NAME: ASMA BASHIR COURSE: GRAMMAR AND

SYNTAX
SEMESTER:3-C DATE: 19th may, 2021
Exercises 1
The following exercises contain sentences consisting of two or more
clauses. Analyze each sentence into its clauses and state the type of
each clause – main clause, adverbial clause (of reason, concession and
so on), Relative clause, complement clause. The examples in
Exercises 1–3 are either made up or adapted from ‘real’ sentences.
The examples in Exercise 4 are from a magazine article.
1. Jane believes that the earrings she got from Susan are real silver
Relative clause
2. I’ll believe it when I see it.
I’ll believe it- main clause, when I see it- adverbial clause of time
3. If you think Scotland are ever going to win the European
Championship, you must be a real optimist.
If you think Scotland are ever going to win the European championship-
adverbial clause of condition, you must be a real optimist- complement
clause
4. The article in which the theory was put forward is now unobtainable
able.
Noun clause
5. That Helen is to marry the man she met on holiday has surprised all her
friends.
Complement clause
6. Celia did not say that you could keep the book that you borrowed.
Complement clause
7. Because you are flying non-stop, you will probably have severe jet-lag.
Because you are flying non-stop- adverbial clause of reason, you will
probably have severe jet-lag- main clause.
8. He promised that he would be here on time, though I find it difficult to
rely on him.
He promised- main clause, that he would be here on time- complement
clause, though I find it difficult to rely on him- adverbial clause of reason.
9. The woman whose car you think you have dented is our MP.
Complement clause
10. That you don’t like my home-made vodka I find difficult to believe.
That you don’t like my home-made vodka- complement clause, I find it
difficult to believe- main clause
11. Since you think you are ready to sit the test, come along tomorrow.
Since you think you are ready to sit the test- adverbial clause of reason,
come along tomorrow- main clause
12. That the club regained the trophy dismayed the teams that had better
players.
Complement clause

2. 1. We regret that the plan is impracticable.

We regret- main clause, that the plan is impracticable- noun clause
2. They accept the theory that the world is flat.
They accept the theory- main clause, that the world is flat- noun clause
3. They accept the theory that the group proposed.
They accepted the theory- main clause, that the group proposed-
complement clause
4. Did Fiona say who would be at the party?
Main clause
5. Which of the candidates will be elected is quite unpredictable.
Complement clause
6. It is believed by some historians that Napoleon was poisoned.
It is believed by some historians- main clause, that napoleon was
poisoned- noun clause
3. 1. Kirsty went out and forgot to switch off the gas fire.
Kristy went out- main clause, and forgot to switch off the gas fire-
adverbial clause of condition
2. We know that she wrote several novels and threw them away.
Complement clause
3. The editors who ignored the ban and printed the story might find
Themselves in prison.
Noun clause
4. If you go walking on the hills in winter and do not take proper
Equipment, you are asking for trouble.
If you go walking on the hills in winter and do not take proper
equipment- adverbial clause of condition, you are asking for trouble-
main clause

4. 1. They are pioneering a new geography in which they will establish

when new races settled in particular regions.
Complement clause
2. A geneticist says the Pacific islands are an ideal testing ground for the
theory that the Pacific was colonized from west to east.
A geneticist says the Pacific islands are an ideal testing ground for the
theory- main clause, that the Pacific was colonized from west to east-
noun clause
3. The history begins with the day when the chief medical officer for
Vanuatu noticed that a large number of people there suffered from
Anemia.
The history begins with the day when the chief medical officer for
Vanuatu noticed- main clause, that a large number of people there
suffered from Anemia- relative clause
4. He was advised to treat them with iron supplements so he contacted
scientists at Oxford who found that half of the donors suffered from
alpha-thalassemia, which is usually linked to the presence of malaria.
Complement clause
5. It seems that the gene protects against malaria, since carriers of the
Alpha 3.7 mutant will not die of malaria even if they contract a severe
bout.
It seems that the gene protects against malaria- complement clause, since
carriers of the Alpha 3.7 mutant will not die of malaria even if they
contract a severe bout- adverbial clause of condition.
6. Although anthropological studies have been inconclusive, previous
Biological research has suggested that there was no contact while the
Melanesians were moving east.
Although anthropological studies have been inconclusive- dependent
clause, previous biological research has suggested- main clause, that there
was no contact while the Melanesians were moving east- noun clause
Exercises 2
1. Pick out the non-finite clauses in the following examples. Say
whether each non-infinite clause is an infinitive, a gerund or a free
participle and what the understood subject is.
1. She tried to learn two languages simultaneously to a high level inside
three months.
She tried to learn two languages- non-finite clause, infinitive
2. I hate travelling to Glasgow by the M8 at this time of year.
I hate travelling to Glasgow- non-finite clause, gerund
3. Having looked at all the exercises very carefully, we concluded that the
marking had been too lenient.
Having looked at all the exercises very carefully- no-finite clause, free
participle
4. Sheila quickly hiding something under the chair when I came in, I
Assumed that she had been buying my Christmas present.
No finite clause, gerund
5. I don’t understand Imogen’s being so keen to spend her holidays
tramping tirelessly round art galleries.
Non-finite clause, infinitive
6. With all the children coming home for Christmas and the New Year,
I’m going to take the dogs for long walks.
With all the children coming home for Christmas and the New Year- non-
finite clause, gerund; I’m going to take the dogs for long walks-non-finite
clause, to infinitive
7. His car sold, he set off on foot for Tighnabruaich.
His car sold- non-finite clause, free participle
2. Indirect questions:
English has two types of interrogative constructions: direct questions
And indirect questions. Direct questions are, as the name suggests, put
Directly: for example, when did you phone? Did you remember to buy
potatoes? How long is this essay? Who paid for the meal? In indirect
questions, interrogative structures such as the above are the complement
of verbs such as, and so on. Some of the examples below are taken from
grammars of English, while other examples are taken from various types
of spontaneously produced English (spontaneously in the sense that they
were not thought up for the purposes of tutorial material but were used by
speakers of English in the ordinary course of speaking or writing.)
1. Describe the syntax of the indirect questions – that is, specify the
Type of question (WH or yes–no) and whether the word order is direct or
indirect.
2. Try to decide which indirect question constructions:
(a) You have heard used in speech or seen in writing;
You have heard-direct
(b) You would accept in a piece of written work (say, from a someone
learning English as a second language);
You would accept- direct
(c) You would use in formal writing (say, an essay or a job application).
You would use- direct
1.I wondered when the plane would leave.
I wondered- WH- DIRECT WORD ORDER
2. They were trying to decide where the best place was to go on
Holiday.
They were trying to decide-WH- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
3. We still have the problem of how we are to fund the extra resources.
WH- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
4. John asked me whether I was ready yet.
WH- DIRECT WORD ORDER
5. Mary told him how brave he was.
WH- DIRECT WORD ORDER
6. I can’t remember now what the reason was for it.
NO- DIRECT WORD ORDER
7. If they got a carpet, they had to decide where the best place to put it
was.
WH- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
8. No one is sure how long are the passages leading off from this center.
NO- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
9. But the thought did cross my mind as to what is the rate of burglary per
hour in Edinburgh.
NO- DIRECT WORD ORDER
10. The question arises as to what language they should be literate in.
WH- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
11. The problem still remains of what is the resource-holding body.
NO- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
12. You were shouting at me about why I had not done something.
NO-DIRECT WORD ORDER
13. We would like them to share what are their forecasts.
WH- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
14. The real issue is whether this institution is governed dictatorially from
the top or do we have a democratic college.
NO- INDIRECT WORD ORDER
15. In the diagram on the next page I have tried to represent my own
personal opinion about whether these verbs can take a human subject and
if so do they necessarily require an object which is either water or another
liquid.
NO- DIRECT WORD ORDER