Syntax. Clauses. Sentence Types. Types of Clauses. Coordinate Clauses. Subordinate Clauses. Flashcards
Syntax
The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
A sentence
A unit of speech which expresses a complete thought, and has a correct grammatical form and intonation.
Modality
Linguistic devices that indicate the degree to which an observation is possible, probable, likely, certain, permitted, or prohibited.
A declarative sentence
A declarative sentence is generally a simple statement that is used to provide information about something or state a fact.
- She gave her children love and care.
A transitive verb
A transitive verb is a verb that requires an object to receive the action. For example, teach (what?) a lesson.
A direct object
A direct object is the person or thing that directly receives the action or effect of the verb.
- Our cat caught a mouse. (direct object - a mouse)
An indirect object
The word or phrase that receives the direct object.
- He gave the pirate a chance. (indirect object - pirate)
An interrogative sentence
A sentence that asks a question or makes a request for information.
A general question
A general question requires the answer “yes” or “no” and is spoken with a rising intonation. General questions are formed by placing part of the predicate (i.e. the auxiliary or modal verb) before the subject.
- Do you like art?
A special question
It may refer to any word in the sentence and it begins with an interrogative word (who? what? which? when? where? why?).
- When and where do you meet?
An alternative question
A question that offers the listener a choice of two or more alternatives and is characterized by rising intonation on each alternative except for the final one, which has falling intonation.
- Would you like coffee, tea, or soda?
A disjunctive question (a question tag)
It is a very short question which follows the statement and repeats its meaning.
- You are happy, aren’t you? You aren’t happy, are you?
An imperative sentence
An imperative sentence is a sentence that gives the reader an instruction, makes a request, or issues a command.
- Take care of your health!
A simple sentence
Simple sentences are sentences containing one independent clause, with a subject and a predicate. Modifiers, compound subjects, and compound verbs/predicates can be used in simple sentences. The standard arrangement of a simple sentence is subject + verb + object, or SVO order.
- Life is wonderful. Time is short.
A compound sentence
A compound sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses joined by a comma, semicolon or conjunction.
- The night was warm, and we walked to the sea.