A look at the structure and types of sentences. Identify the subject and predicate of a sentence.

1. English Language Unit 1
Did you know?
The first English dictionary
was published in 1604.

2. 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

3. GKR
 Word class
mosaic

4. Syntax
Subordinate
Subject
Predicate
Key Vocabulary:

5. 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

6. Activity
 Do Q 4.3.1

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. Activity
 Do Q 4.3.2

12. 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.

13. Syntax – Sentence Structure
 Four sentence structures
◦ Simple
◦ Compound
◦ Complex
◦ Ellipsis

14. 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

15. 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.

16. 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?

17. 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

18. Homework
 Activities 4.3.3 and 4.3.5
 Syntax and sentence structure
worksheets

19. 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