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ENL 111 - Syntax

Things You Are Not Expected to Learn

    The approach we are using to study syntax is based on a sequence of five levels, each of which builds on previous levels. The levels are:

1. Prepositional Phrases
2. Subject / Finite Verb / Complement Patterns
3. Clauses
4. Verbals
5. Seven Additional Constructions
In this course we deal, in a limited amount of time, with the first three levels, but because we are analyzing randomly selected, "real" texts, I have found that students often benefit by partial explanations of additional constructions, even though they (you) are not expected to learn them. Thus, for example, in learning to identify finite verbs, you will need to be able to distinguish them from verbals. This page presents some explanations which may be helpful.

Distinguishing Finite Verbs fromVerbals

     "Verb" is a category of words, but when we look at how verbs are actually used in sentences, we find that every "verb" has to function either as a finite verb or as a verbal. In this course, you need to identify finite verbs, but you will do so by first identifying a "verb." Some of the verbs that you identify will not be finite, they will be verbals. You should learn not to underline verbals twice. To make the distinction between finite verbs and verbals, note the following.
     Finite verbs can occupy the verb slot in a simple S/V/C pattern:

He drove home.
She read the book.

     Most verbals cannot do this. For example:

Driving home, Bill had an accident.

If we ask "Who or what was driving?", the answer is "Bill," so the subject of "driving" is "Bill," but you know that "Bill driving home" is not an acceptable sentence. Thus "driving" is not a finite verb. The same is true in:

She saw him read the book.

If we ask "Who or what read the book?", the answer is "him," so the subject of "read" is "him," but you know that "him read the book" is not an acceptable sentence. Although there are a few exceptions, this simple sentence test should enable you to identify finite verbs and ignore the verbals. If you want to know more about verbals, click here.