English syntax handout 1: Basic clause patterns
A. Indicate the basic clause pattern that each sentence belongs to:
1. You should always greet your supervisor.
2. President´s driver opened him the door.
3. That was really something unusual.
4. The world often considers us insane.
5. Your baggage weighs too much.
6. You seem ill today.
7. Sorry, we completely forgot about you yesterday.
8. I woudn´t make rice in that saucepan.
9. You must not walk on the grass.
10. You may not deposit your boots on mine.
11. Living and studying abroad is becoming something common.
12. The milk has gone sour.
13. He has been writing all day.
14. Save me the seat.
15. The performance lasted four hours.
16. We live well.
17. It´s been raining continuously for a week.
18. They went to he treatre.
19. We appointed him the secretary of the group.
20. Your friend is on the phone.
21. It´s none of your business.
22. Cats run, jump, chase and scratch.
23. I wont´t do it again, I promise.
24. To love is to forgive.
25. Hamlet was being offensive and Ophelia was being driven mad.
26. Some people find their jokes very funny.
27. Could you call me a taxi, please?
28. Do you call yourself a porter?
29. May I offer you something to eat?
30. You´d better keep calm.
31. Keep out of sight, will you?
32. They can keep the change.
33. Keep your dirty hands off me!
34. You should keep your feet warm.
35. Keep me a place, will you?
36. You can keep in touch if you want.
37. The fish won´t keep but the news will.
38. The traffic in Britain keeps left.
B. Indicate the clause type of each of the following transformed sentences:
1. Will you remember to mail it for me?
2. The victims were laid by the side of the road.
3. Why has he put me in such a difficult position?
4. He couldn´t have been living here for long time.
5. Has everything been taken care of properly?
6. How many people get killed on the roads every week?
7. Our houses are often painted various weird colours.
8. Have you laid all your cards on the table?
9. Have you been found a good school?
10. No tresspasser can be refused a proper treatment.
11. Have you been sent a bunch of roses on Saint Valentine´s day?
12. Why does the committee consider my proposal rather unworkable?
13. I do not find Jim quite pleasant.
14. Where shall I put it?
15. The gift hasn´t made her very happy.
16. Who gave him that idea?
17. Did you do that?
C. Referring to the basic clause types, resolve the ambiguities:
1. They have injured people there.
2. NIAGARA FALLS AT LAST
3. Call me a cab.
4. The police stopped fighting after dark.
5. I asked to go at five o´clock.
6. Please stop hurrying people.
7. I found him an amusing companion.
D. Identify basic clause patterns of the sentences in the following children´s story:
Harold´s Flyaway Kite (by T.Crawford, 1970 Mahwah, NJ: Troll Associates)
It was a windy day.
The wind blew the leaves off the trees.
The wind blew Harold´s hat down the street.
Harold´s father said: „Today is a good day to fly your kite.“
Harold was happy!
He ran upstairs to look for his kite.
He looked in his closet.
He looked under his bed.
He looked under the dog and under the cat.
He could not find his kite.
Then Harold looked in his box.
There was his kite!
Harold and his father took the kite to the park.
Harold´s father tied a string to the kite.
Harold ran with his kite.
The kite went up in the wind. Up and up and up.
„Hold tight!“ Harold´s father said.
Too late!
The kite flew away in the wind.
Harold and his father watched sadly.
Then they walked home.
The mailman was there.
He had a big bump on his head.
„Here is your kite, Harold. Please hold on tight next time.“