The Simple Sentence

The simple sentenceGroup 1: Vu Thi Thanh Xuan

Tran Thi Linh Duong Thanh Mai

Dang Thi Ngoc Nguyen Thi Mai

Definition• Sentence is a complete unit of meaning.• A simple sentence consists of one clause often

with a “subject” and a “predicate”.• The subject is what the sentence is about, and

the predicate is a comment about the subject.• E.g.: The boy washed clothes.

Subject Predicate He is an English teacher.Subject Predicate

Presenter: Duong Thanh Mai

Presenter: Duong Thanh Mai

Syntactic features of 5 sentence elements

1. Subject2. Verb3. Compliment4. Object5. Adverbial

Presenter: Tran Thi Linh

element expression position identityS Noun phrase/

nominal clause+ before Verb phrase+ after operator in

+ number 2 person + concord with Verb phrase

V Verb phrase( S form)

after S + concord with S+ intensive relationship to C/A

C Noun phrase, adj prep, nominal clause

+ after verb phrase+ after clause

+ co-referential with S, O

O Noun phrase, nominal clause

+after VP + concord with S,V,C+S in passivization

A Adv Prep, A Clause, NP, Prep P

+ mebile +most optional+ obligatory in SVA, SVOA

Syntactic Features of Sentence Elements

Seven Sentence Patterns:• SV: He is sitting.• SVC: Marry is a nurse.• SVA: Tom is in the house.• SVO: I love you.• SVOC: He made her happy.• SVOO: He gave me a rose.• SVOA: He put it on the table.

Presenter: Duong Thanh Mai

1.Agentive (most typical)2.Instrumental3.Affected4.Recipient5.Locative6.Temporal7.Eventive8.Empty “It”

Semantic roles of SUBJECT

Agentive Subject

• Animate being instigat-ing or causing the happening denoted by the verb.

• For example:John opened the door

Agentive Subject

Presenter: Dang Thi Ngoc

Instrumental Subject

• Inanimate or unwitting being causing the happening.

• For example: The key opened the

door

Instrumental Subject

Affected Subject

One being affected by the event

The door opened.

Intransitive verbs: E.g: Jack fell down Intensive verbs: E.g: The pen is lying on the

table

Presenter: Dang Thi Ngoc

Recipient Subject

One that receives the happening

John has a beautiful wife.

This role of subject is found with such verbs as have, own, possess, benefit (from)…

Perceptual verbs See, Hear require a recipient subject. Verbs Taste, Smell, Feel have both an agentive meaning and a recipient meaning.

Verbs indicating cognition or emotion may also require a recipient subject. E.g:I liked the play (The play gave me pleasure)

Locative Subject Temporal Subject

• One that denotes time.

• For example:Tomorrow is my birthday

= It’s my birthday tomorrow.

• One that denotes location.

• For example:The bus holds forty people

= Forty people can sit in the bus

Eventive Subject

• One that denotes events

• For example:The meeting ended successfully.

Empty “IT” Subject

• One that lacks semantic content.

• For example:It is sunny and hot.

Semantic roles of OBJECT

DIRECT OBJECT1. Affected Direct Object2. Locative Direct Object3. Effected Direct Object

INDIRECT OBJECT1. Recipient Indirect Object2. Affected Indirect Object

Affected direct object

A participant which does not cause the happening denoted by the verb

but is directly involved in some other way

E.g.: Many people criticized John.Presenter: Vu Thi Thanh Xuan

Locative direct object

One that shows location and is oftenfound after such verbs as turn, leave, reach, cross, surround, penetrate, climb ...

E.g.: They climbed the mountain.

Effected direct object

1. Object that exists only by virtue of the activity indicated by the verb

E.g.: I am writing a letter.

Bin invented television.

2. Object that repeats partially or the whole meaning of the verb

E.g.: Mary sang a song.

We fought a good fight.

Effected direct object

3. Object that takes the form of a verbal noun following a common

verb of general meaning

E.g.: He did little work that day.

The prisoner made no

comment.Presenter: Vu Thi Thanh Xuan

Have, do, make, take, give, ....

Recipient indirect object

An animate participant being passivelyimplicated by the happening or state

E.g.: My parents gave me some money.

= I was given some money by my

parents.

Presenter: Vu Thi Thanh Xuan

Affected indirect object

• An animate or inanimate participant that is affected by the action of the Verb.

• For example:I gave the ball a kick = I kicked the ball.

affected Oi effected Od affected OdI paid her a visit = I visited her.

affected Oi effected Od affected Od

Presenter: Vu Thi Thanh Xuan

1. Current attribute2. Resulting

attribute

Presenter: Nguyen Thi Mai

Semantic roles of COMPLEMENT

• A current attribute denotes an already existing characteristic.E.g.: My father was a teacher.

Subject Complement We found her attractive.

Object Complement

Presenter: Nguyen Thi Mai

Semantic roles of COMPLEMENT

• A resulting attribute denotes a characteristic that comes about because of the event reported in the sentence.E.g.: He became a teacher in 1965.

Subject Complement Her new dress made her attractive.

Object Complement Presenter: Nguyen Thi Mai

Semantic roles of COMPLEMENT

Memorable Conclusion

• A simple sentence consists of one clause often with a “subject” and a “predicate”.

• Syntactic features of 5 sentence elements.• Semantic functions of simple sentence elements: Agentive/Instrumental

AffectedSubject Recipient

LocativeTemporalEventive

Empty “It”

Memorable Conclusion

AffectedDirect Object Effected

Object LocativeIndirect Object Recipient

Affected

Current AttributiveComplement

Resulting Attributive

Exercise 1: Indicate whether the underlined element is:S agentive S instrumental S affected S recipient O affected O recipient O effected O locative C current C resulting

1. The bell rang loudly. S affected2. I heard it ring, too. S recipient3. You have got brains. S recipient4. Use your brains. Od affected

5. Who owns this hat? S recipient6. They left the house empty. Co resulting 7. We found this house empty. Co current8. We laid him on the sofa. Od affected

Exercise 1:

9. We made him some tea. Oi recipient10. We have fought a good fight. Od effected 11. I climbed the hill as light fell short. Od locative12. Who is making that noise? Od effected13. Has anyone touched the television today? Od affected

Exercise 2: Make 5 sentences with current/resulting complement.

• Current meaning:1.He’s a student.2.He thought John a fool.3.He looks handsome.4. It’s hot.5. I’m feeling good now.

Exercise 2: Make 5 sentences with current/resulting complement.

• Resulting meaning:1.The leaves turned yellow.2.He named John a fool.3. It’s getting hot.4. I became a teacher.5.The rose is growing up.