TAHRI MOHAMED UNIVERITY BECHAR

Grammar
2021 / 2022 Pr: FETHI
English Department

What is grammar?
Grammar is the study of the formal properties of words and sentences. Traditionally, it includes morphology (the forms of
words), which describes the ways in which words are formed from smaller units or other words, and syntax (the way that
words and phrases are put together to form sentences in a language), which describes how words combine into sentences. It
sometimes also includes phonology (the speech sounds of a particular language; the study of these sounds) and semantics (the
study of the meanings of words and phrases. (Encyclopaedia oxford)

Grammar is a central branch of modern linguistics is generative grammar, which seeks to provide precise formal descriptions
of the grammatical systems of languages and to develop a theory of universal grammar: a set of general statements about the
structure of human languages. Transformational grammar is a form of generative grammar which makes use of operations
known as 'transformations', which systematically indicate the links between various types of sentence and derive one type from
the other. (Encyclopaedia oxford)

Grammar is descriptive, that is, concerned to describe the facts, and not prescriptive, that is, concerned to recommend or
prohibit particular forms.

What is a sentence?

1. Sentence is a set of words expressing a statement, a question or an order, usually containing a subject and a verb. In written
English, sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop (.), a question mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!).

In a sentence, a word may play one of eight parts. It may be either

1. a noun, 5. an adverb,
2. a pronoun, 6. a preposition,
3. a verb, 7. a conjunction, or
4. an adjective, 8. an interjection.

These eight parts are known as the parts of speech.

We use the parts of speech to build sentences. For example, if we put together the noun
sunburn and the verb itches, we can make the following statement:
Sunburn itches.
N. V.
We can expand this statement by adding the adjective my:
My sunburn itches.
ADJ. N. V.
We can also add the adverb painfully:
My sunburn itches painfully.
ADJ. N. V. ADV.
If we should want to ask a question, we can begin with a verb. Here is a question made
up of the verb is, the noun sunburn, and the adjective painful.
Is sunburn painful?
V. N. ADJ.
Of course, we can expand this question. For example, we can add the adverb usually.
Is sunburn usually painful?
V. N. ADV. ADJ.

Remark: The system that our language uses to put parts of speech together into sentences is known as
grammar.

The first two lessons focus on the two basic parts of any sentence: the subject and the
Predicate( a part of a sentence containing a verb that makes a statement about the subject of the verb). Such as went home
/ John went home.
1. The Subject

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A sentence has two parts: (1) a subject and (2) a predicate.
This lesson deals with the subject.
The subject is the part of the sentence about which something is told or asked.
- The seats on the bus are very comfortable.
QUESTION: About what is the sentence telling something?
ANSWER: The seats on the bus.
SUBJECT: The seats on the bus.
-Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific.
QUESTION: About whom is the sentence telling something?
ANSWER: Amelia Earhart.
SUBJECT: Amelia Earhart.
- Has your brother Tom found a summer job?
QUESTION: About whom is the sentence asking something?
ANSWER: your brother Tom.
SUBJECT: your brother Tom.
Position of the Subject
The subject is usually found at the beginning of the sentence, but it can also appear in
other positions.
SUBJECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SENTENCE:
An experienced pilot was at the controls at the time of the crash.
SUBJECT AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE:
At the controls at the time of the crash was an experienced pilot.
SUBJECT WITHIN THE SENTENCE:
At the time of the crash, an experienced pilot was at the controls

Finding the Subject

A sure way to find the subject is to answer one or the other of these questions:
• About whom or about what is the sentence saying or asking something?
• Who or what is doing, or has done, or will do something?
EXERCISE 1. Write the subject in the space provided.
Sample The apples in the fruit bowl were all sour.
The apples in the fruit bowl
1. Next to the hardware store is a ski shop.
:…………………………………………………………………
2. Will your father drive us to the game?
……………………………………………………………………
3. Is the noise from the next room bothering you?
……………………………………………………………………..
4. Our math teacher coaches the bowling team.
…………………………………………………………………….
5. The bowling team is coached by our math teacher.
………………………………………………………………………….
Simple Subject and Complete Subject
When a subject consists of more than one word, the main word in that subject is called the simple subject.
1. The seats on the bus are very comfortable.
SIMPLE SUBJECT: seats
The simple subject and the words that describe it are together
known as the complete subject.
COMPLETE SUBJECT: The seats on the bus
Question: Does a simple subject ever consist of more than one word?

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Answer: Yes, especially if it is a name. For example:

2. The late Amelia Earhart was a pioneer in aviation.

COMPLETE SUBJECT: The late Amelia Earhart
SIMPLE SUBJECT: Amelia Earhart

EXERCISE 2. Write the complete subject in the C.S. space and the simple subject in the S.S. space.
Sample: The first reporters on the scene did not get all the facts.
C.S. The first reporters on the scene. S.S. reporters

Hint: You can be sure that you have correctly chosen the simple subject if you can prove to yourself that it
cannot be omitted. If The, first, and on the scene were omitted from the C.S., above, the sentence would
still make sense. But if reporters were omitted, the sentence would not make sense. This proves that
reporters is the simple subject.

1. The famous Mona Lisa is a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

C.S……………………………. . S.S…………………..
2. Did a letter from your sister come this morning?
C.S…………………………... . S.S…………………………..
3. Farther up on the hill is a house with white shutters.
C.S. ………………………….. S.S……………………………
4. Asleep in the crib was a six-month-old baby.
C.S. ………………………... S.S…………………………….
5. My older brother is graduating on June.
C.S. ………………………... S.S……………………………….

3. The Predicate
Remember that the subject is the part of the sentence about which something is told or asked.
Eg: Prices are higher.
Subject

What is the Predicate?

 The predicate is the part of the sentence containing a verb that tells or asks something about the subject.

Eg 1: Prices are higher

Predicate
You can easily find the subject and the predicate of a sentence by asking two simple
questions:
Prices are higher

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QUESTION 1: About what is the sentence telling something?
ANSWER: Prices. The subject is Prices

QUESTION 2: What is the sentence saying about Prices?

ANSWER: Prices are higher. The predicate is are higher

Eg2 : My sister Karen is waiting for us.

QUESTION 1: About whom is the sentence telling something?
ANSWER: My sister Karen. The subject is My sister Karen.
QUESTION 2: What is the sentence saying about My sister Karen?
ANSWER: My sister Karen is waiting for us. The predicate is is waiting for us.

Eg3: Was Andy angry?

QUESTION 1: About whom is the sentence asking something?
ANSWER: Andy. The subject is Andy.
QUESTION 2: What is the sentence asking about Andy?
ANSWER: Was Andy angry? The predicate is Was angry.
Position of the Predicate
The predicate usually comes after the subject, but it can also appear in other positions.
PREDICATE AFTER THE SUBJECT:
The parking lot is next to the stadium.
S. P.
PREDICATE BEFORE THE SUBJECT:
Next to the stadium is the parking lot.
P. S.
PREDICATE PARTLY BEFORE AND PARTLY AFTER THE SUBJECT:
Is the parking lot next to the stadium?

P. S. P.
EXERCISE 1. First draw a single line under the complete subject of the sentence. Then, above the double line at the right,
write the predicate.
Samples: SUBJECT PREDICATE
1. The temperature dropped suddenly. dropped suddenly
2. Has the plane landed? Has . . . landed
3. Under the tree lay many rotting apples. Under the tree lay
4. Has our teacher recovered from the flu?
5. Behind the wheel was my sister Maria.
6. How comfortable these new seats are!
7. Finally, the suspect surrendered to the police.
8. A flock of seagulls landed on the beach.
EXERCISE 2. Complete the sentence by adding a predicate.
Samples: The apple was not ripe.

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 A speck of dust flew into my eye.
1. The onion soup …………………………………………
2. Your suede jacket ……………………………………
3. Her new pen……………………………………………….
4. The owner of the car …………………………………
5. My desk at home………………………………………..
Exercise Three: Read the following groups of words. In each one, find the subject and the predicate. Then find the complete
subject, and the simple subject. Then circle the verb.
1. Fifty-three officers received medals at the Police Department awards ceremony.
Subject ……………………………………predicate…………………………………………………………
Simple subject………………………….complete subject……………………………………………………
2. Bored with the grown-up conversation, little Amy fell asleep under the kitchen table.
Subject ……………………………………predicate……………………………………………………………….
Simple subject………………………….complete subject……………………………………………………
3. The number of businesses in this country has increased every year for the past decade
Subject ……………………………………predicate………………………………………………………….
Simple subject………………………….complete subject……………………………………………
4. According to scientists, birds and dinosaurs are biologically related.
Subject ……………………………………predicate…………………………………………………………..
Simple subject………………………….complete subject………………………………………………….
5. All day and all night unceasingly fell the rain.
Subject …………………………predicate…………………………………………………………………….
Simple subject………………………….complete subject………………………………………………….

The types of sentences

There are four types of sentences in the English language: declarative, exclamatory, imperative, and interrogatory. Of
the four, the declarative sentence is the most commonly used.

In English grammar, a declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a statement, provides a fact, offers an
explanation, or conveys information. These types of sentences are also known as declarative statements.

A declarative sentence is the most common type of sentence in the English language. It is written in the present tense
and usually ends with a period. Normally, the subject comes before the verb.

What Are the Different Types of Declarative Sentences?

There are two different types of sentences in the declarative form: a simple declarative sentence and a compound
declarative sentence.

1. A simple declarative sentence has a simple sentence structure, consisting of a subject and a predicate. Examples of
declarative sentences in the simple form include:

 My dog is sick.

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  It is a nice day.

2. A compound declarative sentence joins two related phrases with a comma and a conjunction (such as and, yet, or
but). These phrases can also be united by a semicolon, which is sometimes accompanied by a transition word like
besides, however, or therefore. Examples of declarative compound sentences include:
 He wanted to go to the grocery store, but she wanted to go to the park.

 Lindsay plays the trumpet, and Alex plays the trombone.

 Harrison loves to play outside, yet he hates the rain.

3. Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences ask a direct question, and are therefore punctuated by a question mark at the end of the sentence.

Sentence examples in the interrogative form include:

 Who are you?

 Where is the Brown building?

 Why were you so depressed yesterday?

4.  Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences are used to deliver an instruction, command, or request. Usually, these kinds of sentences will end in
a period, although they occasionally use an exclamation point. Examples of these sentence types include:

 Pass the butter.

 Get out of my face!

5.Exclamatory Sentences

Exclamatory sentences make statements that express strong feeling or strong emotion. You can usually identify
exclamatory sentences by their punctuation mark; all exclamatory sentences end with an exclamation mark, full stop.
Examples of exclamatory sentences include:

 What an amazing sunset!

 I hate your guts!

 That’s such a beautiful wedding ring!

6. Sentence Fragment Examples

Here is a glaring example of a sentence fragment:

Because of the rain.
On its own, because of the rain doesn’t form a complete thought. It leaves us wondering what happened because of the rain. To
complete it, we need further explanation:

Because of the rain, the party was cancelled.

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Now the fragment has become a dependent clause attached to a sentence that has a subject (the party) and a verb (was
cancelled). Our thought is complete.

7 Run-on sentence examples

Below is an example of two independent clauses that are structured as a run-on sentence. It fuses (joins) two complete thoughts
into one sentence without proper punctuation.
 Lila enjoyed the bouquet of tulips John gave her on prom night however she prefers roses.
Now, here is an example of how to write these two independent clauses correctly. A semicolon is placed between the two
clauses to separate each thought. It also includes a comma after the conjunctive adverb, however, as a transition into the second
clause.
 Lila enjoyed the bouquet of tulips John gave her on prom night; however, she prefers roses.

Exercise one: Each of the following sentences is missing its end punctuation. Read each sentence and decide whether it is a
declarative, interrogative, imperative, or run on, fragment, or exclamatory sentence. Then add the correct end
punctuation.

1. where can I buy a portable radio similar to the one you brought to the ball game yesterday
……………………………………………………………………………………
2. after giving me reliable service for eight years, my car finally broke down last week
3. that’s an incredible story………………………………………………
4. against the appropriation bill…………………………………………………………
5. let me have a copy of the paper you wrote for our art history class
………………………………………………………………………