indirect object that often answers the
question To whom?
Subject Verb Indirect Object
Direct Object
This dealership promises customers 37
4. EXERCISE.
Write after the appropriate number the direct object for each sentence.
1. According to Greek mythology, Daedalus; a famous artist and inventor, built the king of Crete a mysterious
building known as the Labyrinth.
2. The complicated passageways of this building give us our word for "a confusing maze of possibilities."
3. After the completion of the labyrinth, the king imprisoned Daedalus and his son, whose name was Icarus.
4. In order to escape, Daedalus made Icarus and himself wings out of feathers and beeswax.
5. He gave Icarus careful instructions not to fly too near the sun.
6. But Icarus soon forgot his father's advice.
7. He flew too high, and the hot sun melted the wax in the wings.
8. Daedalus used his wings wisely and reached Sicily in safety.
9. Mythology tells us many other stories of Daedalus’ fabulous inventions.
10. Even today, the name Daedalus suggests almost superhuman ingenuity.
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 COMPLEMENTS
A sentence base may consist of only the subject and the verb; for many sentences nothing else is
needed.
EXAMPLES Flowers died.

It is possible for a group of words to have a subject and a verb and not express a complete thought.
Notice how the following word groups need other words to complete their meaning.
EXAMPLES Those clothes look
She may become
I said

If you add words to complete the meaning, the sentences will make sense.
EXAMPLES Those clothes look clean.
She may become an engineer.
I said that.

A complement completes the meaning begun by the subject and the verb.
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 5. Add a complement to each of the following items.
1. Carol brought
2. Jim usually seems
3. Tomorrow the class will hear
4. That broiled fish looks
5. The student in front of me raised
6. Last week our class visited
7. Do you have
8. At the end of the meal, we left
9. A noun is
10. The word mobility means
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Make three columns on your paper. Label the first subject, the second verb, and the third
complement. Find the base of each sentence and enter the parts in the appropriate column.
1. The history of the English stage is very interesting.
2. In the beginning churches gave plays for instruction.
3. The stories of early English drama were usually biblical ones.
4. The plays, however, eventually became too irreverent for religious instruction.
5. Clergymen then recommended the abolition of acting within the churches.
6. At the same time, they encouraged the performance of religious drama in courtyards.
7. The actors presented their plays on wagons in the open air.
8. The top of the wagon soon became a convenient place for "heaven."
9. There the "angels" in the play could address the "sinners" on earth below.
10. In Shakespeare's time, the upper stage was an important part of the theater.
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 Subject and Object Complements
There are two types of complements:

A subject complement follows a linking verb; it is normally an adjective or a noun that renames or

defines in some way the subject

John is a brilliant student,

An object complement follows and modifies or refers to a direct object. It can be a noun or

adjective or any word acting as a noun or adjective,

They make him the chairman every year 42

Object Complement

1.The Bowns called their dog Shtank.

( The word 'Shtank' modifies / completes the object 'their dog'. So

'Shtank' is an object complement )

2.The life at Akin's house left Vanka frustrated.

3.But his sweet memories of his village life made him happy.
An adverbial is a word or group of words that provides information about
when, where, why, how, etc :

 Come quickly!
 Tell me honestly what you think.
 I’ll tell her tomorrow.
 The boys are both at school.

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 1 Will someone get a doctor, quickly!
Objects and cmoplements
2 George and Paul both became famous doctors.
3 Do you call yourself a doctor?
Indicate, by Od, Oi, Cs or Co
4 The young man grew very depressed.
whether the parts underlined
5 It's so cold. I can't get warm.
in the sentences below are:
6 I can't get my hands warm.
7 His mother-in-law was driving him mad.
the direct object (Od),
8 Can't you give them something to keep them quiet?
the indirect object (Oi),
9 He grew his hair long.
the subject complement (Cs)
10 The driver turned the corner too quickly.
or the object complement (Co):
11 The weather is turning warmer.
12 The hot weather turned all the milk sour.
 Summary
The subject of a sentence is the word or group of words that names the person or thing being
talked about in the sentence:
Tom stared at his friend in amazement. The man spoke with an American accent.

The predicate of a sentence is everything that is not part of the subject of the sentence:
Tom stared at his friend in amazement. The man spoke with an American accent.

The verb in a sentence is the word or group of words that says something about what the
subject of the sentence is doing, what is happening to the subject of the sentence, etc:
Tom stared at his friend in amazement. The man spoke with an American accent. ,

The direct object of a sentence is the person or thing that is most directly affected by the
action or state described by the verb, for example, what the subject of the sentence has, or
gets, or does something to, or does something with:
I've got a sore head. he was holding a large carving-knife in her hand.
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• The word or word-group that describes the person or thing that the direct object is
given to or done for, etc. is the indirect object of the sentence.
Loud music gives me a headache.
• A subject complement is a word or group of words that says something about the
subject of a sentence.
The trees were bare. (predicative adjective)
Sheila became a teacher. (predicative nomnaive)
• An object-complement says something about the direct object of a sentence.
They made him the chairman.

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