In a typical English sentence we can see the two most basic principles of grammar, the arrangement of items (syntax) and the structure of items (morphology).
Syntax (Cú pháp): Syntax is the part of Grammar that deals with the order of words in a sentence, and with their relations to one another in its construction.
Parsing (Phân tích từ loại): Parsing is the detailed description of the grammatical features of a single word in a sentence.
Analysis (Phân tích mệnh đề): Analysis is the the resolution of a sentence into its grammatical elements or clauses.
Transformation (Sự biến thể): Transformation of sentence is the interchange of the form of sentences without changing their meanings. Ex: Bill is younger than Tom – Tom is not so yong as Bill.
Synthesis (Sự kết hợp): Synthesis of sentences is the combination of two or more simple sentences into a new one. Synthesis is the contrary of analysis. Ex: He made a mistake. He apologied. = After having made a mistake, he apologized.
Sentence (Câu): A sentence is a word or combination of words that makes a complete sense. Ex: Stop! –Do you know him? – Yes.
Clause (Mệnh đề): A clause is a sentence that is part of a larger sentence, in which there is a finite verb. Ex: This is the only book that I have.
Phrase (Cụm từ): A phrase is a group of words that makes sense but not complete, and considered as a single part of speech. Ex: on the table; in time; through the forest.
Statement (Câu phát biểu): A statement is a sentence which states something. It is either affirmative or negative, but never interrogative. Ex: I am rich. I am not rich.
Subject and predicate (Chử ngữ và thuật từ): The subject is the part of the sentence which names what we speak about. The predicate is the part of the sentence which makes a statement about the subject. Ex: (subject) Tom / (predicate) is my classmate.
Finite and non-finite (Giới hạn và vô hạn): Ex: I heard a sweet voice from the next room. Hearing this I was much surprised.
Object of verb (Tân ngữ/túc từ/đối từ của động từ): The object of a verb is a word or words which show the person or thing receiving the action of the subject expressed by the verb. Ex: The children love their parents.
Transitive verb (Ngoại/tha động từ): A transitive verb expresses an action that is directed towards the receiver, and therefore it must take an object. Thus: Transitive verb is a verb requiring an object. Ex: I buy a new pen.
Intransitive (Nội/tự động từ): An intransitive verb expresses an action that stops with the doer and therefore it doesn’t need to take an object. Thus: Intransitive verb is a verb having no object. Ex: He walks slowly.
Complement of verb (Bổ ngữ của động từ): Some transitive verbs require not only an object, but also some other word or words to make the sense complete. The word or words that complete what the verb left unsaid are called complement. Ex: The sadness drove her mad.- He became a rich man.
Adjunct (or modifier) (Sung từ hay bổ từ): There are two sorts of Adjunct: Attributive adjunct and Adverbial adjunct.The attributive adjunct is a word or group of words which enlarges the meaning of the subject word. The Adverbial adjunct is a word or group of words which extends the meaning of the Finite verb. Ex: The new moon is rising on the horizon.(Moon: subject; is rising = finite verb; new =attributive adjunct; On the horizon = Adverbial adjunct) – Note: Attributive adjunct còn được gọi là Subject modifier; và Adverbial adjunct là Verb modifier.
Object of preposition (Tân ngữ của giới từ): The noun, pronoun or noun-equivalent that follows the preposition is callled its Object. Ex: We go to school.
Noun-equivalent (Tuơng đương của danh từ): Any word or group of words that does the work of a noun in a sentence must be considered as a noun. Ex: To err is hman. How to do this is the question.
Noun used in apposition (Danh từ dùng đồng cách): A noun (or noun-equivalent)is said to be in apposition with another noun when it is placed immediately after that noun for the purpose of explanation. Ex: I’d like to present Mr Brown, a teacher.
Noun used in vocative (Danh từ dùng ở hô cách): A noun is said to be in the Vocative when it is used for the purpose of addressing someone. The word or words used in this case has no grammatical function in the sentence construction. Ex: Dear children, you mst obey your parents.
Noun used absolutely (Danh từ dùng tuyệt đối): A noun (or pronoun) is said to be used absolutely when it is neither Subject or Object or Complement to a verb, nor Object to a preposition. In this case, it goes with a Participle or with an Infinitive. Ex: The game being over, we went home. The race will be run today. The fastest runner to receive a cup.
Introductory word: it; there –
Formal subject – Real subject: It is no use crying. – Antecedent: This is the house which I have just bought. Postposition: The parents look after their children. Radical – Prefix –Suffix.
How to distinguish the part of speech.
Some words are used as different Parts of Speech. They are identical in forms, and to distinguish them we must observe the work that each of them does in the sentence. (Một số chữ được sử dụng làm các từ loại khác nhau. Chúng có cùng hình thức và để phân biệt ta phải xem chức năng của mỗi từ trong câu).
Compare the following examples:
1) Lan has told me about that man. (Demonstrative adjective)
2) They talk too much and I don’t like that. (Demonstrative pronoun)
3) He thought that his daughter was very beautiful. (Subordinating conjunction)
4) HCM is a very large city that I have never seen. ( Relative pronoun)
About:
- This book is about poetry. (Prep) – He is about 80. (Adv) – We are running about in the garden. (Adv)
Above:
- Read the above letter carefully. (Adj) – The regulation is stated above. (Adv) – The ceiling is above her head. (Prep)
After:
- You speak first and I speak after. (Adv) – After lunch, I went for a walk in the park (Prep) – I went for a walk after I had finished my breakfast. (Conj) – In after months, he became very lazy. (Adj)
All:
- We must all die some day. (Num Adj) – He ate all the cake. (Quant. Adj) – His face is all dirty. (Adv) – I shall tell to all I meet. (Pron)
Any:
- Have you any books? (Ind Adj) – Have you any paper? (Quant. Adj) – I cannot rest any longer. (Adv) – Any of you can do this. (Ind. Pron)
As:
- We are not so strong as you think. (Conj) – You had better go as soon as possible. (Adv) – I shall give you the same book as mine. (Rel Pron)
Before:
- We have seen him before. (Adv) – Come and see me before you leave. ( Conj) – She stands before the table. (Prep)
Better:
- I have a better idea than hers. (Comp Adj) – Did she sleep better than the other nights? (Comp Adv) - One should respect one’s betters.
But:
- We are poor but honest. ( Conj) – There is no one but her. (Prep)
- They are but stupid girls. (Adv) – There is no one but knows it. (Rel Pron) –
Each:
- Each man must work for his ow living. (Adj) – They are afraid of each other. (Pron)
Either:
- You may take either of these books. (Pron) – I shall take either pen. (Adj) – He doesn’t like cake either. (Adv)
Enough:
- This house is comfortable enough. (Adv) – Have you enough time? (Quant. Adj) – We have enough books to read. (Num Adj) –
Far:
- He had to walk too far. (Adv) – We come here from a very far country. (Adj)
Fast:
- We are fast runners. (Adj) – You work very fast. (Adv) – We must fast to keep thinner. (V) – A clean fast is better than a dirty breakfast. (N)
For:
- Can you do it for me? (Prep) – I have learnt English for five years. (Prep) – Wait a moment for she is going to come. (Conj)
Half:
- Half of my work is done. (Pron) – We are half happy and half sad. (Adv) – I have been waiting for you half an hour. (Adj) – You may take the bigger half. (N)
Hard:
- This is a very hard job. (Adj) – English is very hard to pronounce. (Adv) – To get two year hard. (N)
Late:
- Tree leaves fall lavishly in late Autumn. (Adj) – He always comes late to work. (Adv)
Little:
- Little children like to eat candy. (Adj) – We worked little in after years. (Adv) – Give him a little of your money. (Ind Pron) –
Long:
- This essay is very long. (Adj) – Are they going to stay long? (Adv) – Do you long for you home? (V) - We know the long and the short of the matter. (N)
Many:
- We have many books about America. (Adj) – Many attend the examination but few are passed. (Pron) – The many have to labour for the few. (N)
More:
- There is nothing more to be said. (Adj) – He knows more about it than anybody. (Pron) – We want to see him no more. (Adv)
Much:
- We have had much rain this year. (Adj) – He wasted much of his time. (Pron) – I am much pleased with her. (Adv)
Near:
- The school is quite near to my office. (Adv) – He is a near relative of mine. (Adj) – My village is near the city. (Prep)
Neither:
- A bird has neither feet nor hands. (Conj) – Neither tale is true. (Adj) – Neither of you knows it. (Pron)
One:
- There is only one cake left. (Def.Num. Adj) – One day, I met him in the street. (Ind. Dem. Adj) – No one knows what will happen. ( Ind De Pron) - I prefer the red pen to the green one. (Def Dem Pron)
Only:
- This is my only book I give you, (Adj) – He is only twenty years old. (Adv)
Other:
- The other people are also my friends. (Adj) – Come here, the one after the other. (Dem Pron) –
Right:
I hold my pen in my right hand. (Adj) – We must do the right and avoid the wrong. (N) – I want that you will do it right now. (Adv) – You have made a mistake, you must right it. (V)
Round:
They are eating lunch at a round table. (Adj) – Let’s go round the garden. (Prep) – They fly round and round. (Adv)
Since:
- I will come since you want me to. (Conj) – They have come here since December. ( Prep) – I have not seen her since. (Adv)
Such:
- I never saw such a one as him. (Adj) – He is a coward, I am not such. (Pron)
So:
- I am so busy that I have not time to write letter (Adv) – They said that he was rich but I don’t think so. (Def Dem Pron)
Some:
- Some people don’t like cake. (Adj) – Some agree with me and some disagree. (Pron) – I shall wait some few minutes (Adv)
Still:
- Still water runs deep. (Adj) I like to sit alone in the still of the night. (N) – You are still too young to do it. (Adv)
The:
- The dog is a faithful animal. ( Def art or Def Dem Adj) – The more, the merrier. (Adv of quant)
Then:
- I was then living n Hanoi. (Adv) – First he wanted to go (and) then he changed his mind. (Adv) – If you don’t want it, leave it then. (Conj)
Very:
- They lived in this very house (Adj) – Her daughter is very nice. (Adv)
Well:
- They speak English very well. (Adv) – He doesn’t feel well. (Adj) – The tears well out from her eyes. (V) – Water to drink was got from a well. (N)
What:
- What did they say? (Inter Pron) – What newspaper do you read? (Inter Ad) – I don’t understand what you mean. (Rel Pron)
When:
- When will you be back? (Inter Adv) – I met him the day when he came. (Rel Adv) – When I am a man, I shall be a soldier. (Conj)
Where:
- Where are you going? (Inter Adv) – This is the city where I live. (Rel Adv) – He doesn’t remember where he left it. (Conj) – From where did you come?
While:
- It must take a long while to do this. (N) – While she was reading a magazine the nurse came in. (Conj)
Yet:
- I have not known him yet. (Adv) – That is not very good, yet not bad. (Conj)
The subject-word may be modified by an adjective or adjective equivalent called its enlargement, Attributive Adjunct or Attribute. (Từ chủ ngữ có thể bổ nghĩa bằng tính từ hay từ tương đương với tính từ mà ta gọi nó là Định ngữ).
1. Patient efforts may remove mountains. (adj)
2. Singing birds delight us. (participle)
3. The man standing on the platform is my uncle (participial phrase)
4. My friend’s bicycle is very expensive. (noun in the possessive case)
5. His wonderful progress made us astonished. (possessive adjective)
6. Water to drink is scarce in the countryside. (infinitive)
7. The summer months are June, July and August. (noun used as adjective)
8. The book on the table belongs to my friend. (prepositional phrase)
9. Lan, the daughter of my teacher, can play the guitar. (appositive)
10. Men who are wise seldom speak. (adjective clause)
Determiners/Possessives (18) – Ordinals (17) – Cardinals (16) – Opinion (15) – Size (14) – Measurement (13) – Condition (12) – Age (11) – Temperature (10) – Shape (9) – Color (8) – Origin (7) – Season/Time (6) – Material (5) – Power (4) – Location (3/2) – Purpose (1) Head Noun
Sentences
A sentence is a group of words which makes complete sense.
Ex: Fish swim – Birds sing – All good children pity the poor – Grammar teaches us the correct use of language – The blooming flowers are beautiful.
1. Subject and Predicate (Chủ ngữ và vị ngữ)
A sentence is composed, usually of two parts, the Subject and the Predicate.
SUBJECT Fish Birds Grammar
|
PREDICATE swim. sing. teaches us the correct use of language. |
- Mary and Lisa are enrolled in the same course. (hai chủ từ)
- The spectators clapped and cheered when the home team ran onto the field. (hai động từ)
Chủ từ đầy đủ Động từ đầy đủ
- The actor who portrayed Count Dracula received standing ovation.
- The kind of music I most enjoyed is dance music from the big-bang era.
I. Classification by use (Phân loại theo cách dùng)
Ex: - Eating nutritious food is good for you.
- I do not like classical music.
Ex: - What’s your name?
Ex: - Come in.
- Come in, please.
Ex: - What a good time we enjoy! – How dirty the room is!
a) What adds emphasis to a noun: - What a fool he is!
b) How adds emphasis to an adjective, an adverb, or a verb: - How kind you are! – How quickly time has gone! – How he snores!
a) If the subject is a personal pronoun it comes before the verb: - There he is! – Here they come!
b) If the subject is a noun it comes after the verb: - There goes our train! – Here comes the bride!
A simple sentence is a sentence that usually has one finite verb. (Câu đơn là câu thường có một động từ có ngôi (chủ ngữ).
Ex: - He made me forget all my worries.
A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more principal or main clauses joined together by such conjunctions as: and, but, or, therefore, else etc,. (Câu kép là câu gồm có hai hay nhiều mệnh đề chính nối với nhau bằng những liên từ như: and, but, or, therefore, else v..v..
Ex: - The boat was wrecked, but the people on it were saved.
A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one principal clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
Ex: - She says that she loves music. (She says = principal clause – that she loves music = noun clause)
- He is a man whom we all admire. (He is a man = principal clause – whom we all admire = adjective clause)
- They rested when evening came. (They rested = principal clause – when evening came = adverb clause)
When the principal clauses of a compound sentence contain one or more subordinate clauses, the sentence is called Mixed Sentence.
Ex: - I am as poor as you are, but I am happy because I am contented.
Note: (Ghi chú)
1. Khi một câu có ba mệnh đề trở lên nhưng không có liên từ thì đó là câu phức hợp. (complex)
2. Khi một câu có ba mệnh đề trở lên nhưng có liên từ thì đó là câu hỗn hợp. (mixed)
3. Khi một câu ở dạng so sánh thì đó là câu phức hợp.
4. Hai mệnh đề đi liền nhau và có dấu (;) tách biệt thì đó là câu kép.
5. Một câu dù có dài bao nhiêu nhưng chỉ có một cấu trúc: Chủ ngữ + động từ thì đó vẫn là câu đơn.
Ex: - Birds fly. – Many birds fly south in the winter. – Jack and Dan study together. (Compound subject) – Steve washes and dries the dishes. (compound verb) – Yvette and Rence live and work together. (compound subject and verb)
Ex: - After our long and arduous journey, we finally found the ancient city, shining in all its glory.
Ex: - Bob won the bronze medal in the track meet, but (Spiro won the silver).
- Linda won the bronze medal; however, Nicole won the silver.
Ex: - (When Deborak arrived), Mario took the roast off the oven. The second statement contains the action; the first statement merely introduces it).
- The caretaker (who found the diamond ring) was given a generous award, (which he immediately spent). (The statements within the parentheses merely modify the words caretaker
and reward in the dependent clasuses).
Ex:- (Unless we improve the quality of our acting), the director will hire new actors and actresses, or the producer will withdraw his money from the show.
- The pub opened on time, and the waiters were at their stations; however, the customers refused to enter (when they saw the pickets parading outside).
1. Little Margaret is fond of ice cream. __________.
2. We located the misplaced shipment of textbooks, but we were unable to find their accompanying manuals. __________.
3. The children were merry, but the old people were serious. __________.
4. Raymond Cheung is employed as a computer programmer at our college. __________.
5. The young lady speaks much better than her friend. __________.
6. We reluctantly accepted our employees’ request for extended coffee breaks. __________.
7. Alice told me that she had visited Edward, but she did not mention Edward’s illness. ______.
8. She will be required to submit her request for a leave of absence before the end of the fiscal year. __________.
9. We need many windows that we may breathe fresh air. __________.
10. The budget meeting ended, but the heated discussion continued in the hall. __________.
11. Youth and experience seldom exist together. __________.
12. Christine was overjoyed when she heard that she won the physics prize. __________.
13. The girl who wears the black silk gown s my sister. __________.
14. The fire in our library was quickly contained; nevertheless, it still destroyed many books that were invaluable reference sources. __________.
15, Work hard or you will fail. __________.
16. My aunt and uncle are travelling to Germany and France this summer. __________.
17. The swallows were flying here and there through the warm spring air. __________.
18. Watch out for the speed trap; it is located two kilometers down the road. __________.
19. He is a good teacher, so he is very popular with students. ___________.
20. After you finish the test, please read the next chapter in your text; it will be discussed during class tomorrow. __________.
21. The higher up you go, the colder it becomes.
22. After the hockey game we went directly home. __________;
23. The diver went under the water and came up with a pearl. __________.
24. After we graduated from high school, I went to our local community college; my brother obtained a job at the telephone company. __________.
25. There was nobody but agreed with your proposal. __________.
26. Susan lost her purse in the department store. __________.
27. Walk quickly, else you will not overtake him. __________.
28. Clara is an exceptional career counselor but a poor judge of character. __________.
29. He says what he means, and he means what he says. __________.
30. Don’t forget to lock your car. __________.
31. As the boxers advanced to the ring, the people said they would not allow them to fight. __________.
32. The ice storm caused several major highway accidents, but fortunately there were no fatalities. __________.
33. They asked him how he received the wound, but he refused to answer. __________.
34. Your arguments were weighty; still they do not convince me. __________.
35. She returned home after having finished her work. __________.
36. You will not succeed unless you work hard, and if you do not succeed everyone will blame you. __________.
37. Dennis and Fred are responsible for planning our itinerary and reserving our hotel rooms. __________.
38. While Kevin was mowing the lawn, he found the car keys that Betty had lost the previous week. __________.
40. Gather proof; then make your accusation. __________.
41. She has a good job and many friends. __________.
42. Remain in your seats until the second bell rings. __________.
43. Our team lost its last ten games; nevertheless, we remain confident of our ability to win. __________.
44. The steel mill closed last week, and now twelve hundred people are out of work. __________.
45. The white bungalow, which was placed on the market last week, has already been sold. __________.
46. My sister just returned from a European holiday; she visited six countries and met many interesting people. ___________.
47. The black dog chased the squirrel up the tree; then it barked in frustration for the next five minutes. __________.
48. Mildred cannot swim, but she loves lying on the beach. __________.
49. Our company has lost money again this year; therefore, we are selling it to the highest bidder. __________.
50. Craig, who lost his job last week, is now returning to school for further study; but he still intends to work part time. __________.
End of Sentences
(Hết Bài Writing 1 – Nguyễn Văn Công)
Tài liệu tham khảo: Cambridge Grammar of English – Grammar Nguyễn Hữu Quyền – Fundamental Writing – Grammar Nguyễn Thế Cường)