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Word order and verb patterns - Coggle Diagram
Word order and verb patterns
Word order in English
Sence word order
Word order shows us which element is a subject and which is the object.
:<3: affirmative: subject + verb + object (SVO)
:<3: question: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + object
:warning: we can put never, seldom, rarely at the beginning of the sentence for stylistic reason
Sarah(subject) really enjoys(verb) a hot dog(for tea occasionally).
Is (auxiliary verb) the Prime minister ( subject) discussing (main verb) the issie of debt (object) with the Cabinet?
Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.
Variations
:<3: verb + clause
:<3: verb + indirect object + clause
:<3: verb + indirect object + direct object
:check: indirect object - person who recives smth (a lie), often introduced by a preposition
I said that you could go.
I told you that you could go.
She told me a lie.
Verb patterns
Verb only (intransitive verbs)
intransitive verb (come, fall, go, happen, lie, sleep, swim, wait) - don't have an object
intransitive verb + adverbs or prepositional phrases
intransitive or transitive verbs (begin, break, change, close, continue, dry, finish, hang, hurt, move,separate, stand, start, stop, tear, turn)
the same transitive and intransitive verb can have different meaning
:warning: in modern English some transitive verbs are uses as intransitive. Some intransitive verbs are used as transitive.
They've arrived! The cup shattered.
They've arrived there! The cup shattered into hundreds of glass.
After admittinf the charge, the politician apologised to all his constituents.
The door opened. (intransitive). He opened the door (transitive)
The meant burnt (intransitive). The cook burnt the meat. (transitive)
He ran to catch the bus. (intransitive = moced quickly)
He ran the new software to show us how it worked. (transitive = operated)
I don't know why you're bothering with those boots - they won't sell.
In order to survive we need to grow the business by 100 per cent within two years.
Verb + complement (not objects)
Verb + complement
(a noun phrase, an adjective that identifies) - describes or gives information about the
subject
:check: common verbs that introduce complements : be, become, appear, keep (+adjective), remain, taste, make, seem, appear, look, feel, sound + adjective or noun phrase - to describe the subject.
:warning: when we use a noun phrase after seem or appear to identify (rather than describe) the subject, we have to use be to to introduce the noun phrase.
Verb + object + complemenet
- complement describes
objects
.
:check: verbs of naming: name, call,elect.
:check: think, keep, consider, prove, call, find + noun, adjective.
George Carey has become
the new Archbishop of Conterbery.
(complement)
My grandmother(subject) has(verb) become
very forgetful recently
(complement)
You don't want to remain a shop assistant all your life, do you?
A quiet afternoon at home would make a nice change.
Chris was very good - he kept quiet all through the boring sermon.
The whole group seemed very keen. Marie's new outfit looked fantastic!
That sounds a wonderful idea! You suggestion seems the best solution.
Surprisingly, the young fre-faced boy seemed to be the boss.
//
The committee named Frances President.
The journey (subject) made (verb) the chilrden (object) fractious (complement)
The President finally decided to call his new dog Buddy.
Although he was twenty, Katherine still considered him a child/childish.
Many critics call Kevin Costner's 'The Postman' his worst movie yet.
The noise of the planes flying over us at night drives me crazy!.
The new aftershave from Givenchy is guaranteed to send women wild.
Did you see his expression? It could turn milk sour!
Verb + object(s)
transitive verbs + a direct objects
(noun / pronouns / inf-form(with or without a prepositional phrase))
:check: we can omit the object where the context is clear and after some verbs: answer, ask, drink, eat, enter, fail, leave, pass, play, practise, sing, study, wash, win, write.
transitive verbs + two objects
(direct object and indirect):
S + V + indirect object + direct object
S + V + direct object +
to/for
+ indirect object
S + V + indirect object(
pronoun
) + direct object
:check: Which pattern we use often dependson what information in the sentence is new. We prefer to put new information at the end of the sentence.
We(subject) discussed(verb) the problem/it(object) at great length.
The instructor suggested practising (on the nursery slopes first).
Geoff was mortified to find that he had failed (the test) again.
The judges gave the enormous marrow/it(ind.obj) first prize(d.obj).
The judges gave first prixe(d. obj) to the enormous marrow. (ind. obj)
The Shakespearean actor brought us a certain amount of class.
Verb + prepositional phrase
S + intransitive/transitive verb + prepositional phrase
we don't change the order of objects in this pattern unless the object is very long.
The train(subject) departed(verb) from platform 9(prepositional phrase) - but we were waiting on platform 5.
He(subject) carefully removed (verb) the egg(object) from the nest(prepositional phrase)
He carefully removed from the nest the three fragile blue-speckled eggs and the one click that had already hatched.
Verb + verb
S +V+ V
S + V + direct object + V
:warning: with some verbs we don't need to: modal verbs, semi-modals (need, dare)
:warning: help - with or without to
The consultant refused to take responsibility for the decision.
We require all students to attend the pre-sessional English course.
He daren't leave early witout my permission
Let the dish stand for at least a minute after removing it from the microwave.
Tehe volenteers hepled (to) provide support and comfort to the refugees.
Verb + clause
S + V (verbs of thinking and speaking) + that clause)
:warning: we can omit that after the verbs mentioned above
S + V + Obj + wh-clause - indirect questions
S + V (show, explain, tech) + Obj + Wh + to infinitive
The staff(S) agreed(V) that redundancies were the only course of action(the clause).
The warden told the visitors (that) the prisoner did not want to see them.
I couldn't meet you. You(S) didn't(V) tell me (object) when you were arriving. (clause)
Is it common for people to teach their children how to drive here?
Linking clauses
Coordination
We can link clauses of equal value (both can stand on their own) with end, but, or.
We can put either of the clauses first
if the subject is the same in both clauses, we can omit it in the second clause.
we can use two-part conjunctions both..and, either...or, neither...nor, not only ...but (also)
We can pay in one lump sum or we can pay in instalments.
We can pay in instalments or we can pay in one lump sum.
He rang the doorbell and knocked on the door.
At the French Open Hewitt both proved his return to form and won the only Grand Slam title to have evaded him.
Subordination
When we link a main clause with a subordinate clause (dependent on the main clause), we use conjunctions when, if, although.
We can't change the order of events in the clause without changing the meaning.
Sometimes it's possible
types
:
:pencil2: that or wh-clause
:pencil2: adverbial clauses (e.g of condition, contrast)
:pencil2: relative clauses, intriduced by pronouns (e.g who, which, that)
:pencil2: comparative clauses
The flowers(main clause) were delivered just after she left(subordinate clause). (she left = first event)
She left(main clause) just after the flowers were delivered(subordinate clause).(flower delivery = first event).
Just after she left the flowers were delivered. (=same as 1 above)
Just after the flowers were delivered, she left. (=same as 2 above)
Didn't the notice say when the water was going to be cut off?
There may well be more accidents in future if air traffic continues to grow.
Although the Aztecs were rich and powerful. the Spanish sonquistadors overpowered them.
It was surprisingly not their latest CD that went platinum, but the one before.
With the strength of the pound at present we paid less for our holiday this year than we did last year.