TOPIC 1 – Seminar practice based on Handout 1 and SGEL 2.2 – 2.5


A) Sentences and sentence elements

      1. My parents are building a new house.

      2. The girl seemed a bit upset.

      3. Her eldest brother runs an antique shop in London.

      4. Drizzling.

      5. Go home.


B) Types of verbs

 Q1 : Are the following sentences correct?

     1. a) I like shopping.  v.      b)  I like buying.  v.      c)  I like to shop at the

             local market.


    2. Do you need the dictionary? – a) Yes, I do.     v.    b) Yes, I need.   v.

        c)  Yes, I need it.


    3. a) She is teaching.     v.     b) She is teaching maths.


    4. a) It is a good idea.   v.     b) It sounds good.


Q 2: What type of verb (T, I, C) do these sentences contain?

1.     He never says what he wants.

2.     She nodded enthusiastically.

3.     He remained silent.

4.     The soup tastes wonderful.

5.     My glasses have vanished.

6.     She considered herself lucky.

7.     I don’t know if he is coming.

8.     His voice sounds hoarse.

9.     Jane’s behaviour annoyed me.

Q3 : The following sentences contain the same verb, but is it of the same type as well?

 1a) She got angry.             v.    b) I´ll get the tickets.


  2a) The storm soon passed.      v.     b) Pass me the salt, please.


  3a) Tomatoes grow best in direct sunlight.

    b) Are you growing a beard?

          c) He grew bored of his job.


Other examples:

   5.  She turned the page.                She turned pale.

   6.  She closed the door.                 The door closed.

   7.  I must be going.                       The meat went bad.

   8.  I read novels.                            The novel reads well.



C) Clause types


1.     I´ll send you a text message.

2.     I consider him a good doctor.

3.     The girl who helped us was quite pretty.

4.     The book isn’t on the shelf.

5.     His brother has become a pilot.

6.     She bought a beautiful hat.

7.     She bought a beautiful hat with red ribbon.

8.     They appointed him chairman.

9.     The flowers have died.

10.                       He’s getting old.

11.                       The frost has killed the flowers.

12.                       The children are in the garden.



D) Phrases


    1. John’s explanation was a bit confusing.

    2. I didn’t like John’s suggestion.

    3. It was raining that morning.

    4.  Mary speaks German fluently.


     Noun phrases


            determiner  -  pre-modifier  - head -  post-modifier (not all of these have to be
present)



     That attractive girl in the corner is John’s new girlfriend.


     Have you seen my white handbag?


     The man who helped us was really helpful.


     She bought a beautiful hat with red ribbon.



E) Sentences and clauses

    a) John was ill.

     b) John was ill but he didn’t stay in bed.

     c) John stayed at home because he was ill.


Compare

1. I got this teddy bear when I was five.

    I got this teddy bear at the age of five.


2. The woman was upset .

    The woman who saw the accident was upset.