CHAPTER 1 (Basic Sentence Structure)
CHAPTER 1 (Basic Sentence Structure)
• The subject is typically located at the beginning of the sentence, but not always.
Example: On the top shelf are the books.
Types of Subjects:
• Simple Subject:
Consists of the main noun or pronoun.
Example: Dogs bark loudly.
• Compound Subject:
Contains two or more simple subjects.
Example: Tom and Jerry are best friends.
• Complete Subject:
Includes the subject and all its modifiers.
Example: The tall man with a hat is my uncle.
• Implied Subject:
The subject is not explicitly stated but can be inferred.
Example: (You) Go away!
• Understood Subject:
Similar to an implied subject, often used in commands.
Example: (You) Be quiet!
• Collective Subject:
Refers to a group of individuals as a single unit.
Example: The committee has made a decision.
• Interrogative Subject:
The subject appears after the verb in questions.
Example: Who wrote this poem?
• Expletive Subject:
Placeholder subject used with certain verbs.
Example: It is raining.
• Gerund Subject:
Uses a gerund (verb + -ing) as the subject.
Example: Swimming is my favorite activity.
• Infinitive Subject:
Uses an infinitive (to + verb) as the subject.
Example: To succeed requires hard work.
Verb: The verb is the action or state of being that the subject performs. A sentence must have
a verb to be complete.
Types of Verbs:
1. Action Verbs:
• Express a physical or mental action. Example: The dog barks loudly.
2. Linking Verbs:
• Connect the subject to a word that identifies or describes the subject. Common
linking verbs include "am," "is," "are," "was," "were," "seem," "become," etc.
Example: She seems happy.
3. Helping (Auxiliary) Verbs:
• Assist the main verb in a sentence. Common helping verbs include "have," "has,"
"had," "do," "does," "did," "shall," "will," "should," "would," "can," "could,"
"may," "might," "must." Example: He is reading a book.
4. Modal Verbs:
• Express possibility, necessity, ability, or permission. Common modal verbs
include "can," "could," "may," "might," "shall," "should," "will," "would," "must."
Example: She can swim.
5. Transitive Verbs:
• Require a direct object to complete their meaning. Example: He ate an apple.
6. Intransitive Verbs:
• Do not require a direct object. Example: She slept peacefully.
7. Dynamic Verbs:
• Show action and can be both transitive and intransitive. Example: The river flows
(intransitive), She writes a letter (transitive).
8. Stative Verbs:
• Express a state or condition rather than an action. Example: I know the answer.
• The verb must agree with its subject in number (singular or plural).
• Example: The cat is sleeping. (singular) | The cats are sleeping. (plural)
o Tense:
o Infinitives:
• Infinitives are the base form of verbs (e.g., "to run," "to eat").
o Participles:
Object: The object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. Not all
sentences have an object, but when they do, it typically follows the verb.
1. Direct Object:
• Definition: A direct object is a noun or pronoun that directly receives the action
of the verb.
Example:
• She ate the cake.
In this sentence, "the cake" is the direct object because it directly
receives the action of the verb "ate."
2. Indirect Object:
• Definition: An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that indicates to or for whom
the action of the verb is done. It usually comes before the direct object.
Example:
• He gave me a gift.
In this sentence, "me" is the indirect object because it indicates the
recipient of the action, and "gift" is the direct object.
3. Object of a Preposition:
• Definition: Sometimes, a noun or pronoun functions as the object of a
preposition in a prepositional phrase.
Example:
• They went for a walk in the park.
Here, "the park" is the object of the preposition "in."
4. Object of an Infinitive:
• Definition: An object can also be the direct object of an infinitive verb.
Example:
• She wants to read a book.
In this sentence, "a book" is the direct object of the infinitive verb "to
read."
5. Object of a Gerund:
• Definition: A gerund is a verb form ending in "-ing" that functions as a noun. It
can have its own objects.
Example:
• Swimming helps build strength.
Here, "strength" is the direct object of the gerund "swimming."
6. Cognate Object:
• Definition: A cognate object is a noun that is closely related in meaning to the
verb.
Example:
• She sang a song.
In this sentence, "song" is a cognate object because it is related to the
action of singing.
These are examples of simple sentences with a basic structure. However, sentences can
become more complex by including modifiers, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and other
elements. Here are a few examples of sentences with more complexity:
- The energetic cat runs quickly around the house. (Subject + Adjective + Verb + Adverb +
Prepositional Phrase)
- Samantha and her brother are baking cookies in the kitchen. (Compound Subject + Verb +
Object + Prepositional Phrase)
- After finishing her homework, Maria went to the park. (Subordinate Clause + Main Clause)
Person:
In grammar, the personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they) are grouped into one of
the three categories:
The First Person: This category is used for the point of view of the speaker or a group that
includes the speaker. A basic sentence in the first person would typically start "I [did
something]" or "We [did something]." (In grammar, the first-person personal pronouns are I,
me, we, and us.)
The Second Person: This category is used for those being spoken to. A basic sentence in the
second person would start "You [did something]." (In grammar, the second-person pronoun is
you.)
The Third Person: This category is used for everyone else. A basic sentence in the third person
would start "He [did something]", "She [did something]," or "They [did something]." (In
grammar, the third-person pronouns are he, him, she, her, it, they, and them. The third person
also includes all other nouns, e.g., Fritz, Germans.)
Third person He/ She/ It Him/ Her/ It His/ Her/ Its His/ Hers/ Its
singular
Example:
I visited the museum yesterday.
They had a great time at the party.
Example:
I have finished my homework.
She has already seen that movie.
Complements:
In a sentence, there can be two types of complements, namely,
Modifier:
modifiers are words that modify their sentences’ meanings. Modifiers work by adding
descriptive language to sentences, either just before or just after the words they are modifying.
Modifiers usually answer questions such as when, where or how.
Take a look at these two examples:
I rode the train.
I rode the earliest train into the city.
The second sentence is more descriptive because of the modifiers it contains. Fundamentally,
modifiers’ purpose is to make sentences more descriptive or detailed. They can make a
sentence’s meaning clearer, make a sentence more specific, or simply make it more engaging.
Both of the example sentences above are complete sentences, but only one provides additional
details about the train ride.
Typically, modifiers are placed right beside the noun they’re modifying. Usually, this means
right before or after the noun:
1. Placement of Modifiers:
Adjectives: These usually come before the noun they modify.
o Example: The red car is fast.
Adverbs: These can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and can be placed in
various positions in a sentence.
o Example: She quickly ran to the store. (Modifying the verb)
o Example: It's a very interesting book. (Modifying the adjective)
2. Dangling Modifiers:
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that is intended to modify a word that is not
clearly stated in the sentence.
• Example: Walking to the store, the rain began to fall. (It's unclear who is walking)
3. Misplaced Modifiers:
Ensure that the modifier is placed next to the word it is meant to modify to avoid
confusion.
• Example: I saw a man on the hill with a telescope. (It's unclear whether the man or I
have the telescope)
4. Squinting Modifiers:
Modifiers that could be interpreted as modifying either the word before or the word
after.
• Example: I told my brother quickly. (Did I tell him quickly, or was I quick to tell him?)
5. Types of Modifiers:
Adjective Modifiers:
o These modify nouns.
o Example: The book, written by a famous author, is on the shelf.
Adverb Modifiers:
o These modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
o Example: She sang beautifully. (Modifying the verb "sang")
Prepositional Phrases:
o These begin with a preposition and modify nouns or verbs.
o Example: The cat on the roof is stuck.
6. Relative Clauses:
Introduced by relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that).
Uncountable nouns can be paired with words expressing plural concept. Using these words can
make your writing more specific. Here are some examples of how to format interesting
sentences with uncountable nouns. • Garbage – There are nine bags of garbage on the curb. •
Water – Try to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. • Advice – She gave me a useful
piece of advice. • Bread – Please buy a loaf of bread. • Furniture – A couch is a piece of
furniture. • Equipment – A backhoe is an expensive piece of equipment. • Cheese – Please bag
ten slices of cheese for me.
Confusing uncountable nouns: Sand, Soap, Physics, Mathematics, News, Mumps, Politics,
Information, Food, Meat, Money, Homework, Measles, Air, Advertising, Economics
Quantifiers for Countable Nouns:
Many/Few:
Many is used for a large quantity.
Each/Every:
Each refers to individual items in a group.
Bangla
English Word Meaning Synonyms Antonyms
Ridiculous, Preposterous,
Absurd অসাধু Logical, Rational, Sensible
Nonsensical
Confident, Assured,
Apprehensive আশঙ্কাশীল Anxious, Nervous, Worried
Unconcerned
Indifferent, Apathetic,
Avid উগ্র Enthusiastic, Zealous, Eager
Uninterested
Malevolent, Malignant,
Benevolent উদাি Kind, Generous, Charitable
Unkind
আত্মসমপণথ
Capitulate Surrender, Yield, Submit Resist, Defy, Oppose
কিা
Dissatisfied, Unhappy,
Complacent আত্মসন্তুষ্ট Self-satisfied, Smug, Content
Discontented
Misleading, Dishonest,
Deceptive রমর্যা Honest, Truthful, Genuine
Fraudulent
Gather, Collect,
Disperse ছরডযয় াওয়া Scatter, Distribute, Dissipate
Concentrate
Clarity, Explanation,
Enigma িহসযময় Mystery, Puzzle, Conundrum
Solution
Extravagant, Wasteful,
Frugal রমত্িযয়ী Thrifty, Economical, Stingy
Lavish
Discord, Dissonance,
Harmony সমান্তি Unity, Agreement, Accord
Conflict
Flawed, Imperfect,
Impeccable অকৃত্রিম Flawless, Perfect, Faultless
Defective
Indifferent, Apathetic,
Inquisitive প্রশ্নিাদী Curious, Interested, Nosy
Uninterested
উযিজনা
Instigate Incite, Provoke, Stimulate Deter, Restrain, Discourage
দদওয়া