A Student’s Grammar of the English Language by Quirk and Greenbaum

The Simple Sentence Chapter X

 A simple sentence is a single independent clause.
 A clause is a unit that can be analyzed into Subject and Predicate. The predicate
may be realized by a Verb Phrase or a Verb Phrase followed by one or more nuclear
constituents ( C (complement), O (object) and A (adverbial adjunt)). According to
the verb phrase the constituents may be obligatory or optional.
Note: Start your analysis identifying the Verb and the class it belongs to.

Verb Classes
1) Intransitive verbs: They are followed by no obligatory element.
2) Transitive verbs: They are followed by an object.
a- Monotransitive verbs occur in type SVO
b- Ditransitive verbs occur in type SVOO
c- Complex-transitive verbs occur in types SVOC and SVOA
3) Linking/ Copular verbs : They are followed by a SC (subjective complement) or an
A (Adverbial Adj)
Clause types
1) S V The child (S) was laughing. (Intr V)
2) S V O Somebody (S) caught (Monotr V) the ball.(D.O)
3) S V C Mary (S) is (Link. V) kind. (S Comp)
4) SVA Mary (S) is (Link.V) in the house (A)
5) SVOO She (S) gives (Ditr V) me (I O) nice presents(DO)
6) SVOC We (S) have proved (Com.TrV) him (DO) a fool (O Comp)
7) SVOA I (S) put (Comp Tr V) the dish (DO) on the table (A)

SYNTACTIC functions of clause elements

1) A Subject: a-is a Noun Phrase
b-occurs before the Verb Phrase in declarative clauses and immediately
after the operator in interrogative clauses.
c-has number and person concord with the Verb Phrase
2) An Object (direct or indirect): a-is a Noun Phrase or clause with nominal function
b- normally follows the Subject and the Verb Phrase
c- by the passive transformation, assumes the status
of Subject.
3) A Complement (subjective or objective): a- is a NPh, an Adjetival Ph or a clause
with nominal function.
b- follows the Subject, VPh and (if
present) the Object.
c- does not become Subject through
passive transformation.
4) An Adjunct: a- is an Adverb, Adv Ph, Adv Clause, NPh or Prepositional Ph.
b- is generally mobile, that is, it is capable of occuring in more than
one position in the Clause.
c- is generally optional.
Exception: Obligatory Adjunct in SVA and SVOA.
 SEMANTIC roles of the clause elements
In terms of MEANING a clause describes a situation which involves one or more
participants. Typical semantic roles of the participants are represented in the following
chart:
SUBJECT AGENTIVE (animate being instigating or causing the
happening denoted by the Verb
OBJECT AFFECTED (animate or inanimate being which does not
cause the happening denoted by the Verb but it is directly
related involved in some other way.
INDIRECT OBJECT RECIPIENT (animate being passively implicated by the
happening or state)
SUBJECTIVE ATTRIBUTE a- CURRENT (stative verbs)
COMPLEMENT b-RESULTING ( dynamic verbs)
OBJECTIVE ATTRIBUTE of the OBJECT a- CURRENT
COMPLEMENT b- RESULTING

CONCORD

Concord: relationship between two grammatical elements such that if one of them contains
a particular feature (e.g. plurality) then the other also has to have that feature.
Subject-verb concord
Number concord:
Principles of:
a- Grammatical concord: The most important concord in English is concord of
number between subject and verb.
A singular subject requires a singular verb: The window is open.
A plural subject requires a plural verb: The windows are open.
b- Notional concord: Agreement of verb with subject according to the idea of
number rather than the actual presence of the grammatical marker for that
idea. The government have broken all their promises.
c- Principle of proximity: This principle denotes agreement of the verb with
whatever noun or pronoun closely precedes it. One in ten take drugs.

1)Collective nouns: Grammatically singular collective nouns are treated:

- as notionally plural if the group is considered as a collection of
individuals.
The public are tired of demonstrations
-as singular if the group is considered as a single undivided body.
The audience was enormous.
Note: It is generally safest to follow the grammatical concord.

2) Coordinated subjects: a-Non appositional: an implied reduction of two clauses.

Tom and Mary are ready (Tom is ready and Mary is ready)
b-Appositional: The coordinated structures refer to the same
thing, so no reduction is possible.
 The temple of ugliness and memorial to Victorian bad taste
was erected in the main street of the city.
c- With “or” or “either”:
- with two singular subjects the verb is singular.
Either the Mayor or her deputy is bound to come.
- with two plural subjects the verb is plural.
Either the strikers or the bosses have misunderstood the
claim.
- when conjoins differ, the principle of proximity is
applied; the second conjoin determines the number.
Either the brakes or your eyesight is at fault.
3) Indefinite expressions: a- Some indefinite pronouns and determiners have:
- non countable use (singular verb)
Some cement is arriving today. or
- countable use (plural verb)
Some (of the books) are being placed on the shelf today.
b- “either/neither”: usually with singular verb
The two guests have arrived and either is welcome.
c- “none”: frequently with plural verb
None (of the books) are being placed on the shelf today.
4) Concord of person:
I am your friend (1st person singular concord)
He knows you (3rd person concord)
5)Subject-complement concord: There is usually concord of number between subject
and SC and between DO and Objective Complement.
My child is an angel. I consider my child an angel.
My children are angels. I consider my children angels.
6) Pronouns and determiners reference between:
- Reflexive pronoun and its antecedent (for which the
pronoun can be regarded as a substitute.
He injured himself in both legs.
- Personal pronouns and possessive determiners:
1st/3rd person:number concord.
The books were too heavy so I left them.
3rd person sing: number and gender concord.
He hurt his foot.

Vocatives: A vocative is usually a nominal element optionally added to a sentence or

clause denoting the one or more persons to whom the sentence is addressed. It may take
take initial, medial or final position.
John, I want you.

Negation: Clause negation can be effected by:

1) Verb negation: -“not” between operator and predication.

I have not finished.
-if no operator is present the dummy operator “Do” is used.
 She does not work hard.
2) Negative words: In form: No honest man would lie.
In meaning: I hardly have any friends.
Note: when positioned initially the adverb causes operator inversion.
Little did I expect such enthusiasm.
Assertive/Non-assertive items: A negative clause may contain one or more
Non-assertive items (determiners, pronouns or adverbs)
Assertive Non-assertive
We’ve had some lunch. We haven’t had any lunch.
I was speaking to somebody. I wasn’t speaking to anybody.
His mother is coming, too. His mother is not coming, either.
Participant Functions

S V IO DO SC OC A Example
SVC aff link. curr She is happy.
aff link. resul He became a man.
agent link curr He sat tight.
agent link resul He turned traitor.
loc link curr The Sahara is hot.
temp link curr Last night was hot.
It link curr It’s windy.
SVA aff link loc He was at school.
agent link loc He kept out of trouble.
SV agent intr He was working
aff intr The curtains disappeared.
It intr It’s raining.
SVO agent mono aff He caught the ball.
instr mono aff The stone hit me.
rec mono aff He has a car.
agent mono rec He rewarded John.
instr mono rec The will benefits us all.
agent mono loc He climbed a mountain.
loc mono aff The bus seats thirty.
agent mono eff I took a bite.
aff mono eff I gave a gasp.
SVOC agent comp aff curr He declared me a criminal.
agent comp aff result I made her my secretary.
instr comp aff result The sun dries it yellow.
rec comp aff curr I found it strange.
agent comp eff curr I took a swim naked.
SVOA agent comp aff loc He placed it on the shelf.
instr comp aff loc A car knocked it down.
rec comp aff loc I prefer them on toast.
SVOO agent ditr rec aff I bought her a gift.
agent ditr aff eff She gave her hair a
brushing.