Participle II, seldom participle I

eg. He was surprised.

Her words were soothing.

A gerund, a gerundial phrase, a gerundial construction

eg. My favourite sport isswimming.

The topic of the conversation was going on an expedition.

The topic of the conversation was their going on an expedition.

An adverb

eg. That is enough.

An indivisible word-group

eg. It's 9 o'clock.

It's 30 degrees in the shade.

A clause

eg. She looked as if she were ill.

The Compound Verbal Modal Predicate

shows whether the action expressed by a non-finite verb is considered possible, necessary, desirable, etc. It may consist of

1.a modal verb + an infinitive

eg. You could have doneit yesterday.

The door wouldn't open.

I have to work for my living.

2.a modal expression + an infinitive or a gerund

eg. I am going to leave Paris.

He is capable of doing it.

3.a verb with a modal meaning + an infinitive or a gerund

eg. Harris tried to open the tin with a knife.

We intend going to the USA.

4.verbs & expressions in sentences containing the Subjective Infinitive or Participial Construction

He seems to know everything.

He was found working in the garden.

The Compound Verbal Aspect Predicate

shows the beginning, repetition, duration or end of the action expressed by a non-finite verb. It consists of a finite verb & an infinitive or a gerund.

eg. They began writing.

I kept glancing at my watch.

His bones ceased to ache.

Mixed Types of the Predicate

have elements of different types of the predicate.

eg. Don't think I mean to be unkind. (a compound verbal modal nominal predicate)

I continued to be glad for that. (a compound verbal aspect nominal predicate)

I had to begin living all over again. (a compound verbal modal aspect predicate)

He must stop feeling unwell. (a compound verbal modal aspect nominal predicate)

The Secondary Parts of the Sentence

The Object

is a secondary part of the sentence which completes or restricts the meaning of a verb, an adjective, a stative or seldom a noun.

eg. He closed the window. I was very proud of him.

The Kinds of the Object

The Direct Object

The Indirect Object

The Cognate Object

The Direct Object is used without a preposition after transitive verbs with which it is closely connected as it denotes a person or thing directly affected by the action of the verb. So if a transitive verb takes only one object expressed by a noun or a pronoun without a preposition it is always a direct object.

eg. Will you open the door? I helped him. He can play chess.

I asked him a question. (In English the verbs ask, teach, forgive can take two DOs at once)

The Indirect Objectdenotes a living being, seldom a thing to whom the action is directed. It can be of two types.

The Indirect Object of the I typedenotes the addressee of the action, it is used after transitive verbs which also take a DO, so it hardly ever stands alone.

eg. She gave him a book to read. (IO + DO)

Don't forget to buy him a toy. Compare: Don't forget to buy him.

NOTE:There are three verbs in English (read, write, sing) which may take an IO without a DO, in this case it is used with the preposition to.

eg. She often reads to me. Won't you sing to me? Write (to) me soon.

The use of the preposition depends on the place of the object in the sentence.

If the IO comes before the DO it is used witout any preposition.

eg. She gave him a book.

If the IO follows the DO it is used with the preposition to or for.

eg. She gave a book to him.

Use this pattern to emphasize the addressee or in the following cases:

- when the DO is expressed by the pronoun it or both objects are expressed by pronouns

eg. Give it to Jane. Send them to him.

- after the verbs:

eg. He explained the rule to us.

Date: 2016-06-12; view: 324