MAIN (PRINCIPAL) PARTS OF THE SENTENCE

1. SUBJECT – refers to a person or thing whose action or state is defined

by the predicate. The subject can be expressed by different parts of
speech, the most common way is :
1) A noun in the common case: Knowledge is power. Nick is my cousin.
2) a pronoun: I saw him cross the street. Everyone knows about this.
Nobody ever tells me anything. All is OK. Yours is not the best plan.
3) An infinitive or gerund: To live is to hope. To go on like this was
impossible. Working with him was fun.
4) Any part of speech used as a quotation: “On” is a preposition.
 IT as the subject of the sentence.
1. Notional – when it represents a thing, a living being or a notion.
a) Personal (used anaphorically): I bought a book yesterday. It is very interesting.
The house was dark. It was evidently empty (он, она, оно).
b) Demonstrative: It’s a beautiful garden. Who’s there? – It’s Tom. (это)
2.Formal subject IT:
a) impersonal: (о погоде ‒ о природе): It’s winter. It’s cold. It’s five o’clock. It’s
raining. It’s stuffy here.
b) introductory: It’s nice to see you. It’s necessary for him to go there. It’s
important that you should believe me (subject clause). Two subjects: IT is used to
introduce the real subject.
c) emphatic: It was he who did it. It was then that I understood everything. It
was in London that we first met (it+subject clause).
THE FORMAL INTRODUCTORY
SUBJECT ‘THERE’:

There’s no one at home. There’s a book on

the table (there+real subject).
 PREDICATE - generally speaking, it denotes an action
performed by/over the subject or a state ascribed to the subject.
1. The SIMPLE PREDICATE.
a) Simple verbal: a finite verb in a synthetic or analytical form
(active or passive voice): We know nothing about it. The book
was written by my father. The car made off at once (phrasal
verb).
b) Simple phraseological: I’ll take care of that. Soon the boat was
lost sight of. I always take part in such concerts. The action takes
place in Paris. Have you made up your mind yet?
С) Simple discrete: take, make, have, give + noun:
She gave a sigh of relief. He’s having breakfast. He took a glance at
the newspaper headlines.

The first element does not denote any definite action – this is done
by the noun. This type is characteristically conversational and is
very frequently used.
1. THE COMPOUND PREDICATE CAN BE COMPOUND
NOMINAL (CNP) AND COMPOUND VERBAL.

a) Compound nominal predicate consists of two parts, a link

verb and predicative (nominal part of the CNP). He is a
student. He is clever. He is 18. I feel exhausted. It’s getting
late. He’s growing deaf. My first impulse was to go away.
(Links of being/remaining – and links of becoming.) He’ll
make a good soldier.
Compound Nominal Double predicate – the
link verb expresses an action of its own, but the focal point
of the sentence lies in the information conveyed by the
predicative noun or adjective:

He died a hero. She lay there exhausted. The sun shone

bright. + She was found guilty. He was elected president.
They were reported dead.
Compound verbal predicate
1. Compound verbal modal: modal verb/expression +
infinitive (gerund).

I can swim. He was able to do it himself. The car would

not start. We do not intend relinquishing the deal.
Compound verbal aspect: a ‘phasal’ verb (begin,
commence, start, go on, continue, stop, cease etc) +
infinitive or gerund:

Suddenly she started to cry (crying). His bones ceased

to ache. He used to come every morning. She went on
looking at her watch.
 MIXED TYPE:

1) Compound verbal modal nominal: He greatly longed

to be the next heir.
2) Compound verbal aspect nominal: I continued to be
glad for that.
3) Compound verbal modal aspect: I had to begin living
all over again.
 THE OBJECT
1. Direct
2. Indirect
3. Prepositional
4. Complex object (I saw him
cross/crossing the street)
1. Direct object is commonly used after transitive verbs and denotes a person or
thing wholly involved and/or directly affected by the action of a transitive
verb: I was wring letters yesterday evening. She saw me and smiled. Ray gave
up his work.
Каушанская: If a transitive verb takes ONLY ONE OBJECT expressed by
a noun or pronoun without a preposition, it is always a direct object: I help
my brother in his work. She envies him. She envies his luck. He forgave me.
He forgave my mistake.
If a verb takes TWO objects expressed by a noun or pronoun without a
preposition, the first object is treated as indirect, the second – direct: I envy
him (indirect) his luck (direct).
The cognate object (родственное дополнение):
He slept a deep sleep. He died a terrible death. She
smiled a happy smile. I exist to live my life in a
way that will make me happy.
2. Indirect object is the first complement of the ditransitive verb.
The second noun phrase complementing the verb functions as direct
object. The indirect object generally refers to a human (or animate)
being. It denotes a recipient or beneficiary (addressee) of the action
of the ditransitive verb.
Give me a chance. I showed him the way to the station. She
bought a new dress for her daughter. He sent Mary a bouquet of
flowers.

Sometimes the indirect object is used ALONE to

complement the verb: Shall I tell him? She will teach him at
home.
A most important characteristic of the indirect object is that
it is systematically related to a prepositional phrase
introduced by to, for, sometimes of: Take care, and give my
love to everyone. She bought a new dress for her
daughter. The Queen sent a message to the President.
Michael Swan: usually, the indirect object refers to a person
and comes first: Нe gave his wife a camera for Christmas.
Could you send me the bill? I’ll lend you some money. I wish
you a Merry Christmas. Let me make you some tea.

Some common verbs that are used this way: bring,

buy, cost, get, give, leave, lend, make, offer, owe, pass, pay,
promise, read, refuse, sent, show, sing, take, teach, tell, wish,
write.
Also possible: I handed my license to the policeman. Mother bought the
ice-cream for you, not for me. Mrs. Norman sent some flowers to the
nurse who was looking after her daughter (a long modifier).

Pronouns: Lend them to her. Sent some to him. Give it (to me). Write
me a letter but Write to me when you get home (more common than
Write me…in standard British English).
Wh-questions: Who did you buy it for? Who was it sent to?
Structures with explain, suggest, describe: I’d like him to explain his
decision to us. Can you suggest a good dentist to me? Please describe
your wife to us.
1. Prepositional object is a nominal phrase introduced by a preposition
after a verb or adjective with a “fixed” preposition: Much depends on
your decision. His habits are sure to result in ill health.

4. Complex object: I saw him/Peter cross/crossing the street.