English Grammar and Sentence Structure Analysis

Posted on Aug 24, 2025 in Linguistics and Applied Languages

Repairing Dangling Modifiers

  1. To become a good photographer, one must use the camera carefully.
  2. While we were driving up the rock-strewn mountain, the tire went flat.
  3. When we checked the records, the error became clear.
  4. When I was only a toddler, Dad took me scuba diving.

Verb Complementation Patterns

Make up sentences using the following verb complementation patterns:

  1. S + V + NP + NP (ditransitive verb)
    She gave her friend a gift.
  2. S + V + PP (prepositional verb)
    He looked at the painting for a long time.
  3. S + V + non-finite -ing clause
    They enjoyed watching the sunset.
  4. S + V + AdjP (copular verb)
    The soup tastes delicious.
  5. S + V + NP + that-clause
    The teacher told the students that the exam was postponed.
  6. S + V + NP + NP (complex-transitive verb)
    They elected Mary class president.
  7. S + V + NP + PP (obligatory locative)
    She put the keys on the table.
  8. S + V + NP + bare infinitive
    She made him apologize.
  9. S + V + finite that-clause
    I believe that she is telling the truth.
  10. S + V + non-finite to-infinitive clause
    He hopes to pass the exam.

Identifying Phrase Types

Identify the phrase type of the underlined strings:

  1. I am eager to work with you → Infinitival Clause
  2. was wearing the watch that was stolen → Noun Phrase (with relative clause)
  3. There were three lions in the cage → Prepositional Phrase
  4. Gleefully, Henry ran out of the house. → Adverb Phrase
  5. He was a man with a heart of gold → Prepositional Phrase

Sentence Rearrangement Exercises

Rearrange the words to make a correct sentence:

  1. Scrambled: This is what happened incredible
    Correct: What happened is that this is incredible.
  2. Scrambled: Amazing to want it so leave is soon she that should
    Correct: That she should want to leave so soon is amazing.
  3. Scrambled: Escaped police mystify continues how to the he
    Correct: How he continues to escape mystifies the police.

Identifying Grammatical Functions

Identify the grammatical functions of the underlined constituents:

  1. very warm → Subject predicative (AdjP)
  2. It → Dummy subject (pronoun)
  3. To see her → Subject (non-finite clause)
  4. amazingly rich in flora and fauna → Subject predicative (AdjP)
  5. before Easter → Adverbial of time (PP)
  6. for permission → Prepositional complement (PP)
  7. the voters are stupid → Object complement (finite that-clause)
  8. who he is referring to → Complement of verb (interrogative clause)
  9. last year → Adverbial of time (NP)
  10. Running a business → Subject (gerund clause)
  11. to hear him lecture → Purpose clause (infinitival clause), modifying “to travel”
  12. her friend → Indirect object (NP)
  13. at me → Prepositional object / complement

Analyzing Reflexive Pronoun Usage

Analyze the following sentences and explain the difference in form and meaning between the members of each pair:

  1. They found Mian themselves a rather colourful woman.
  2. They found Mian himself a rather colourful woman.

Difference in Form:

  • The key difference lies in the reflexive pronouns: “themselves” vs. “himself”.
  • In (a), “themselves” refers to the subject they (emphatic).
  • In (b), “himself” refers to the object Mian (emphatic or reflexive).

Difference in Meaning:

  • (a) They found Mian themselves a rather colourful woman.
    • This means they personally found Mian a colourful woman.
    • Emphasis is on they, indicating they did it themselves — not someone else.
  • (b) They found Mian himself a rather colourful woman.
    • This implies that Mian was somehow the colourful woman — either literally or metaphorically.
    • Emphasis is on Mian, suggesting Mian himself was the colourful woman.

Understanding Structural Ambiguity

The sentence below has two meanings. Show those two meanings. Draw complete tree diagrams that capture both.

Sentence: “The man put the book in the box on the table.”

This sentence is structurally ambiguous — it has two different interpretations depending on how the prepositional phrases are attached.

Meaning 1:

The book is in the box, and the box is on the table.

Structure:

  • “in the box on the table” is one long prepositional phrase modifying book.
  • So, the book is located in [the box [on the table]].

Tree (text representation):

VP
├── V: put
├── NP: the book
└── PP
    ├── P: in
    └── NP
        ├── N: box
        └── PP
            ├── P: on
            └── NP: the table

Meaning 2:

The man put the book in the box, and this happened on the table.

Structure:

  • “in the box” modifies the book.
  • “on the table” modifies the verb phrase (put the book in the box) — it tells where the action happened.

Tree (text representation):

VP
├── V: put
├── NP
│   ├── N: the book
│   └── PP
│       ├── P: in
│       └── NP: the box
└── PP
    ├── P: on
    └── NP: the table