I.

Identify the sentence patterns of the superordinate clauses of the following

sentences and state the name and function of each finite subordinating clause.
E.g. The fishermen / think/ that the company polluted the bay.
S V O (noun clause – object of “think”)
1. Although French, German, America and British pioneers have all been credited
with the invention of cinema, the British and the Germans/ played/ a small role/ in
its world-wide exploitation. => SVOA
=> Although French, German, America and British pioneers have all been credited
with the invention of cinema: Adverbial clause of concession
2. The rest of the world/ survived/ partly/ because audiences continued to exist for
a product which corresponded to needs which Hollywood could not supply =>
SVA
=> because audiences continued to exist for a product: ADV Cl, A of reason
=> which corresponded to needs: ADJ Cl, postmodifying ‘product’
=> which Hollywood could not supply: ADJ Cl, postmodifying ‘product’
3. Another hypothesis/ suggests/ that decreased processing of glucose could
indicate to cells that food is scarce and induce them to shift into an anti-aging
mode. => SVO
=> that decreased processing of glucose could indicate to cells: N Cl, O of suggests
=> that food is scarce and induce them to shift into an anti-aging mode: N Cl, O of
indicate.
4. There/ is/ scientific evidence that eating fewer calories may extend human life.
=> SVC
=> that eating fewer calories may extend human life: N Cl, appositive to ‘scientific
evidence’.
5. In experiments/, rats who ate what they wanted/ led/ shorter lives than rats on a
low-calorie diet. => ASVO
=> who ate: ADJ Cl, postmodifying ‘rats’
=> what they wanted: N Cl, O of ate
6. However difficult you find it to arrange your time/, it/ will pay off/ in the long
run/ if you set aside a certain part of the day for studying and stick to it =>
ASVAA
=> However difficult you find it to arrange your time: ADV Cl, A of concession
=> if you set aside a certain part of the day for studying and stick to it: ADV Cl, A
of condition.
7. If you always study in the same place, preferably a room of your own/, you/ will
find/ it/ easier/ to adjust mentally to the activity when you enter that area. =>
ASVOCA
=> If you always study in the same place, preferably a room of your own: ADV Cl,
A of condition
=> when you enter that area: ADV Cl, A of time
8. It/ may help/ to discuss a topic with other people/, especially if you feel that you
have insufficient ideas or too many disorganized ideas. => SVOA
=> if you feel: ADV Cl, A of condition
=> that you have insufficient ideas or too many disorganized ideas: N Cl, O of
‘feel’.
II. Analyse the following sentences by Descriptive Linguistic
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, Adjunct.
1. Don’t hesitate to bring your topic up in a conversation with other students and
see what they say, though you don’t want to copy their ideas, listening to what they
think may well help you develop or refine your own thoughts.
M1: Don’t hesitate to bring your topic up in a conversation with other students and
see
S1: what they say: N Cl, O of ‘see’
S2: though you don’t want to copy their ideas: ADV Cl, A of concession
M2: listening to may well help you develop or refine your own thoughts
S3: what they think: N Cl, O of ‘listening to’
2. Von Frisch knew from experiments by an early researcher that if he put out a
bowl of sweet sugar syrup, bees might at first take some time to find it but, once
they had done so, within the hour, hundreds of other bees would be eagerly taking
the syrup.

M1: Von Frisch knew from experiments by an early researcher

S1: that bees might at first take some time to find: N Cl, O of ‘knew’

S1.1: if he put out a bowl of sweet sugar syrup: ADV Cl, A of

condition.

S2: but within the hour, hundreds of other bees would be eagerly taking the
syrup: N Cl, O of ‘knew’

S2.1: once they had done so: ADV Cl, A of time

III. Combine the set of simple sentences into complex/compound complex

sentence

You are doing a long essay or research paper. It involves the use of library books
or other articles. Keeping details of the tittles and authors on small cards in a
card box may help.
  When you are doing a long essay or research paper which involves the use
of library books or other articles keeping details of the tittles and authors
on small cards in a card box may help.
IV. Draw a tree diagram for the following sentence
…………….S………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
…...…NP…………
VP……………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………..VP…
…...NP……PP……….............................................................
………………………………Prep……
NFCl………………………………………………..…Aux…V...Det…
N……………………………………………………………………………………
………NFV…………
NP……………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………… Det
N S’ PP
P NP
Det N
You can mark the article by making any comments that you have in the margin.
V. The following sentence is structurally ambiguous; analyze the two different
sentence structures (SVOCA) to show both possible meanings.
John saw the man on the mountain with a telescope.
 John/ saw/ the man on the mountain with a telescope. => SVO
 John/ saw/ the man on the mountain/ with a telescope. => SVOA
VI. Combine each set of sentences into a compound/complex/complex
compound sentence.
 1. He devoted himself to public affairs, he never took a holiday. This continued
for thirty years.
=> He never took a holiday because he devoted himself to public affairs
which continued for thirty years.
2. The boy was drowning. He shouted for help. A workman heard the boy's shouts.
He plunged into the river, he risked his own life
=> After hearing the boy’s shouts who was drowning and shouted for help, the
workman plunged into the river, which risked his own life.
3 The traveler was toiling slowly over the desert, he suddenly turned round. He
heard his companion's voice. His companion was crying for help.
=> When the traveler was toiling slowly over the desert, he heard his companion's
voice who was crying for help, so he suddenly turned round.
4. The thieves poisoned the dog. He had brought it from England. He had trained it
carefully to protect his property.
=> Having brought a dog from England who had been trained carefully to protect
his property was poisoned by the thieves.
5. He does well. He is nervous as the start.
=> He does well although he is nervous as the start.
6. Bruce was lying on his bed. He looked up to the roof. He saw the spider.
=> While Bruce was lying on his bed, he looked up to the roof and saw the spider.
7. He was my school-fellow. He has become a great man. He has grown proud, he
forgets his old friends.
8.I did not see you. I should have spoken to you. I had important news. Delay was
dangerous.
9.I lost my way. I asked the policeman to direct me. He was new to his work. He
could not help me. He called the gentleman passing by to my assistance.
10.Generally your conduct is good. You have been guilty of an act of folly. You
will not be punished. I advise you to be more prudent in future.
11. The German army was no longer to be considered as invincible. This was
apparent to the entire world.
12. We wished to know. We were going somewhere.
=> We wished to know where we were going
13. Who wrote Shanuntala? Can you tell me that?
=> Can you tell me who wrote Shanuntala?
14. I am very sorry. I cannot adequately express my sorrow.
=> I am very sorry although I cannot adequately express my sorrow.
15. The theft was committed last night. The man has been caught.
16. The time was six o'clock. The accidents happened then.
=> The accidents happened after six o’clock.
17. He has many plans for earning money quickly. All of them have failed.
=> All of his plans for earning money quickly have failed.
18. You put it somewhere. Show me the place.
=> Show me the place where you put it
19. I wound my watch this morning. It has stopped.
=> I wound my watch this morning because it has stopped.
20. He spoke in a very low voice. Nobody could hear him.
=> Nobody could hear him because he spoke in a very low voice.
21. He saw me coming. He immediately took his heels.
=> He immediately took his heels when he saw me coming
22. It is very simple. Even the child can understand it.
=> It’s too very simple that even the child can understand.
23. I may help you. I may not help you. You are sure to lose the game.
=> You are sure to lose the game if I may not help you
24. You must hurry. You will miss the train otherwise.
=> If you must not hurry, you will miss the train.
25. He finished the work. Just then the clock struck five.
=> He finished the work at 5 o’clock.
26. He is a rich man. No other man in our community is equally rich.
=> He is a richest man in our community.
27. It doesn't matter what I say. He always does something different.
=> It doesn't matter what I say because he always does something different.
28. I will leave the message for yon with my secretary. It is possible that I will be
out when yon telephone.
=> I will leave the message for yon with my secretary because it is possible that I
will be out when yon telephone.
29. In view of the drought, there is only enough water for two days. That is our
conclusion.
=> We conclude that in view of the drought, there is only enough water for two
days.
30. You could have the best binoculars in the world. But still you wouldn’t be able
to see anything.
=> You still wouldn’t be able to see anything although you could have the best
binoculars in the world.
31. He has very bad health. He lives very carefully. It is inexplicable to the doctor.
The doctor has attended him for years. He told me this.
=> It is inexplicable to the doctor who has attended him for years because he has
very bad health although he lives very carefully and he told me this.
32. He wrote a letter. He wrote it for a certain reason to his superior. He told me
about this.
=> He told me about a letter, which he wrote for a certain reason to his superior.
33. He played exceedingly well in the match. His team won in consequence. The
match was played yesterday.
=> His team won in consequence and he played exceedingly well in the match
which was played yesterday.