Syntax

Question 1

Syntax

Answer 1

the study of how words are ordered into phrases, clauses and sentences.

Question 2

Phrase

Answer 2

a group of words that acts as a single unit within a sentence but does not include both a subject and predicate (main verb and its modifiers), while a clause does. in a sentence, phrases can function as subjects, objects, predicates and modifiers, contributing to the overall syntactic structure of the sentence. There are 5 types:
- Noun
- Verb
- Prepositional
- Adjective
- Adverb

Question 3

Phrase
= Noun phrase

Answer 3

consists of a noun and its modifiers
ex. ‘the quick brown fox’

Question 4

Phrase
= Verb phrase

Answer 4

includes the main verb and its modifiers
ex. ‘is running quickly’

Question 5

Phrase
= Prepositional phrase

Answer 5

Begins with a preposition
ex. ‘on the table’

Question 6

Phrase
= Adjective phrase

Answer 6

centers around an adjective
ex. ‘very quickly’

Question 7

Phrase
= Adverb phrase

Answer 7

built around an adverb
ex. ‘quite slowly’

Question 8

Clauses

Answer 8

a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate. clauses may also contain objects, complements and adverbials. There are 2 types:
- Independent
- Dependent

Question 9

2 Types of Clauses
= Independent

Answer 9

they may form a complete sentence

Question 10

2 Types of Clauses
= Dependent

Answer 10

or part of a sentence

Question 11

What Clauses Contain
= Subjects

Answer 11

needed in clause. the subject of a clause is the person, place, thing or idea that is performing the action or being described. it is typically a noun or pronoun, and is usually found at the beginning of a sentence.
ex. ‘the cat sleeps’, ‘the cat’ is the subject

Question 12

What Clauses Contain
= Predicates

Answer 12

needed in clause. the predicate is the part of the clause that tells us what the subject is doing, or what is being done to the subject. it includes the main verb and its modifiers.
ex. ‘the flowers are blooming’, ‘are blooming’ is the predicate

Question 13

What Clauses Contain
= Objects

Answer 13

optional in clause. an object in a clause is the entity that is affected by the action of the subject. there are 2 types:
- Indirect
- Direct

Question 14

What Clauses Contain
= Objects = Indirect

Answer 14

optional in clause. indirectly affected by the action and typically represents to whom or for whom the action is done
ex. ‘she gives him a book’, ‘him’ is the indirect object

Question 15

What Clauses Contain
= Objects = Direct

Answer 15

optional in clause. receives the action of the verb directly
ex. ‘she reads a book’, ‘a book’ is the direct object

Question 16

What Clauses Contain
= Complements

Answer 16

optional in clause. a word or group of words that completes the meaning of a predicate. complements come after copula verbs, which are special types of verbs that only appear in sentences that require complements. it links the subject complement to the subject. the most common copula verb is ‘be’ (which can also be a very or a primary auxiliary). however, there are other verbs that can act as a copula verb, including ‘seem’, ‘appear’, ‘feel’, ‘become’, ‘find’ and ‘grow’. there are 2 types:
- Subject
- Object

Question 17

What Clauses Contain
= Complements = Subject

Answer 17

optional in clause. describe or identify the subject
ex, ‘the sky is blue’, ‘blue’ is the subject complement

Question 18

What Clauses Contain
= Complements = Object

Answer 18

optional in clause. follow and modify or refer to the object
ex. ‘they elected her captain’, ‘captain’ is the object complement

Question 19

What Clauses Contain
= Adverbials

Answer 19

optional in clause. a word (typically an adverb), phrase or clause that provides extra information about a verb. it provides additional optional information about how, when, where, in what manner or to what extent something happens. adverbials can appear in different positions within a sentence: at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end, depending on what is being modified and the focus of the message
ex1. ‘the cat was purring on my lap’, ‘on my lap’ is the adverbial
ex2. ‘he studied just enough to pass’, ‘just enough’ is the adverbial

Question 20

Combining Clauses

Answer 20

is done in order to vary sentence structure, provide appropriate amounts of information and reduce repetition

Question 21

Sentence Types

Answer 21

help define a sentence’s primary purpose. there are 4 types: DIIE
- Declarative
- Interrogative
- Imperative
- Exclamative

Question 22

Sentence Types
= Declarative

Answer 22

makes a statement.
ex. ‘the cat is sleeping.’

Question 23

Sentence Types
= Interrogative

Answer 23

asks a question.
ex. ‘is the cat sleeping?’

Question 24

Sentence Types
= Imperative

Answer 24

gives a command or request.
ex. ‘close the door.’

Question 25

Sentence Types
= Exclamative

Answer 25

expresses strong emotion
ex. ‘what a beautiful day!’

Question 26

Sentence Structures

Answer 26

determined by whether the sentence comprises a complete clause, how many clauses are within the sentence, and the conjunctions that join those clauses together. there are 5 types:
- Simple
- Compound
- Complex
- Compound- Complex
- Fragment

Question 27

Sentence Structures
= Simple

Answer 27

contains one independent clause.
ex. ‘the cat meows’

Question 28

Sentence Structures
= Compound

Answer 28

consists of two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinator.
ex. ‘the dog barks and the cat meows.’

Question 29

Sentence Structures
= Complex

Answer 29

includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
ex. ‘the cat meows when she is hungry.’

Question 30

Sentence Structures
= Compound- Complex

Answer 30

contains at least two independent clauses joined together by a coordinator, and at least one dependent clause joined by a subordinator

Question 31

Sentence Structures
= Fragment