In:English Sentence Constructions
Marjolijn H. Verspoor, Tim Kassenberg, Merel Keijzer and Gregory J. Poarch
[Not in series 240] 2022
► pp. 5–10
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Table of contents
List of tables11
Acknowledgements12
Introduction13
Chapter 1.Sentences: Communicative functions and typical patterns
1.1Introduction15
1.2Declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory sentence patterns15
1.3Participants, process, attributes, and setting17
1.4Subject, predicator, object, attribute, and adverbial20
1.5Typical sentence patterns22
1The running pattern (intransitive verbs)24
2The being pattern (copula verbs)24
3The doing/seeing pattern (monotransitive verbs)25
4The giving/buying pattern (ditransitive verbs)25
5The making/considering pattern (complex-transitive verbs)27
1.6Same verb, different patterns27
1.7English word order29
1.8Summary31
Chapter 2.Sentences: Simple, compound, and complex
2.1Introduction32
2.2Sentences versus clauses33
2.3Sentence types34
1Simple sentences34
2Compound sentences34
3Complex sentences36
4Compound-complex sentences41
2.4Phrases43
2.5Summary44
Chapter 3.Verbs I
3.1Introduction45
3.2Simple versus complex verb phrases46
3.3Lexical versus auxiliary verbs47
3.4Finite versus non-finite verb forms47
1Finite verb forms48
2Non-finite verb forms50
3.5Auxiliary verbs53
1Progressive be + present participle53
2Perfect have + past participle54
3Modals + (to) infinitives54
4Passive be + past participle56
5Do for questions, negation and emphasis57
6Ordering of auxiliary verbs58
3.6One form, several senses: Be, have and do60
3.7Summary61
Chapter 4.Verbs II
4.1Introduction64
4.2Subtypes of lexical verbs64
1Intransitive verbs (the running pattern)65
2Copula verbs (the being pattern)65
3Transitive verbs (the doing/seeing pattern)65
4.3Subtypes of transitive verbs67
1Monotransitive verbs (the doing/seeing pattern)67
2Ditransitive verbs (the giving/buying pattern)67
3Complex-transitive verbs (the making/considering pattern)67
4.4Direct object forms69
4.5Passive constructions72
1Monotransitive verbs and passive constructions73
2Ditransitive verbs and passive constructions73
3Complex-transitive verbs and passive constructions73
4Non-finite clauses and passive constructions74
5Past participles as adjectives77
4.6Identifying type of lexical verbs in complex sentences78
4.7Multi-word verbs80
4.8Summary83
Chapter 5.Word classes
5.1Introduction86
5.2Nouns88
5.3Verbs91
5.4Adjectives92
5.5Adverbs92
5.6Pronouns95
1Personal pronouns96
2Possessive pronouns96
3Relative pronouns96
4Interrogative pronouns97
5Demonstrative pronouns97
6Reflexive pronouns98
7Reciprocal pronouns98
8Indefinite pronouns98
9So99
5.7Numerals and articles99
5.8Connectors101
1Coordinators101
2Subordinators104
3Prepositions108
5.9Interjections111
5.10Summary112
Chapter 6.Phrases
6.1Introduction117
6.2Noun phrases119
1Determiners121
2Specifying versus classifying genitives122
6.3Postmodifiers of nouns124
1Restrictive versus non-restrictive postmodifiers125
2Relative pronouns and adverbs129
3Ellipsis in relative clauses132
6.4Verb phrases135
6.5Adjective phrase136
6.6Adverb phrase138
6.7Prepositional phrase140
6.8Functions of phrases142
6.9Summary146
Chapter 7.Sentence constituents realized as clauses and non-canonical constructions
7.1Introduction150
7.2Subjects, objects, and attributes153
1Finite clauses153
2Non-finite clauses155
3Extraposed subject or object clauses160
7.3Adverbials161
7.4How to analyze non-canonical constructions164
1Passive constructions164
2Extraposed constructions166
3Ellipsis167
4Existential sentences with there169
5Cleft constructions170
7.5Summary172
Chapter 8.How to analyze sentences at all levels
8.1Introduction175
8.2How to go about analyzing long and complex sentences175
8.3How to go about analyzing long and complex noun phrases177
8.4How to go about analyzing sentences at different levels184
8.5Analyzing sentences at different levels on your own191
8.6Summary197
Chapter 9.How to apply sentence construction knowledge to writing
9.1Introduction198
9.2How to avoid sentence and clause errors199
1Fragment199
2Run-on sentence199
3Comma splice200
4Dangling modifier201
9.3How to use commas203
1Adverbials203
2Restrictive and non-restrictive elements204
3Coordinate constructions207
9.4How to make sure each sentence is effective210
1Use simple sentences effectively210
2Avoid redundancy210
3Avoid front-weighted sentences211
4Avoid awkward and vague passive constructions213
5Make sure constructions are parallel214
9.5How to create coherence with sentence constructions215
9.6Summary218
Key to the exercises219
Index258
