This document introduces the reader to the basic concepts of English syntax. The concepts covered include morphemes, syllables, words, phrases. clauses and eventually a sentence.
2. LESSON 1: BASIC SENTENCE STRUCTURE
WHAT IS A SENTENCE?
WHAT IS THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF A SENTENCE?
3. DEFINITIONS OF A SENTENCE
According to Kadeghe (2011, p.39), “while some
linguists define a sentence as a unit in the language
expressing a complete thought, others define it as the
largest structural unit of a language”.
4. DEFINITIONS OF A SENTENCE
Lowth (1762) considered a sentence as “an assemblage
of words expressed in proper form, ranged in proper
order, and concurring to make a complete sense”(cited
in Gleason, Jr., 1966)
5. ‘The largest unit in language’
Kadeghe (2011, p. 39) observes that “hierarchically, (a
sentence) it is the highest construction to which rules
of grammar apply”.
6. Other Units in language
Below a sentence, we have a clause, a phrase, and a
word:
SENTENCE: The students were happy because it was
raining
CLAUSE: Because it was raining...
PHRASE: The students
WORD: The
7. Other Units of Language...
a word is a unit of language made up of syllables. For
example: house
A phrase is a unit of language that is made up of a
group of words. This group of words is built around a
head word that identifies the type of the phrase. For
instance:
an empty house is a noun phrase and the word house
is the head word (main word) noun phrase.
8. A clause
A clause is a unit of language containing a verb. They
are considered the simplest meaningful units of the
sentence. Clauses can be dependent or independent.
For example, when we arrived at the village, there was
an empty house for sale.
When we arrived at the village-dependent clause
(incomplete thought, needs to be completed)
There was an empty house for sale- independent
clause (serves as simple sentences)
9. Basic Structure of a Sentence
So, a sentence is a group of words that gives a complete
thought or makes complete sense.
The basic structure of a sentence contains a subject
(the doer of the action), verb (the action), and the
object (the receiver of the action). For example:
The lady bought a cat
Subject Verb Object
10. Practice Time!
Consider the following construction:
He didn’t buy the car because the show room was
closed.
1. Can this construction be considered a sentence?
2. Identify the subject, verb and object.
3. Identify two different types of clauses.
4. Identify at least one phrase
5. Mention at least 3 different types of words (parts of
speech)
