English Language Unit 1

Did you know?

The first English dictionary

was published in 1604.

Learning intention:

Explore and develop an understanding

of syntax and sentences.

Success criteria:

Able to:

- explain what syntax means;

- identify the main and subordinate

clauses in a sentence

- identify sentence types

GKR

Word class mosaic

Syntax

Subordinate

Subject

Predicate

Key Vocabulary:

Syntax

the way words are arranged in a sentence, clause or a phrase

word order affects meaning

the two essential parts of any English sentence are: the subject (the person /thing the sentence

is about),

the predicate (what is written/said about the subject)

sentences are made up of clauses and phrases

Activity

Do Q 4.3.1

Activity 4.3.1 - Solution

Identity the verb (v), the subject (s) and

then the rest of the predicate (x)

1. Angus threw the letter away.

2. The speeding car swerved around

the corner.

3. She made a beautiful pavlova.

4. The people at the convention were

amazing.

Syntax – Clause Structure

Two types of clause structures◦ main / independent

◦ subordinate / dependent

Main clauses can stand on their own as a sentence.

Subordinate clauses can not stand alone

Identify the main and subordinate clause in this sentence.

The girl screamed because she saw a ghost.

Syntax – Subordinate

Clauses Two types – Relative and Adverbial

◦ Relative clause

describes a noun it relates to

is always introduced by a relative pronoun

(who, which, that)

relates the clause to the noun in the main

clause

Can you find the relative clause?

The man who did the painting is over there.

Syntax – Subordinate Clause

◦ Adverbial clause

answers the questions of how, when, where

and why about the verb

As she entered the room the girl screamed

because she saw the ghost.

the girl screamed – main clause

As she entered the room – subordinate and

adverbial clause – answers when

because she saw the ghost – tells why she

screamed

Activity

Do Q 4.3.2

Activity 4.3.2 - Solution

Divide each of these complex

sentences into a main clause and a

subordinate clause.

1. When we got to the airport the plane

had gone.

2. The little boy hurried through his

dinner so he could have his dessert.

3. Before we finish, we must complete

this one.

Syntax – Sentence Structure

Four sentence structures

◦ Simple

◦ Compound

◦ Complex

◦ Ellipsis

Syntax – Sentence Structure

There are four sentence structures:

1. Simple sentences only have one

clause

The dog jumped over the fence.

2. Compound sentences are

◦ made up of two or more simple

sentences, and

◦ joined by a conjunction or separated by a

comma, semi-colon or colon

She had her car serviced and bought new

tyres.

Syntax – Sentence Structure

3. Complex sentences

◦ are made up of a main clause + one or

more subordinate clauses

As she entered the room the girl screamed

because she saw the ghost.

Syntax – Sentence Structure

4. Ellipsis

◦ the omission of words from a sentence

because

they appear elsewhere, or

they can be worked out from the context

For example,

Got it?

Syntax – Sentence Types

Four sentence types

◦ Declarative

sentences that state facts

◦ Imperative

commands or

sentences that give orders or requests

◦ Exclamative

sentences that express a strong feeling or

emotion

◦ Interrogative

questions or

sentences that ask for an answer

Homework

Activities 4.3.3 and 4.3.5

Syntax and sentence structure

worksheets

1) Explain what

syntax means.

2) List the 4

sentence types.

3) How can the

subordinate

clause in a

sentence be

identified?

4) Name a learning

strategy you

used today