Sentence Pattern, Faults, Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers, Double Negatives & Spilt Infinitives BBS First Year Business English

 

Sentence Pattern

Link for Video:  https://youtu.be/gh97gAiYTiQ

A sentence Pattern ( ) is a pattern that helps to construct a sentence. Generally, it consists of subject, verb and object. Examining sentence patterns assists in understanding sentence construction. Most common sentence pattern is subject+ verb + object. Sentence patterns can be of seven types.

a.      SV – The Secretory talks.

b.     SVO – The Secretary keeps the records.

c.      SVC – The Secretory goes to the office. ( ‘C’ refers to ‘Complement’)

d.     SVOO – The Secretory sends the manager an email. ( Double Objects)

e.      SVOC – The Secretory sends emails from the office.

f.       SVA – The Secretory lives here. ( ‘A’ refers to ‘adverbial’)

g.     SVOA – The Secretory sent emails yesterday.

There are many ways of rewriting such sentences with a pattern. Most common and frequently patterns are:

•      Subject                  Verb

Suman                   is reading.

Pattern 1 that needs no additional words to make sense and be complete.

•      Subject                  Verb                  Direct Object 

Suman                   reads                 a novel.

Pattern 2 that has action verb with a direct object.

•      Subject                   verb               Indirect Object             Direct Object

Suman                   gives               Kamal                          a novel.

Pattern 3 may have an indirect object that answers the question of ‘to whom, for what etc.

•      Here or there                  Linking verb                    Subject

There                              are                                    several documents 

Pattern 4 that has verb before subject for putting emphasis.

•      Subject                  Linking Verb                Subject Complement

Our customers              are                          our friends.  (Noun Comp)

Your Manager              is                             she. (Pronoun Comp)

These sites                   will be                      useful. (Adjective Comp)

Pattern 5 that subject before a linking verb. A complement can be of noun, pronoun or adjective describing subject. 

Quiz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDOif8y6iyI 

Faults

Writing complete and grammatically appropriate sentence is challenging. The use of dangling modifiers and double negatives is called sentence faults. Under faults, we discuss misplaced modifiers and dangling modifiers that are stated below:

Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier (https://youtu.be/lEH-iVK_hgo ) is a word, phrase or clause that modifies a noun, pronoun or describes something. A modifier that is misplaced from the word that modifies is a misplaced modifier such as:

a.      The pretty girl walked to the office room.

b.     The very pretty girl walked to the office room.

c.      The very pretty girl walked quickly to the office room.

d.      She served cookies to her guests on paper plates. ( Misplaced Modifiers)

e.       She ate a sandwich sitting on a bench. ( Misplaced Modifiers)

Quiz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZNEZ5yYd_E 

Dangling Modifiers

Dangling Modifier (https://youtu.be/SjunMcrXgE0 ) refers to a not-clear relationship between a phrase and the word it modifies. The modifying phrase is dangling (hanging) if it is too far from the word it modifies such as:

a.      Lying motionless, the rescue team rushed to the driver’s help. (Incorrect)

The rescue team rushed to help the driver who was lying motionless. (correct)

b.     Flashing lightning and thunder, the little rabbit struggled with the storm. (Incorrect)

Flashing lightning and thunder, the storm raged as the rabbit struggled. (Correct)

c.      She ate a sandwich sitting on a bench. (Incorrect)

She, sitting on a bench, ate a sandwich. (Correct)

d.     While participating in the conference, the host invited me on stage. (Incorrect)

While participating in the conference, I was invited on stage by the host. (Correct)

Here, the modifier ‘While participating in the conference’ clearly modifies the subject ‘I’.

Double Negatives

Double Negative (https://youtu.be/oGY_KOccR5A ) is formed when a negative adverb such as no, not, hardly, barely, never, scarcely is used with a negative verb such as cannot, could not, won't, did not, verb + not. Such constructions are illogical because their use forms a positive. Double negatives are grammatically unacceptable such as:

a.      I couldn’t hardly understand what she said. ( Incorrect)

I could hardly understand what she said. (Correct)

b.     I don’t hate you = I love you. ( Positive Sense)

c.      I don’t have no money. (Strongly Denied)

Split Infinitives

Split Infinitives (https://youtu.be/0hjhSGLvSTE ): An infinitive is formed by placing the word ‘to’ before a present tense verb such as to agree, to write, to feel etc. A split infinitive is formed with an adverb or other words that are placed between the word ‘to’ and the verb such as to bravely accept, to warmly feel such as:

a.      The Human Resources Department selected Pamela to officially represent her department at the conference. ( Incorrect)

a. The Human Resource Department officially selected Pamela to represent her department at the conference. (The adverb ‘officially’ was moved closer to the word modified: selected) 

b.     He decided to change gradually the procedures. ( The wording ‘to change gradually’ is awkward)

He decided to change the procedures gradually. (This revision also avoids the problem of a split infinitive.) 

 

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