Grammer & Usage_BCA_Technical Communication
Phrases, Clauses & Sentences
Phrases:
Two or more words that function together as a group is called Phrase. For example: for a while, give up, come in.
There are 7 Kinds of phrases
1. Noun Phrase: Better half, a man of letter, up & doing
2. Verbal Phrase: cut a sorry figure, cut the matter short, come to blows
3. Adverbial Phrase: out and out, by and by, by all means
4. Adjectival Phrase: well off, fast and furious,
5. Prepositional Phrase: at home in, in case of
6. Conjunctional Phrase: as well as, in case
7. Interjectional Phrase: for shame, to my surprise, still here
Clause
A group words that forms a part of a sentence and has a subject and finite verb of its own is called Clause. Example: who owns big property
Difference between Phrase and Clause
Types of clauses
1. Principal Clause
The clause that makes complete sense on its own is called Principal Clause
Ex. Anuprastha plays Badminton
2. Subordinate clause
When I arrived, students were fighting.
There are 3 types of Subordinate clause 2.1. Noun Clause (Clause act as noun)
He expected that he would pass
You should pay close attention to what your parents say.
2.2. Adjective Clause (Clause act as adjective)
The boy who was good in my subject left the country.
2.3. Adverb (Clause act as adverb)
They failed because they didn't know the formula of success.
Anuprastha will understand when he grows old.
Note: Relative Clause
Clause with relative pronoun such as who, which, where, when, how that classifies the antecedents is called relative clause
3. Reference Clause
A clause that cannot take the form of SV or SVO.
This is the real fact.
This is, I am sure, the real fact
Exercise
Read each of the following groups of words carefully. Decide whether it is a phrase or a clause. Write “Phrase” or “Clause” next to each item. Then underline the subject and verb if it is a clause.
1. after the heavy rain
2. she opened the door
3. running through the park
4. because he was late
5. the bright red car
6. when the bell rang
7. on the kitchen table
8. they played soccer
9. since Monday morning
10. although it was cold
Choose the correct answer for each question. Circle or write the correct option (A, B, or C).
Part A: Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following is a clause?
A. after the long journey
B. she sings beautifully
C. inside the old house
2. Which of the following is a phrase?
A. when the dog barked
B. the broken window
C. he danced well
3. What is the main difference between a phrase and a clause?
A. A clause has both a subject and a verb; a phrase does not.
B. A phrase is always longer than a clause.
C. A clause is always a complete sentence.
4. Identify the clause:
A. jumping over the fence
B. in the evening
C. because she was tired
5. Which of the following is NOT a clause?
A. they watched a movie
B. walking down the road
C. while the sun set
Part B: Identify and Label
Instructions: Write “Phrase” or “Clause” next to each sentence part.
under the blue sky
if it rains tomorrow
my little brother
although he tried hard
dancing in the rain
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Sentences- types based on function:
1. Assertive (Affirmative & Negative)
2. Interrogative (Affirmative & Negative)
3. Imperative (Affirmative & Negative) =Command
4. Optative (Affirmative & Negative) =Wish
5. Exclamatory (Affirmative & Negative) = Exclamation
Exercise
1. I don't like bitter gourd.
2. What a beautiful sunset this is!
3. May you live long and happy!
4. Do you not understand the lesson?
5. Please close the window.
6. She is not going to the party.
7. Never talk to strangers.
8. May you never suffer from pain!
9. Is this your notebook?
10. How terrible the storm was!
Structural division of sentences
1. Noun Group (Noun and Pronoun)
Modifier (Adjective, articles, adverbs, participles)
Qualifier (Adjective, adverbs, Phrase, Clause)
2. Verb Group
a. Auxiliary Verb
b. Main Verb
c. Auxiliary Verb +Main Verb
d. Verb + adverb
Exercise:
1. The tall man walked slowly down the street.
2. She has been working hard for the exam.
3. A shiny red car sped past us.
4. The baby was crying loudly.
5. They quickly finished their homework.
6. An old woman with a basket sat by the roadside.
7. He might have forgotten the meeting.
8. The dog barked furiously at the stranger.
9. Our teacher is explaining the lesson patiently.
10. The children playing in the park were very noisy.
..................................................................
1. The tall man walked slowly down the street.
Noun Group: The tall man
Modifier: The, tall
Noun: man
Verb Group: walked slowly
Main Verb: walked
Adverb: slowly
2. She has been working hard for the exam.
Noun Group: She
Pronoun: She
Verb Group: has been working hard
Auxiliary Verbs: has, been
Main Verb: working
Adverb: hard
Sentence based on Structure
1. Simple sentence (Single sentences without any clause) (Independent Clause)
2. Compound (sentences with coordinating conjunction: for, but, and, so, yet, nor, or) (2 Independent Clause)
3. Complex Sentence (Subcoordinating conjunction: if, although, despite) includes dependent and independent clause)
4. Compound-Complex Sentence (at least 2 independent and 1 dependent)
Transformation of Sentence
The change of grammatical form of a sentence into another form without changing its sense or meaning is called transformation.
Forms of sentence= Types of sentences
Rules
1. Remove Too
She is too cute.
She is extremely cute
2. Remove Ago
He wrote to her a month ago
He hasn't written to her for a month
3. Convert question to statement
Who would not love to be successful?
Everyone loves to be successful.
4. Affirmative into negative
He is too poor to pay fine
He is so poor that he can't pay the fine.
Shilu is better than Praveen.
Praveen is not as good as Shilu
5. Interchange of Exclamatory & Assertive
What a lovely rose!
It is a lovely rose.
6. Simple to compound
Work hard to pass the exam.
Work hard and you will pass the exam.
7. Compound to simple
We must eat or we can't live.
We must eat to live
8. Simple to complex
She confessed her guilt.
She confessed that she was guilty
9. Complex to simple
Tell me where you live.
Tell me your address
I know that she is honest
I know her honesty.
10. Double compound to complex sentence
Search his pockets, and you will find the watch.
If you search his pockets, you will find the watch.
11. Complex to double compound
I have found the book that I had lost
I has lost a book, but I have found it.
If you speak you will die.
Speak and you will die.
Transformation of Sentences - Exercise
Instructions: Transform each sentence as directed in the bracket without changing its meaning.
Part A: Remove "Too" / "Ago"
1. She is too smart to be fooled. (Remove "too")
-> ____________________________________________
2. They left the village two years ago. (Remove "ago")
-> ____________________________________________
Part B: Change Question to Statement
3. Who doesn't want to be happy? (Change into assertive sentence)
-> ____________________________________________
Part C: Affirmative into Negative
4. Shyam is taller than Sita. (Change into negative)
-> ____________________________________________
5. He is too weak to walk. (Change into negative)
-> ____________________________________________
Part D: Interchange Exclamatory & Assertive
6. What a beautiful voice she has! (Change into assertive)
-> ____________________________________________
7. It is a horrible scene. (Change into exclamatory)
-> ____________________________________________
Part E: Simple to Compound / Compound to Simple
8. To catch the train, he ran fast. (Change into compound)
-> ____________________________________________
9. He must hurry, or he will miss the bus. (Change into simple)
-> ____________________________________________
Part F: Simple to Complex / Complex to Simple
10. The boy admitted his mistake. (Change into complex)
-> ____________________________________________
11. I know that he is kind. (Change into simple)
-> ____________________________________________
Part G: Double Compound to Complex / Complex to Double Compound
12. Open the box, and you will see the gift. (Change into complex)
-> ____________________________________________
13. If you help others, you will be respected. (Change into double compound)
-> ____________________________________________
Voice
Answers
She is too smart to be fooled.
→ She is so smart that she cannot be fooled.
They left the village two years ago.
→ They haven’t been in the village for two years.
Who doesn't want to be happy?
→ Everyone wants to be happy.
Shyam is taller than Sita.
→ Sita is not as tall as Shyam.
He is too weak to walk.
→ He is so weak that he cannot walk.
What a beautiful voice she has!
→ She has a very beautiful voice.
It is a horrible scene.
→ What a horrible scene it is!
To catch the train, he ran fast.
→ He ran fast and caught the train.
He must hurry, or he will miss the bus.
→ He must hurry to avoid missing the bus.
The boy admitted his mistake.
→ The boy admitted that he had made a mistake.
I know that he is kind.
→ I know his kindness.
Open the box, and you will see the gift.
→ If you open the box, you will see the gift.
If you help others, you will be respected.
→ Help others, and you will be respected.
....................................
Sentence Types
1. Active Voice
2. Passive Voice
A. Present Tenses
Active Simple Present
Formula: Subject + V1 (base form) + object
Example: She writes a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + is/am/are + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter is written by her.
B. Present Continuous
Formula: Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + object
Example: She is writing a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + is/am/are + being + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter is being written by her.
C. Present Perfect
Formula: Subject + has/have + V3 (past participle) + object
Example: She has written a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + has/have been + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter has been written by her.
Present Perfect Continuous
Formula: Subject + has/have been + V1 + ing + object
Example: She has been writing a letter.
No Passive
Past Tenses
Simple Past
Formula: Subject + V2 (past form) + object
Example: She wrote a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + was/were + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter was written by her.
Past Continuous
Formula: Subject + was/were + V1 + ing + object
Example: She was writing a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + was/were + being + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter was being written by her.
Past Perfect
Formula: Subject + had + V3 + object
Example: She had written a letter.
Formula: Object + had been + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter had been written by her.
Past Perfect Continuous
Formula: Subject + had been + V1 + ing + object
Example: She had been writing a letter.
No Passive
Future Tenses
Simple Future
Formula: Subject + will/shall + V1 + object
Example: She will write a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + will/shall be + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter will be written by her.
Future Continuous
Formula: Subject + will/shall be + V1 + ing + object
Example: She will be writing a letter.
No Passive
Future Perfect
Formula: Subject + will/shall have + V3 + object
Example: She will have written a letter.
Passive Formula: Object + will/shall have been + V3 + (by + subject)
Example: A letter will have been written by her.
Future Perfect Continuous
Formula: Subject + will/shall have been + V1 + ing + object
Example: She will have been writing a letter.
No Passive
The following tenses typically do not have a standard passive construction:
-
Present Perfect Continuous
-
Past Perfect Continuous
-
Future Continuous
-
Future Perfect Continuous
A. Identify the Voice
Write A for Active and P for Passive.
-
The teacher praised the student.
-
The cake was baked by my mother.
-
They are watching a movie.
-
A letter is being typed by the clerk.
-
The road has been repaired.
-
She sings a song.
-
The book was written by Shakespeare.
-
He will deliver the speech.
-
The parcel has been sent.
-
We play cricket every Sunday.
B. Convert Active to Passive Voice
-
She helps her brother.
-
They wrote a letter.
-
He is reading a book.
-
She has painted the wall.
-
He will complete the work.
C. Convert Passive to Active Voice
-
The window was broken by the boy.
-
A story is being told by the teacher.
-
The documents have been submitted by her.
-
A song was sung by him.
-
The match will be won by our team.
D. Fill in the blanks with the correct passive form
-
The report __________ (submit) by the manager.
-
English __________ (speak) in many countries.
-
The bridge __________ (build) next year.
-
This room __________ (clean) yesterday.
-
The patient __________ (take) to the hospital immediately.
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