Sentence Analysis is a subcategory of Identification and Analysis that requires respondents to think and explain why certain grammatical features are used and/or why they are used in the way that they are (e.g. using certain modals and articles, position of adverbials, time frame, etc.). These activities can be thought of as 'bridge' activities to composition exercises. However, students are looking at, rather than creating, written discourse.
ACTIVITIES:
1. Why do you think the author used passive verbs in these sentences?
1. No one is permitted to enter the laboratory while the experiment is being conducted.
2. Mary arrived late for the field trip, and got left behind.
3. These pictures were taken on our trip to Japan.
4. Reagan was first elected President in 1980.
5. There is a lot of controversy about the Nazca Lines, especially about why they were built and how they were constructed.
6. They weren't even noticed until people started flying over the area in planes.
7. Was it John's brother who got arrested at the demonstration?
8. The house was broken into while the family was away.
9. By the time the Romans arrived in Britain, the origin and purpose of Stonehenge had already been forgotten.
10. We'll take the apartment if it can be cleaned thoroughly before we move in.
Thewlis, S. (1993). Grammar Dimensions, Book Three.
2. Why do you think the highlighted nouns in the following sentences are unique? Decide if they are unique because of
(a) prior reference (identify the reference);
|(b) a specific context or situation (identify the context or situation);
(c) a universal context or situation;
(d) being identified by a modifier (identify the modifier).
1. An idle mind is the devil's playground.
2. I saw a great movie last night. The camera work was fantastic.
3. The newspaper said it was going to rain tonight.
4. The tallest mountain in the world is on the border between Nepal and China.
5. The place we went last year is great for a vacation.
6. Let's go to the club for dinner tonight.
7. The teacher said we have to finish the assignment before Friday.
8. The town where I grew up was quite small.
9. The noise Billy made was like no other noise I had ever heard before.
10. What did the doctor say about the medicine you've been taking?
Thewlis, S. (1993). Grammar Dimensions, Book Three.
3.
Circle the gerunds, and draw a box around the infinitives in the
following sentences;
then, explain the rule for the use of each gerund or infinitive.
1. Geology is the study of the earth. Geologists attempt to explain how the earth was formed and how it changes. Geologists also contribute to space exploration by advising scientists about potential lunar landing sites.
RULE:
RULE:
2. The earth is probably at least 41/2 billion years old. Scientists learn the age of rocks by measuring the amount of radioactive isotopes in the rocks. They can approximate the age of a rock by comparing the amount of uranium and lead in the rock.
RULE:
3. A glacier is a huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land. Glaciers begin to form when more snow falls during the winter than melts or evaporates during the summer. The ice eventually becomes very thick and starts to move slowly under the pressure of its own weight.
RULE:
Byrd, P. and Benson, B. (1992). Applied English Grammar.
4. In the following sentences, decide why the author chose to put the adverbials before the main clause.
1. For want of a nail, a shoe was
lost.
For want of a shoe, a horse was lost.
For want of a horse, a rider was lost.
For want of a rider, a message was lost.
For want of a message, a battle was lost.
For want of a battle, a kingdom was lost.
A kingdom was lost for want of a nail.
2. In order to improve vocabulary, it is necessary to read extensively, to try to guess the meanings of words from context, and to use a bilingual dictionary as little as possible.
3. Of course Hawaii is a good place for a vacation, but for a great vacation, I prefer Disneyland.
4. Since it's already so late, why don't we just forget about the meeting?
5. Because of technical difficulties, the program scheduled for this time will not be shown.
6. Because the test results had been rather disappointing, the teacher decided to spend the rest of the semester reviewing previously taught material.
Thewlis, S. (1993). Grammar Dimensions, Book Three.
5. How did the writer use the modal in each of these sentences? Is it expressing a social interaction (request, invitation, suggestion, etc.), necessity, permission, advice, ability, future prediction, or inference?
1. Can I ask you a question?
2. Can you speak Spanish?
3. Will you open the door?
4. Will the office be open tomorrow?
5. I can't hear you.
6. You shouldn't smoke; it's bad for your health.
7. You can't smoke here; it's a church.
8. Must you leave the window open? It's really cold outside.
9. You really should see a doctor.
10. The doctor should be ready to see you in just a minute.
11. I may be late tonight.
12. May I speak to Dr. Fleming?
13. You walked 20 miles today? You must be tired!
14. I'm interested in buying that car, but it could be too
expensive.
15. Could you pass the butter?
Thewlis, S. (1993). Grammar Dimensions, Book Three.
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