Syntax: Sentences and Clauses Flashcards
Define syntax
Ordering of language.
What is a sentence?
Def. A grammatically complete idea composing of subject and a predicate.
eg.,
- The great big dog licked my face.
- INVISIBLE NOUN Pick up that muffin!
Differentiate subject and predicate.
Subject and predicate makes a complete sentence.
Subject - The noun/pronoun chunk.
Predicate - The verb chunk.
- *eg.,**
- *The great big dog** licked my face.
What are the 4 types of sentences?
- Declarative - Declares something.
- Interrogative - Interrogates something. (?)
- Imperative - Commands something.
- Exclamatory - Shows a huge emotion, volume, or both. (!)
What are simple sentences.
Def. consisting of one subject and one predicate. ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.
eg.,
-
I bought my friends some candy.
* The “candy” part is called an object.*
What are compound sentences?
Def. Two independent clauses that are combined together.
- I visited the beach(, and ) I got a really bad sunburn.
A compound predicate does not make eligible to be a compound sentence if it is not composed of two sentences that can stand on their own.
TRUE!
What are complex sentences?
Def.
- Composed of
1 independent clause
and
1 or more than one dependent clause.
eg.,
- When we buy his birthday cake, we have to make sure it’s lemon.
- When we buy his birthday cake, we have to make sure it’s lemon “because it’s his favorite.”
When is a subordinating conjunction and often makes an independent sentence a dependent one.
What are Independent clauses
Def. - A sentence that can stand on its own.
eg.,
I ate the pineapple.
Define Dependent clauses.
def. A sentence that cannot stand on its own (begins with subordinating conjunction).
eg.,
- Because it was delicious.
What are Compound-complex sentences?
Def. Consists of one or more independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
eg.,
- After the storm has passed, I went outside, and I picked flowers.
- After the storm has passed, I went outside, and I picked flowers because they were beautiful.
Identifying subjects and predicates.
Def.
Subject - A noun or a pronoun that performs a verb in a sentence.
Predicate - The verb and its pals (including the object).
Identifying subjects, direct objects, and indirect objects.
Def.
Subject - Performs the verb in a sentence.
Direct object - A noun that is being acted upon.
Indirect object - being acted upon but it’s the recipient of the direct object.
eg.,
- Althea threw a frisbee.
- Althea threw me a frisbee.
]Althea threw a frisbee at me.[ “at me” will be known as adverbial prepositional phrase because it modifies the word threw. (it will not be known as the indirect object.)
Phrases
Def. - A group of word that act like a part of speech, but it can’t be a sentence because it doesn’t have both the subject and a verb.
eg.,
- My best friend (noun).
- With the blue shirt (adj.).
- For twenty days (adv.).
Clauses
Def. - A group of words that can (has a chance) be a sentence.
- Clauses has a subject and a verb.
- Clauses can be an independent or dependent clauses.
eg.,
- A wizard who cast a spell.
- The wizard cast a spell.