Курсовая работа: Teaching sentence structure

5. The gerund acts like a verb and a noun.

6. The infinitive acts like a verb and a noun, a verb and an adjective, or a verb and an adverb.

PRACTICE 9 Studying words of Double Function.

Which words in the following sentences play a double role? Explain.

1. My dad waited two years for his present job.

2. An old dog’s loyalty is a priceless gift.

3. His father worked in a manufacturing plant.

4. On a quiet Saturday Mr. Parker can match two average days’ output of work.

5. Ted fell seven feet from the top of the ladder but was unhurt.

OTHER PARTS OF THE SENTENCE

Every sentence has a back a backbone–the simple subject and the predicate verb. It may also have, as part of the backbone, a complement or completer of the verb. Five complements are the predicate adjective, the predicate noun, the predicate pronoun, the direct object, and the indirect object.

2.2 Subject Verb, Predicate Nominative

PREDICATE NOUN AND PREDICATE PRONOUN A predicate noun or predicate pronoun answer the question «Who?» or «What?» after a linking verb.

The predicate noun or predicate pronoun, except after a negative, means the same as the subject. (Predicate nouns and predicate pronouns are also called «predicate nominatives.»)

The area within five hundred miles of Kansas City is the tornado incubator of the United States. (Area=incubator)

A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other. – Samuel Johnson (fishing rod=stick)

Four of our first five Presidents were Virginians.

Virginians, the predicate noun, answers the question «What?» after the verb and means the same as the subject. The line slants toward the subject.

Certain verbs in the passive voice become linking verbs and may take predicate nouns or predicate pronouns.

Examples: are appoint, call, choose, consider, elect, name, and vote.

The Spanish colonies have been called the head quarters for a treasure hunt.

2.3 Subject, Verb, Predicate Adjective

PREDICATE ADJECTIVE A predicate adjective completes a linking verb and describes the subject.

Predicate adjectives are frequently used after forms of the verb be, become, grow, taste, seem, appear, look, feel, smell and sound.

The Zuni Indians of the New Mexico are famous for their rain dances. Because of the Indian drums the settlers grew more and more uneasy.

The predicate adjective uneasy completes the predicate and describes the subject. The conjunction and joins the two adverbs more and more.

Not every adjective in the predicate is a predicate adjective.

Our coach is a keen student of baseball (Keen modifies the predicate noun student and is not a predicate adjective.)

ADJECTIVE POSITION Most adjectives readily fit into three common positions in the sentence.