TRIAL TEST – ADVANCED GRAMMAR

I. Identify the sentence elements of the superordinate clauses of the following sentences and state the
name and function of each finite subordinating clause. (2pts)
E.g. The fishermen / think/ that the company polluted the bay.
S V O (noun clause – object of “think”)
1. If girls in this group idolise a female star with a body they consider to be perfect,/ they/ are/ more likely
(adverbial clause of condition) (adjective clause-modifying “body”)
to be unhappy with their own bodies. ASVCs
2. Surplus animals/ are sold/ not only to other zoos but also to circuses or hunting ranches in the US or
South Africa, where some people are willing to pay a lot of money for the chance to kill an animal in
(adjective clause-modifying “the US or South Africa”)
a fenced enclosure. SVA
3. Electric versions of instruments like the piano, drums, guitar and even violin/ give/ you/ the option of
playing into the night using headphones while your housemates sleep in peace. SVOiOd
(adverbial clause of time)
4. Pre-school children who play interactive games/ can kick, catch and throw/ a ball/ better than children
(adjective clause-modifying “Pre-school children")
who don’t. SVOdA
(adjective clause-modifying “children”)
5.In 1979/ the Chinese government/ introduced/ a policy that no other country had ever introduced before.
ASVOd (adjective clause-modifying “policy”)

6.The one-child policy/ has lessened/ the negative environmental impact that rapid industrialisation and
(adjective clause-modifying “the
negative environmental impact”)
population growth have had on China/ since being implemented. SVOdA
7.The main question raised by such a move/ is/ whether a government should be allowed to control family
(adjective clause-modifying “the main question”) (noun clause-subject complement)
size. SVCs
8.The government/ has also faced/ heavy criticism of its methods of trying to enforce the one-child policy in
the past. SVO
II. Analyse the following sentences by Descriptive Linguistic: (3pts)
E.g. I’m glad that my mother made me take piano lessons when I was a child.
M 1 : I’m glad
S 1 : that my mother made me take piano lessons: noun clause, complement of “glad”
S.1.1 : when I was a child: adverbial clause of time, modifying “made”.
1. Leaving aside the philosophical question of whether anyone should have to breathe someone else’s
cigarette smoke, the report suggests that the smoke experienced by many people in their daily lives is
enough to produce effects that substantially harm a person’s heart and lungs.
M1: Leaving aside the philosophical question of, the report suggests
S1: whether anyone should have to breathe someone else’s cigarette smoke (noun clause-prepositional
complement)
S2: that the smoke experienced by many people in their daily lives is enough to produce effects (noun
clause-object of “suggests”)
S2.1: that substantially harm a person’s heart and lungs. (adjective clause-modifying “effects”)
2. The study suggests that people who smoke cigarettes are continually damaging their cardiovascular
system, which adapts in order to compensate for the effects of smoking.
M1: The study suggests
S1: that people (noun clause-object of “suggests”) are continually damaging their cardiovascular
system
S1.1: who smoke cigarettes (adjective clause-modifying “people”)
S1.2: which adapts in order to compensate for the effects of smoking. (adjective clause-modifying
“cardiovascular system”)
3.The necessity of having children in some parts of China is something many in the West have trouble
understanding as increasing numbers of adults in the West now choose not to have children.
M1: The necessity of having children in some parts of China is something
S1: many in the West have trouble understanding (adjective clause-modifying “something”)
S1.1: as increasing numbers of adults in the West now choose not to have children. (adverbial clause
of time)
4.It is probably easier for teachers than for students to explain the reasons why learning English seems to
become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns which underlie the mechanism of the
language have been understood and this may explain why some students feel discouraged after learning
English for a long time.

M1: It is probably easier for teachers than for students to explain the reasons
S1: why learning English seems to become increasingly difficult (adjective clause-modifying
“reasons”)
S1.1: once the basic structures and patterns (adverbial clause of time) have been understood
S1.1.1: which underlie the mechanism of the language (adjective clause-modifying “basic
structures and patterns”)
S1.1.2: why some students feel discouraged after learning English for a long time. (noun clause-
object of “explain”)
5.We do not have direct evidence that climate change influences the spread of COVID-19, but we do know
that climate change alters how we relate to other species on Earth and that it matters to our health which has
already been shown to be deteriorating.

M1: We do not have direct evidence

S1: that climate change influences the spread of COVID-19 (noun clause-apposition to “evidence”)
M2: but we do know
S2: that climate change alters (noun clause-object of “know”)
S2.1: how we relate to other species on Earth (noun clause-object of “alters”)
S3: and that it matters to our health (noun clause-object of “know”)
S3.1: which has already been shown to be deteriorating. (adjective clause-modifying “health”)
III. Combine the set of simple sentences into complex/compound complex sentence (1pt)
He studied the biological and natural sciences. He learned how to categorize and draw animals accurately.
His future career path will benefit greatly from these knowledge and skills.

He studied the biological and natural sciences and learned how to categorize and draw animals
accurately, from which his future career path will greatly benefit.

IV. Draw a tree diagram for the following sentence (1pt)

People who play action-based games make decisions faster than others.
V. The following sentence is structurally ambiguous; analyze the two different sentence structures
(SVOCA) to show both possible meanings. (1pt)
Dealers/ will hear/ car/ talk/ at noon. SVOCoA
Dealers/ will hear/ car talk/ at noon. SVOdA
VI. Construct the incomplete phrases as guided to complete the following sentences: (2pts)
E.g. [Noun clause] means he knew nothing about the task.
What he did means he knew nothing about the task.
1. She told her parents [noun clause].
She told her parents what she had done.
2. [Noun clause] surprised everybody.
What he said surprised everybody.
3. We need to create a working environment [adjective clause].
We need to create a working environment which is pollution-free
4. You can study effectively [adverbial clause].
You can study effectively when you get the lesson clearly.
5.S (finite clause) made his friends disappointed.

What he had done made his friends disappointed.

6. Everybody hopes Od (finite clause)

Everybody hopes that the world will be better.

7. S (non-finite clause) is my pastime.

Reading comic is my pastime.

8. S (preparatory subject) is a great honour (real S)

It is a great honour that I was chosen to represent my team in the competition.

9. I watched them Co( non-finite clause)

I watched them playing games.