The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook (2013)
UNIT THREE. Structure
3.1. Clauses
Sections 486–495; 151; 170; 198; 202–204; 207; 211; 499; 573–577; 588; 613; 686; 718; 724; 727; 737; 739
There are five different clause elements:
S–subject; V–verb; O–object; C–complement; A–adverbial.
There are six basic verb patterns: SVC/SVA; SVO; SVOV ………; SVOO; SVOC; SV.
There are three types of clauses: finite; non-finite; verbless
There are two clause functions: main clause; subclause
There are various types of subclauses: nominal; relative; comment; comparative; adverbial
Task one **
Identify the organisation of the clauses below – SVC, SVA, SVO, SVOO, SVOC, SVOV …….., SV. Identify optional adverbials as [A].
1.I did it without his help.
2.Manchester United lost!
3.The earthquake destroyed hundreds of homes.
4.The government gave the poorest people a tax cut.
5.His mother told the child a story every night at bedtime.
6.He became leader of the party after a bitter battle.
7.The 18th century was an age of reason.
8.Eleven hundred years ago, the Hungarian tribal alliance arrived in the Carpathian Basin.
9.The humiliating defeat of the government served the progressive forces.
10.Foreign Affairs is not all fun and games.
Task two *
State what types of subclauses there are in each of the items below: finite; non-finite; verbless. Identify each subclause by underlining.
1.Bring me a cup of coffee when you’ve finished.
2.Ignoring the accident is not an option.
3.Many children were left orphans in the war, babies among them.
4.He gave up a very good job to work for the charity.
5.Covered in mud, the boy proudly showed his father the athletics prize.
6.Angered by the manager’s attitude, she decided to resign her job.
7.Happy with the result, the barrister congratulated his client.
8.Is sending lots of Christmas cards only a British habit?
9.They didn’t want him to leave.
10.Opening an art gallery in such a small town was a very brave thing to do.
Task three **
Identify the functions of the clauses underlined as nominal, relative, adverbial, comparative or comment clauses. Also identify the clause patterns (SVC, SVA, SVO, SVOO, SVOC, SVOV …….., SV) and, where these begin with a conjunction, show this by putting ‘conj’ in front of the pattern-type.
1.In the new job, he’s earning twice as much as he used to.
2.To be fair, I don’t think it was really Joan’s fault alone.
3.That he’s now having to do so much extra work shows he’s borrowed too much for the new apartment.
4.I take the dog with me wherever I go.
5.The ‘Titanic’, which was the most advanced passenger ship of its day, was not properly equipped for an emergency.
6.House prices in the North of England are much lower than they are in the South.
7.To be cruel, I think Martin deserved to fail.
8.The couple, who are both aged 102, have been married for 77 years.
9.They moved to Kendal because they wanted to be near their friends.
10.That it’s rained so much this winter doesn’t mean we’ll have a dry summer.
3.2. Combinations of verbs
Section 739; 735–737
When a verb phrase consists of more than one verb, there are certain rules about how the verbs can be combined. There are four basic verb combinations:
|
A |
– |
modal – a modal auxiliary followed by a verb in the infinitive; |
|
B |
– |
perfect – a form of have followed by a verb in the -ed participle form; |
|
C |
– |
progressive – a form of be followed by a verb in the -ing form; |
|
D |
– |
passive – a form of be followed by a verb in the -ed participle form. |
Task one *
Put the verbs and adverbials in the correct order in the verb phrases below.
1.I do can nothing for you.
2.I have been could here before, but I don’t remember.
3.They never going are to tell him the truth about the accident. It’s too terrible.
4.That house built must been have at the end of the nineteenth century.
5.The work completed is being as we speak.
6.He working been has on that project for two years now.
7.She already seen has the film.
8.Surely he be can’t going to waste all that money on a car he never uses.
9.They have might gone to the meeting. I just don’t know.
10.That made hasn’t things difficult for you, has it?
Task two **
In the story below, the verb phrases have been omitted. Complete the story, by putting one of the verb phrases here as indicated by the alphabetical order shown where the verbs should be. couldn’t believe; couldn’t do; had been intending; had been locked away; had been losing; had been made; had lost; hadn’t arrived; hadn’t done; must have got up; should have remembered; was only just getting; were still locked; would only be opened
I ………(1 – A+B)……………… very early that morning because the morning newspaper ………(2 – B)………………, and, when I left the house, it ………(3 – C)……………… light. I ………(4 – B+C)……………… to get to work early for some time as I had a large backlog of work to catch up with. The night security guard ………(5 – A)……………… it when I arrived and the doors ………(6 – D)……………… He let me into my office. I was ready for work. Now came the problem. I ………(7 – A+B)………………! The files I wanted ………(8 – B+D)……………… for security reasons. The room where they were ………(9 – A+D)……………… when the day-time security guard came on duty at 8.30. Arrangements ………(10 – B+D)……………… beforehand. In the past weeks, I ………(11 – B+C)……………… sleep because I ………(12 – B)……………… the work. Now I ………(13 – B)……………… sleep because I wanted to do the work, but ………(14 – A)………………