NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Basic Education Department

Junior High School

Module 06: English Language Structure

This module is designed for you to have a better grasp on the units the make
up the English language structure. It will provide you a clear understanding on these
building blocks of your second language, their types and functions, thus will lead you
to compose comprehensive texts. These units are (1) phrases, (2) clauses,
(sentences), and (4) paragraphs.

I. Phrases
 A group of related words expressing a single idea but it cannot stand
alone as a sentence.
 It does not express a complete thought; it does not contain a subject
and a predicate.
 It functions in a sentence as one part of speech or as a grammatical
unit.

A. Kinds of Phrases

1. Noun Phrase
 Used as subject or object of the sentence
Examples:
The table is made of Narra..
Maria knows the answer.

2. Adjective Phrase
 Describes a noun or pronoun.
Examples:
The pretty girl is my granddaughter Aya.
Ten apples were placed in the basket.
That five-foot stick is slippery.

3. Verb Phrase
 used as a verb
Examples:
He has bought an umbrella.
She is embroidering a handkerchief.
They will come.

4. Verbal Phrase
 Consists of verbal and the word/s modifying it
 Verbals are participles, gerunds and infinitives
o Participial Phrase (participle and its modifiers, used as
adjectives)
 I saw a shooting star. (present participle)
 She ate fried chicken. (past participle)

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 1

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

o Gerund Phrase
 phrase consisting of a gerund and any modifiers or
objects associated with it
 functions in a sentence just like a noun, and can act
as a subject, an object, or a predicate nominative.
 Gerunds can appear alone or band together with
other words to form a gerund phrase.
 Running is a favorite activity of mine.
 Running with scissors is a favorite activity of
mine.
 Learning a new word every day is a good
practice.

o Infinitive Phrase (to + base form a verb, present tense)

 can be used as a noun, adjective or adverb
 An infinitive phrase is the infinitive form of a verb plus
any complements and modifiers.
 They want to climb the hill. (object of want)
 The speaker to invite is Dr. Ralleta. (modifies
guest speaker)
 The supervisor has arrived to inspect the
project. (modifies has arrived)

5. Adverbial Phrase
 Modifies an adjective, a verb, or another adverb
Examples:
Sammy embraced me very tightly.
Emy drinks milk every day.
Reku kept his toys in the box.
Lance guided them very patiently.

6. Prepositional Phrase
 Consist of a preposition, an object (noun or pronoun), and its
modifiers.
Examples:
They will be here until the rainy season. (time)
A coconut tree is beside the fountain. (place)
He is going up the stairs. (direction)
He was here on Valentine’s Day.
The examination will be in the morning.
My literature class is at 8:30a.m..

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 2

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

Activity 06.a

Classify the underlined phrase in each sentence. (noun phrase, adjective

phrase, adverbial phrase, prepositional phrase, verb phrase or verbal phrase).

1. Her condominium is just across the street.

2. The rain fell too suddenly.
3. There will be a concert on Sunday night.
4. The seedlings are in the greenhouse.
5. Children enjoy walking in the rain.
6. The teacher will guide the pupils.
7. There is a display of antique mirrors.
8. Romeo wants to buy the farm.
9. There are many things to do in the office.
10. Why have you come so early.

Submit your activity through your shared Google Drive folder on or

before February 6th.

II. Clauses
 a group of words containing a subject and a predicate and
functioning as a part of a complex or a compound sentence

A. Classification of Clauses

1. Independent/Principal Clause
 Can stand alone to express a thought. It makes a complete or
independent statement.
Examples:
The student who enjoys his work learns fast
I would be on the other side of you
Wives are people

2. Dependent/Subordinate Clause
 Cannot stand alone to express a complete statement.
Examples:
while the band played.
If I held you any closer
who feel they don't dance enough

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 3

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

Activity 06.b

Identify the dependent and independent clauses in the following

sentences. Underline twice the independent clause and once for the dependent
clause.

1. The patrol had spotted the sniper, who was hiding in an attic.
2. Do you know the butcher who went to court on Saturday?
3. I am not tidying the dishes unless Peter helps.
4. When it rains, the daffodils bow their heads.
5. The secret of life is honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
6. If you've heard this story before, don't stop me, because I'd like to hear it
again.
7. Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
8. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
9. I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.
10. My sister who lives in London was arrested.

Submit your activity through your shared Google Drive folder on or

before February 10th.

III. Sentences
 The expression of a complete thought by means of a group of
words that can stand alone
 A group of words that makes a complete sense
 Every sentence has a subject and predicate
o Subject – denotes the person, place or thing spoken of
o Predicate – tells something about the subject

A. Types of Sentences According to Function

1. Declarative sentence gives a statement or fact; it tells something; it

expresses an opinion; it ends with a period.
Examples:
He is married to Edita Paguirigan Academia.
She is beautiful.

2. Interrogative sentence is a question; it asks something; it ends with a

question mark.
Example:
Do you like to see my new bag?

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 4

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

3. Imperative sentence requests something or gives a command; it ends

with a period.
Examples:
Keep your bicycle in the garage, John.
Please take two loaves of ginger bread for me.

4. Exclamatory sentence expresses a strong or sudden emotion. An

exclamation mark is used at the end of the sentence to indicate a strong
feeling.
Examples:
How beautiful you are!
What a beautiful car!

B. Types of Sentences According to Structure

1. Simple sentence is made up of one independent clause.

 It has one subject and one predicate. However, the subject and
predicate may each be simple or they may be both compound.
Examples:
Go!
The ice melts quickly.
Lying without its blanket of snow, the ice on the river melts quickly under
the warm March sun

2. Compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses joined

by coordinating conjunctions but if the relation is clearly implied, no
conjunction need to be used.
Examples:
I am fond of apples but my sister prefers guavas.
Jogging develops the power to run a slow pace; it trains the body to move
briskly and leisurely.

Connectives
a. Continuation of the same line of thought (also, and, besides,
furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover)
I have a computer and my brother has a typewriter.
b. Contrast (but, however, nevertheless, notwithstanding)
He has a cellular phone but he does not use it.
c. Alternation (else, nor, or, otherwise)
Make your essay interesting or you will be required to write another one.

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 5

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

d. Correlation (both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also)

Not only did I entertain her but some of my friends also tendered
reception in her honor.
e. Consequence or inference (accordingly, as a result, for this reason,
hence, therefore, thus)
He studied hard, as a result, he got high grades.
f. Reason (for)
The worship service must have ended for there is no light in the
chapel.

3. Complex sentence consist of one independent clause and one or more

dependent clauses.
Examples:
If you want to learn the English language, you must use it.
The employee who enjoys working performs well.

4. Compound-complex sentence is compose of two or more independent

clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
Examples:
You just have graduated from college and you are looking around for a job
you can land on because you want to earn at once.

Activity 06.c

On the following statements, identify what type of sentences they are

according to form and structure. Additionally, underline twice the independent
clause and once for the dependent clause.

1. Humour is reason gone mad.

2. No man goes before his time, unless the boss leaves early.
3. I have had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.
4. Those are my principles, and if you don't like them, I have others.
5. Wives are people who feel they don't dance enough.

Submit your activity through your shared Google Drive folder on or

before February 13th.

IV. Paragraphs
 A unit of composition or a group of properly related sentences
developing a single topic effectively.
 A unit of composition consisting usually of a group of sentences
that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a single
topic or idea.

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 6

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

 Topic Sentence
o the sentence that expresses the topic or main idea of the
paragraph
o Functions of Topic Sentence
 It introduces and may summarize the content of the
paragraph
 It provides a transition, relating to the paragraph to
other parts of the composition
 It may indicate the organization of the paragraph
 It is brief but presents the main idea

A. Seven Methods of Developing a Topic Sentence

1. Development by definition
A bud is a group of underdeveloped parts which will
grow into a stem and some leaves. If it is a leaf bud, it will grow
into a leafy branch. If it is a flower bud, it will grow into a flower
or several flowers and will also develop some ordinary leaves.

2. Development by details
A businessman works in the office. He plans business
activities. He attends meetings and prepares reports. He talks
about buying, selling and producing things. A businessman hires
workers to help him.

3. Development by specific details

Young animals are like children in their craving for
amusement. A puppy can have a great game with only a bone,
by chasing its shadow on the wall or by playing a ball while a
kitten may be happy by running after a small mouse or an
insect. A young bear will lie on its back and play with its feet for
hours. Young rabbits go out on evenings on the sandhills to play
hide-and-seek with their parents.

4. Development by Comparison and Contrast

Sometimes mistaken for corns, warts are actually
infectious growths on the skin caused by human papilioma
virus. Corns, on the other hand, are small hardened areas of
skin that usually appear on the ball of the foot or the sides of
the toes and fingers due to friction and pressure. Warts first
appear as inconspicuous bumps on the skin. Unlike corns which

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 7

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

are not contagious, warts when left untreated could grow and
multiply into rough, ugly cauliflower like modules.

5. Development by Cause and Effect

Liquor in itself is not pleasurable to drink for young
people because of the taste of alcohol. But there are different
reasons why adolescents turn to alcoholism: peer pressure,
curiosity and following the example shown by the elderly. And
youth who learned to drink tends to learn other vices like
smoking and worse, drugs.

6. Development by description
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is
not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.
Love, I Corinthians 13:4-7

7. Development by Narration
It happened that a dog had got a piece of meat and
was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on its
way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook.
As it crossed, it looked down and saw its own shadow reflected
in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another
piece of meat, it made up his mind to have that also. So it made
a snap at the shadow in the water but as it opened its mouth
the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never
seen more.

B. Principles in Writing Comprehensive Paragraphs

1. Unity
A writer builds a paragraph by making every sentence refer
to the controlling idea found in the topic sentence. All the facts,
reasons, or examples should explain the single thought. The
paragraph should present only one topic.

2. Coherence
All of the sentences in the paragraph should follow one
upon another logically – each sentence leads to the next sentence
in explaining the topic sentence in an orderly sequence.

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 8

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher
 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Basic Education Department
Junior High School

 Coherence Patterns
o From the least important example to the most
important example
o From the most important example to the least
important example
o Chronologically (in time order)
o Spatially (in place order)
o Inductively (from specific facts to a general
conclusion)
o Deductively (from a general conclusion to specific
facts)

3. Emphasis
Requires that important ideas should attract more of the
reader’s attention. This can be achieved by placing important
ideas in a climactic order or in sequence of increasing importance
and interest. The most emphatic positions in a paragraph are the
beginning and the ending.

Activity 06.d
Justify whether or not the following passage is a comprehensive
paragraph. If yes, what is its main idea?

A newspaper is better than a magazine. The seashore is a

better place than the street. At first it is better to run than to walk.
You may have to try several times. It takes some skill, but it is easy
to learn. Even young children can enjoy it. Once successful,
complications are minimal. Birds seldom get too close. Rain,
however soaks in very fast. Too many people doing the same thing
can also cause problems. One needs lots of room. If there are no
complications, it can be very peaceful. A rock will serve as an
anchor. If things break loose from it, however, you will not get a
second chance.

Submit your activity through your shared Google Drive folder on or

before February 20th.

Module 06: English Language Structure Page 9

Johnny R. Pagaduan
Teacher