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Document (14) - 3 Lecture of Syntax Subject

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12 views5 pages

Document (14) - 3 Lecture of Syntax Subject

Grammar best document

Uploaded by

ayesha23014
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1.

Introduction to Grammatical Functions


Grammatical functions describe the role that different words, phrases, or
clauses play in a sentence. These roles include:
• Subject: Who or what the sentence is about.
• Object: The thing affected by the action.
• Direct and Indirect Objects.
• Complement: Gives more information about the subject or object.
• Modifier: Adds extra detail or description.

Why Are Grammatical Functions Important?

They help us understand how different parts of a sentence work together to


create meaning.

2. Subject
The subject is the doer of the action or the main focus of the sentence.
• It typically comes before the verb in English sentences.
• It can be a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase.

Examples:
1. The dog barked.
• Subject: The dog
2. She is reading a book.
• Subject: She
3. Running is fun.
• Subject: Running (a gerund).

How to Identify the Subject?

Ask “Who or what is doing the action?”

3. Objects: Direct and Indirect


An object receives the action of the verb. Objects can be direct or indirect.

Direct Object

The direct object is the person or thing directly affected by the action.
• Usually answers “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb.
Examples:
1. He kicked the ball.
• Verb: kicked
• Direct object: the ball
2. She loves chocolate.
• Verb: loves
• Direct object: chocolate

Indirect Object

The indirect object is the person or thing that benefits from or receives the
direct object.
• Usually answers “To whom?” or “For whom?”

Examples:
1. He gave her a gift.
• Direct object: a gift
• Indirect object: her
2. I told him the truth.
• Direct object: the truth
• Indirect object: him

4. Complements
A complement gives extra information about the subject or object.
Complements are often necessary to complete the meaning of a sentence.

Types of Complements:

Subject Complement
• Describes or renames the subject.
• Usually follows linking verbs like is, seem, or become.
• Examples:
1. She is a doctor.
• Subject: She
• Complement: a doctor (renames She).
2. The cake smells delicious.
• Complement: delicious (describes The cake).

Object Complement
• Describes or renames the object.
• Examples:
1. They made him captain.
• Object: him
• Complement: captain (renames him).
2. We found the room empty.
• Object: the room
• Complement: empty (describes the room).

5. Modifiers
Modifiers add extra detail to the sentence. They can be optional and are not
essential to the core meaning.

Types of Modifiers:
1. Adjective Modifier: Describes a noun.
• Example: The red car is fast.
• Modifier: red (describes car).
2. Adverb Modifier: Describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
• Example: She runs quickly.
• Modifier: quickly (describes runs).
3. Prepositional Phrases as Modifiers: Add information about location,
time, or reason.
• Example: He sat on the chair.
• Modifier: on the chair (describes where he sat).

6. Form and Function Together


The form of a word or phrase refers to its grammatical category (noun, verb,
adjective, etc.), while its function refers to the role it plays in the sentence
(subject, object, etc.).

Examples:
1. Swimming is fun.
• Form: Swimming is a gerund (noun form of a verb).
• Function: Subject of the sentence.
2. They painted the house blue.
• Form: Blue is an adjective.
• Function: Complement (describes the house).

Key Takeaway:

The same form can perform different functions in different contexts. For
example:
• He gave a book to her. (Her is an object here.)
• She is her mother. (Her is part of the subject complement here.)

Tree Diagram for Grammatical Functions

Direct and Indirect Object

Sentence: He gave her a gift.

S
/ \
NP VP
| / \
He V NP
| / \
gave NP PP
| |
her a gift

Subject and Subject Complement

Sentence: She is a doctor.

S
/ \
NP VP
| / \
She V NP
| |
is a doctor

Object and Object Complement

Sentence: They made him captain.

S
/ \
NP VP
| / \
They V NP
| / \
made him NP
|
captain

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