Unit 8 | Syntax: The Sentence Patterns of Language

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit, you are expected to:

1. clarify what syntax rules are for
2. discuss the five basic sentence patterns
3. identify the patterns of given sentences
4. differentiate among the four syntactic structures
5. explain how insights on syntax may be used in language teaching

Introduction

One researcher says, striving to write good English is not a matter of mere pedantry; our goal
must be to convince everyone of our arguments. Judiciously, even if we speak or write clearly
and cogently, we are unlikely to maintain the attention and sympathy of our readers and listeners
if we lack grammatical and logical sense.
Indeed, studying the language is a challenging task. Incontestably, many of us know the
meanings of the words; nonetheless, in terms of its syntactic and coherent views, we often find
difficulty in putting words together to form a sentence.
We discern that in linguistics, syntaxes are sets of rules, principles and processes that govern the
structure of sentences in a given language which include word order, agreement and forms.
Hence, in this unit, you will be familiarized with syntactic rules, patterns and structures which
will eventually help you to construct with a well-formed and reasonable sentences.

Activating Prior Learning

How much do you know about syntax? Fill-out the KWL chart below. The
last column which pertains to what you have learned shall be accomplished after the discussion.

What I Know What I want to Know What I Learned

Topic 1: What the Syntax Rules Do

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. define the term syntax

2. identify rules of syntax
3. discriminate grammatical and ill-formed structures

Presentation of Content

The word syntax originates from the Greek elements syn

(together) and tax (arranging). Scrutinizing its origin, syntax
primarily deals on how words and phrases are arranged to
form correct sentence. It is how people put words into the
right order so that they can communicate meaningfully.
However, all languages have underlying rules of syntax. An
example of syntax coming into play is, Rolly cooked food”
versus “The food cooked Rolly.” It is obvious that the words’
order is not arbitrary; hence, to convey the intended meaning, the words must be in certain order.

The Rules of Syntax

According to Nina Setyaningsih, in her book, Introduction to General linguistics, syntax

sketches the rules in using words, phrases, clauses and punctuation, precisely to form sentences,
particularly:

1. It specifies correct word order of language (SVO, VSO, VOS, SOV, etc.,)
(Recall that the asterisk or star preceding a sentence is the linguistic convention for indicating
that the sentence is ungrammatical or ill-formed according to the rules of the grammar.)
e.g. I love to learn English language
*English language learn to love I
 2. It describes the relationship between the meaning of a particular group of words and the
arrangement of those words. The sentences below contain the same words, but the
meanings are quite different.
e.g. She does what she says
She says what she does

3. It pinpoints the grammatical relations of a sentence (subject, object, specifier,

complement head etc.,). Hence, it provides information about who is doing what to
whom. This information is crucial to understanding the meaning of a sentence. For
example, the grammatical relations in the given sentences below are reversed, so the
otherwise identical sentences have very different meanings.
e.g. Your dog chased my cat
My cat chased your dog

4. It locates constraint that must be adhered to. Consider, for example, the sentences below.
As an exercise, you can first read through them and place a star before those sentences
that you consider to be ungrammatical.
e.g. He switched on.
He switched on hurriedly.
He switched on in the couch.
He switched on the TV.

It can be predicted that the last sentence is grammatical; however, the first three sentences are
ungrammatical. This is because the syntax rules specify that a verb like switched must be
followed by something and that something cannot be an expression like hurriedly or in the
couch, but it must be the TV.
Similarly, it is expected that the sentences that the second sentence is grammatical while the first
is not.
e.g. *Disa slept the baby.
Disa slept soundly.

The verb sleep patterns differently than switch in that it may be followed solely by a word like
soundly but not by other kinds of phrases such as the baby.

5. It clarifies structural ambiguity.

The captain ordered all old men and women off the sinking ship.

This phrase “old men and women” is ambiguous as it may either refer to old men and to women
of any age or to men and women as both old. This ambiguity arises because the words old men
and women can be grouped in two ways. If the words are grouped as follows, old modifies only
men, so the women can be any age.
e.g. [old men] and [women]
Hence, if it is grouped this way, the adjective old modifies both men and women.
e.g. [old [men and women]]

Syntactic rules reveal the grammatical relations among the words of a sentence as well as their
order and hierarchical organization. They also explain how the grouping of words relates to its
meaning, such as when a sentence or phrase is ambiguous.

6. It permits speakers to produce and understand limitless number of sentences never heard,
produced or heard before. This is called the creative aspect of linguistic knowledge - the
creative aspect of linguistic knowledge.

A major goal of linguistics is to show clearly and explicitly how syntactic rules account for this
knowledge. A theory of grammar must provide a complete characterization of what speakers
implicitly know about their language.
 Application

Directions: Based on your judgment, classify the following statements whether it is

grammatical or ill-formed. Write your answer on the space provided.

_______________1. The boy found.

_______________2. The boy found quickly.
_______________3. The boy found in the house.
_______________4. The boy found the ball.
_______________5. The President in his State of the Nation Address.
_______________6. Gian tries Laurant to be gentleman.
_______________7. Laurant believes to be gentleman.
_______________8. Gian believes Laurant to be gentleman.
_______________9. Gian wants to be gentleman.
_______________10. He cooked daddy.

Feedback

Directions: In 250 words, comprehensibly discuss what is grammatically based on and not.
Concretize claims by citing examples as to what makes it grammatical and ill-
formed.
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Topic 2. Basic Sentence Patterns

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. differentiate the basic sentence patterns from one another
2. identify patterns of the given sentences
 3. write meaningful sentences using the basic sentence patterns

Presentation of Content

Sometimes, we leave out parts of our sentences when we answer someone’s query. For instance,
we limit our answers in few words not bothering to speak in sentences. Indeed, this is a sign of
an ineffective use of the language. According to Murray [Link]., in writing, however, our words
have to convey messages. When we convey our thoughts on paper, we have to express them in
complete sentence.

The Five Basic Sentence Patterns

Verb (Modifier)
1. Subject
Adverb
(intransitive)

This type of pattern begins with a core sentence such as “Gian smiles”. Here, “Gian” serves as
the subject and “smiles” as the verb.
To expand the sentence, you can add an adverb like grimly (Gian smiles grimly) or an expression
of time to tell when he smiles (Gian smiles all day).
The linguistics classperformed (well).
S IV M (adv.)
Hetalked.
S IV
Note: This pattern requires no object categorizing its verb as intransitive; hence, some
sentences may have a modifier in the form of adverb.

2. Subject Verb Direct Object

(transitive) (whom? or what?)

This pattern starts with a core sentence such as “Justine strums the guitar.” Here, Justine is the
subject, “strums” is the verb and “the guitar” is the object.

Elements can be added to expand the sentence such as an adjective (Justine strums the electric
guitar) or an adverb (Justine strums the guitar soulfully).

The linguistics classpresented varied speeches.

S TV DO
Gabrielleis doing her task silently.
S TV DO

Note: This pattern always requires an object categorizing its verb as transitive.

3.
Verb Subject Complement
Subject
(linking) (noun or adjective)
This pattern begins with a core sentence such as “The flower smells fragrant.” Here, “flower” is
the subject, “smells” is the verb and “fragrant” is the complement. Its complement may either be
a “noun” or an “adjective”.

Heis my teacher in Introduction to Linguistics.

S LV C(n)
Theyareinnocent.
S LV C(adj.)

Note: In this pattern, the verb does not show action; rather, they link the subject with the rest
of the sentence. These linking verbs are: is, are, was, were, am, will be, being and been. It may
also be sense verbs like look, touch, smell, appear, feel, sound and taste. There are also some
outliers such as: turn, grow, remain and prove.

4. (to whom? or for whom?)

(transitive)
(to what? or for what?)
Verb Indirect Object Direct Object
Subject (whom? or what?)

This pattern begins with a core sentence such as “They send the victims prayer.” Here, “They” is
the subject, “send” is the verb, “prayer” is the direct object and “victims” is the indirect object.
Grandmacooksmepinakbet.
S TV IO DO
MarcussentLorain sweet messages.
S TV IO DO
Note: In this pattern, the direct object receives the action of the transitive verb. Usually, it
answers the question WHAT? or WHOM? It may be a noun, pronoun, phrases or clauses.

5.
Subject Verb Direct Object Object Complement
(transitive) (whom? or what?) (noun or adjective) This
pattern starts with a
core sentence such as “He named the group Linguistics. Here, “He” serves as the subject,
“named” is the verb, “group” is the direct object and “Linguistics” is the object complement in
the form of a noun.

The university’s triumphmade the faculty membersexultant.

S TV DO OC (adj.)

Theynamed the boyEzekiel Joakim.

S TV DO OC (n)
Note: In this pattern, the objective complement may be in the form of a noun or adjective that
completes the meaning of the transitive verb and refers to the direct object.

Application
Directions: Label the sentences according to its pattern using the letter symbols you have
learned.

1. Cold breeze makes me sleepy.

2. The doctor gave the patient a dose of medicine.

3. She did not lend her classmate her new book in linguistics.

4. The squirrel jumped inside the hole.

5. Your feet look mucky.

6. I was tasked to present an informal speech on their wedding anniversary.

7. Jesus calls me His son.

8. The hardworking are blessed.

9. They remained silent while they were interrogated by the police officers.

10. The mushroom soup tastes too salty.

Feedback

Directions: In three paragraphs containing at least 300 words, write meaningful experiences
applying all the basic sentence patterns. You will be rated based on the rubrics
provided below.
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Criteria Exemplary Developing Beginning Feedbacks

10 7 5
 Completeness All Some Information
information information provided
required needed were were vague
were presented and not
presented visibly and complete
visibly and accordingly
accordingly
Relevance All insights Some Insights
needed were insights were
presented needed were provided
clearly based presented but vaguely
on the clearly presented
required
based on the
concepts
required
concepts
Grammar All sentence Some Flaws on
patterns sentence sentence
including patterns patterns
structures, including including,
meanings, structures, meanings,
capitalization meanings, structures,
, punctuation capitalization capitalizati
and spelling , punctuation on and
were free of and spelling punctuation
flaws were free of s were
flaws evident

Topic 3. Syntactic Structures

Learning Objectives
 At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. discuss distinctive characteristics among the four syntactic structures
2. identify sentences’ syntactic structures
3. construct sentences out of the captured images using the four syntactic
structures
4. write insights on how syntax aids the language teacher

Presentation of Content

The Four Syntactic Structures

1. Structure of Predication

This structure has two immediate constituents: a subject and

a predicate. Each of these may be a single word, a word with accompanying function word(s), a
phrase or one of the three other kinds of syntactic structure-modification, complementation, or
coordination.

Statement Subject Predicate

The rain ceases Rain ceases
Christians pray Christians pray
genuinely
Gregg is playing Gregg is playing
He messed up He messed up

2. Structure of Modification

This structure is a syntactic construction in which one grammatical element (e.g., a noun) is
accompanied (or modified) by another (e.g., adjective). The first grammatical element is called
the head (or headword) The accompanying element is called a modifier in which it serves to
qualify, broaden, specify or in some affect the meaning of the head.
To determine if a word or phrase is a modifier, one of the easiest tests is to see if the larger
segment (phrase, sentence, etc.,) makes sense without it. If it does, the element you are testing is
probably a modifier and if it does not make sense without it, it’s probably not.
Modifiers that appear before the headword are called pre-modifiers. Modifiers that appear after
the headword are called post-modifiers. In some cases, modifiers can modify other modifiers as
well.
 Pre-modifier Head Modifier
boisterous place Place boisterous
helpful neighbors Neighbors helpful
Post-modifier Head Modifier
lady in black twinset Lady in black twinset
student who sits Boy Who sits beside me
beside me

3. Structure of Coordination

This structure consists of two or more syntactically units and joined often but not always by
coordinating conjunction to form a structure which acts as a single unit.

Coordinators usually appear between elements that they join as well as with phrasal connectors;
although, the latter may also occur in split constructions.

Examples are: and, but, nor, not, or, phrases such as rather than, as well as, together with and
along with

With coordinators as connectors

Function words over and above, in not out
Adjectives poor but rich
Verbs to let go or to hold on
Nouns cellphones nor laptops
With phrasal connectors
Function words slow rather than fast
Adjectives wise as well as kind-hearted
Nouns good looks together with good
breeding

Correlatives – appear in two parts: the first part appears at the beginning of the structure whereas
the second part comes between the last two components being joined.

Not (only), but (also), either…or, neither…nor and both…and

 With correlatives
Nouns not only cellphones buy also
laptops
Clauses either you do this or

4. Structure of Complementation
This structure is a verb phrase consisting of two major components: a verbal element and a
complement. The verbal element may be a finite verb or verb phrase or non-finite verb in the
form of an infinitive, an infinitive without “to” or a present participle. The complement is an
essential part; it cannot be omitted since it helps make the construction meaningful.

The four kinds of verbs that may occur in this structure

1. Linking verb + subjective complement
e.g. becomes / a real teacher
VB SC (n)
looks / good
VB SC(adj.)
2. Mono-transitive verb + direct object
e.g. buy / food
VB DO
drinking / low-fat milk
VB DO
3. Di-transitive verb + indirect object + direct object
e.g. to tell / the class / all the instructions
VB IO DO
send / me / love letters
VB IO DO
4. Complex-transitive verb + direct object + objective complement
e.g. considered / the policy / a smart one
VB DO OC
called / her daughter / a queen
VB DO OC

Application
 A. Identify those underlined words according to syntactic structures. Put your answer on the
space provided.
__________1. Theyserved sumptuous meal.

__________2. Down the street came a mad dog.

__________3. The bystanders call him Jesus.

__________4. Neither the father nor the son may attend tonight’s feast.

__________5. I am vexed by his tigereyes.

__________6. If we turn from our wicked ways, Godwill heal our land.

__________7. She spoke in popularminds.

__________8. Never haveIunderstood less about men.

__________9. They werelaborers of God’s vineyard.

__________10 The bridegroom along with his bride solemnly walks.

 Feedback

Using your android phone, capture 4 images of your interest. Out of those captured pictures,
construct two sentences in each of the four syntactic structures.

Box A. Paste image here Box B. Write sentence here

1.

2.

1.

2.

1.

2.

1.

2.

Summary

Syntax outlines the rules in using words, phrases and clauses precisely to form sentences. These
sentences can be constructed employing the five basic patterns and it can be further fashioned
following the four syntactic structures. Hence, these rules are indeed indispensable as it teaches
us to create sound and well-formed statements.
 Reflection

As a language teacher, how will your insights on syntax aid you in the
teaching-learning process specifically on teaching language students. Limit
your answer in three paragraphs only.

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References:

Delahunty & Garvey. (2010). The English Language: From Sound to Sense. WAC
Clearinghouse
Fromkin et. al. (2010). An Introduction to Language. Michael Rosenberg Publishing, US.
Yule, G. (2017). The Study of Language. University Publishing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS,
UK.

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