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Week 5 Syntax - Functional Classes

The document discusses functional classes in sentences including subjects, objects, and object of prepositions. It defines subjects as the actor or topic of the sentence and identifies types of subjects. It also defines objects including direct objects, indirect objects, retained objects, and prepositional objects.

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Khue Minh
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61 views

Week 5 Syntax - Functional Classes

The document discusses functional classes in sentences including subjects, objects, and object of prepositions. It defines subjects as the actor or topic of the sentence and identifies types of subjects. It also defines objects including direct objects, indirect objects, retained objects, and prepositional objects.

Uploaded by

Khue Minh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Week 5

UNIT 2

FUNCTIONAL CLASSES

In a sentence, a word or group of words may perform different syntactic or grammatical


functions.

A. SUBJECT
The subject of the sentence acts, is acted upon, or is discussed.
a. Identification
In a sentence, the subject of the verb can be identified by:
 making a question
i. Who? for a person.
Ex: A boy is sleeping in class. => Who is sleeping in class?
o What? for an animal or a thing.
Ex: A dog is barking => what is barking?
A book is on the table => what is on the table?
 basing on S – V agreement
The verb must agree with its subject
Ex: A boy is sleeping in class.
Two boys are playing cards.
There is a book on the table.
There are two books on the table.
b. Types of subject:
 Real subject: the verb always agrees with the real subject.
Ex: The boy is playing chess in class.
 Formal / Unreal / Expletive subject: There; Here; It.
The formal subject can be omitted and replaced by the real one.
Ex: There is a book on the table => A book is on the table
It is very difficult to study English => To study English is
very difficult.

B. OBJECT
a. Objects of verb complement the meaning of the verb.
 Direct objects ( DO ) receive the action expressed by a transitive active verb. A
DO can be identified by making the question What, Whom and transforming
into passive
Ex: Sarah bought some flowers. (bought what?)
i. Some flowers were bought by Sarah.
I love the girl in the first row. (love whom?)
ii. The girl in the first row is loved by me.

 Retained objects ( RO ) occur in the passive voice of some transitive verbs.


Ex: The girl was bought a dress by her mother.
 Indirect objects (IO) receive the action of the verb indirectly, through a
preposition. Indirect objects can be identified by the question to whom or for
whom, sometimes with a different preposition.
Ex: Sarah bought her mother a dress. (for whom?)
NP/IO
He sold the student a ticket (to whom)
He built them a playpen (for whom)
He played me a game of chess (with whom)
He asked her a question (of whom)
Indirect objects can be in the form of different parts of speech.

+ Give - type verbs such as give, make, find, tell, buy, write, send, ask, play, build, teach,
assign, feed, offer, throw, hand, pass, sell, pay, …
For this type of verb, when the IO precedes the DO, there is no preposition, and the IO is
a NP. On the contrary, if the IO follows the DO, a preposition is needed and the IO is a
PP.
Ex: Sarah bought her mother a dress.
NP/IO
Sarah bought a dress for her mother.
PP/IO
+ Explain – type verbs such as explain, deliver, describe, say, dictate, introduce, read,
write, sing. For this type of verb, the IO always requires a preposition, regardless its
position.
Ex: The teacher explained the lesson to the students.
PP/IO
The teacher explained to them the lesson.
PP/IO
+ Some verbs as read, write, sing may have an IO without DO. In this case the IO
always needs a preposition.
Ex: When I arrive in America, I’ll write to you.
PP/IO
If I have enough time, I’ll sing for you.
PP/IO
 Prepositional objects. For the verbs that require a preposition, the PP
complements the verb through a preposition and is called a prepositional
object.
Ex: Max glanced at the girl. (PP / Pre.O)
I don’t believe in him. (PP / Pre.O)
The teacher looked at the new student.
You can rely on Kevin.
Your success depends on your efforts.
The manager is dealing with a critical client.
The Prime Minister can’t count for the loss of votes.
They blamed the gardener for fire.
NP/DO PP/Prep.O
That firm supplies the university with paper.
He convinced the jury of his innocence.
The government should inform the public of the consequences.
I congratulated Paul on his success.
It reminds me of my home town.
They robbed her of her handbag.
b. Object of preposition (OP) follows and complements the preposition. The object
of preposition may be of different parts of speech.
Ex: The boy is sitting near the window. (NP)
I want to sit beside you. (PN)
From here, I can see all of you. (Adverb)
Before swimming, don’t eat too much. (Gerund)
From behind the wardrobe, the cat jumped out to catch the mouse.
(Prepositional phrase)
From where I am standing, I can see all of you. (NC)

EXERCISE 6
Give the name and function of the underlined parts in the following sentences.
Ex: To live each day fully is my credo.
InfP/S
1. Some early literature in America was devoted to descriptions of life in the

colonies.

2. During the 1600s, religious writings formed the bulk of American writings.

3. Each wrote numerous religious tracts during the 1700s.

4. There is still great interest in the writings of Jonathan Edwards.

5. The speech was awarded first place by the judges.

6. High winds leveled a city in West Texas.


7. Mary baked Timothy a cake.

8. What pictures did they hang on the wall of the living-room?

9. The girl that he is talking to looks attractive in either the pink dress or the yellow.

10. She made whomever she met the same greeting.

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