Analyzing Comparison and Causal Structures in English
Expression of Comparison, Cause, and Consequence
Comparison
Comparison involves expressing the relationship between two or more different realities, often through comparative subordinate clauses.
- Example: “The letter is so valuable an invention as the wheel.”
Expressions of Cause
The cause of an event is often expressed through a noun phrase introduced by a preposition or prepositional phrase, or through causal subordinate clauses.
- Example (Prepositional Phrase): “I was shocked by what I read.”
- Example
Mastering Compound Sentences: Coordination and Subordination
Coordinated Clauses
Two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction form a compound sentence. These clauses are grammatically independent of each other.
Examples: John is studying, and Mary is listening to music. We wanted to go, but we could not.
Coordinated clauses are classified by the relationship they express:
Additive (Copulative) Coordination
Propositions succeed one another or add information. They are related by conjunctions such as and, nor, or even (when negative).
Examples:
Grammatical Functions and Sentence Structure in Spanish Syntax
Syntactic Phrases and Their Structure
A phrase (or syntagma) is a sequence of words arranged around a nucleus, functioning as a specific unit within a sentence. It is the specific name given to the whole unit.
Types of Phrases
- Noun Phrase (NP): Structure: Determinant + Core + (Complements).
- Prepositional Phrase (PP): Structure: Preposition + (Determinant) + Subordinated Syntagma/Clause.
- Adjectival Phrase (AdjP): Structure: (Quantifier/Degree of Intensity) + Adjective + Complement.
- Adverbial Phrase (AdvP)
Mastering Sentence Structure and Textual Cohesion
Sentence Structure and Syntax
Juxtaposition
Sentences or clauses placed side-by-side, separated by punctuation (e.g., comma, semicolon, colon), without explicit coordinating or subordinating conjunctions.
Coordinating Conjunctions
These link elements of equal grammatical rank.
- Copulative (Addition): and, nor, or that.
- Disjunctive (Choice): or, u.
- Adversative (Contrast): more, but, yet, however, nevertheless.
- Explanatory: that is, namely, i.e.
- Distributive: and … and, well … well, now … now.
Subordinating
Read MoreTextual Quality: Adequacy, Cohesion, and Discourse Markers
Adequacy in Textual Communication
A text must adapt its form and content depending on the communication process. Therefore, it must match the characteristics of the elements that define the situation in which the text occurs, specifically:
- Who are the sender and the recipient?
- To what end is the text created?
- What matter is being discussed?
- Through what channel is it transmitted?
For example, a newspaper must adapt its vocabulary. News announcing the death of someone important should use “deceased” rather
Read MoreMastering English Syntax: Verbs, Clauses, and Phrases
Constituent Identification Criteria
- Replace pronoun/proform
- Question criterion
- Cleft structures and pseudo-clefts
Adjectives vs. Adverbs in English
Adjective Characteristics
- Attributive position
- Cannot be used predicatively (for some types)
- Verbs are not gradable (when modified by certain adverbs)
Adverb Characteristics
- Typically modify verbs, often as manner adverbs
-ing Adjectives Explained
- Attributive position
- Predicative position
- Intensification
- Gradation
English Phrase Structures
Adjective Phrases
- Modifier +