Sentence Structure

Sub-pokok bahasan:

• Central core

• The parts of English sentences

CENTRAL CORE

English sentences consist of predications; something is said or predicated about a subject. The main grammatical divisions of a sentence are therefore:

• THE SUBJECT : Who or what is being talked about

• THE PREDICATE : What is being said about the subject

• The sentence is further divided according to the function each word has in the subject-predicate relationship. Each of these functions is classified as a different part of speech.

• The words that form the CENTRAL CORE of the sentence are the parts of speech known as nouns (or pronouns) and verbs.

• The words that modify the central core words are adjectives and adverbs.

• The words that show a particular kind of connecting relationship between these four parts of speech are called prepositions and conjunctions.

SENTENCE

• Central core = NOUNS (or pronouns) and VERBS.

• Modifying the central core = ADJECTIVES and ADVERBS.

• Connecting the relationship between those four parts of speech = PREPOSITIONS and CONJUNCTIONS.

SUBJECTSUBJECT = NOUN (or PRONOUN)1. Proper nouns:

- Names of persons and things (Dr. Jim Smith, Susan, Mr. Blake, speculum, nursing station)

- Names of geographic units (Amazon river, Arjuna mountain, Atlantic ocean)- Names of countries/cities (Egypt, England, Abu Dhabi, London)- Names of nationalities and religions (Dutchman, Englishman, Americans, French, Islam, Christianity )- names of time units (Sunday, September)

2. Concrete and abstract nouns

- Concrete nouns: a word for physical object that can be

perceived by the senses. We can see, touch, smell the

object (stethoscope, bed, wheel chair).

- Abstract nouns: a word for a concept. It’s an idea that

exists in our minds only (beauty, freedom, happiness).

3. Countable and uncountable nouns

- Countable nouns can be pluralized by the addition of –

s/-es (two patients, some visitors, a group of nurses).

- Uncountable nouns are not used in the plural (rice,

milk, tea, coffee, sugar).

4. Collective nouns: a word for a group of people, animals, or objects considered as a single unit (audience, committee, family, government, team, class).

5. Noun compounds: a group of words (usually two or more) joined together into one vocabulary unit that functions as a single part of speech (bathroom, grammar book, nurse’s duty, common sense, blue print, pickpocket, lifeguard, punching bag, dining room, water skiing)

PREDICATE1. PREDICATING WORD

- It expresses actions/events.- It is frequently followed by another word that completes the predication, called object.e.g.: work, walk, examine, measure,

hold, carry, happen, occur.

THE PATIENT TAKES THE PILLS S PW O

2. LINKING WORD/BE- It expresses state or condition.- it is always followed by another word which makes the actual predication, called subjective complement.

e.g.: is, am, are, was, were.

SUSAN IS A NURSE S LW SC

COMPLEMENT1. SUBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT:

It modifies the subject.

- NOUN My sister is a surgeon.

- ADJECTIVE

My sister is pretty.

- ADVERB OF PLACE/PREPOSITIONAL PHRASEMy sister is here.

2. OBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT

It modifies the object

- NOUN

The people elected SBY the President of

Indonesia.

Most students chose Ario Jatmiko the

chairman of the student’s senate.