Sentence Structure

Basic Structure Subject + Predicate (one main verb)  e.g. John eats an apple a day. John (subject) eats an apple a day (Predicate)  e.g. An apple is eaten by John everyday. An apple (subject) is eaten by John everyday. (Predicate)

Identify the subject and the predicate Most students spend time playing online games. Students can communicate with others more easily with ICQ, MSN etc. The benefits of technology outweigh the drawbacks.

Subjects Mr. John Wong is the vice-principal of STC. He has taught in STC for more than 38 years. Teaching English is his major duty. To maintain the fame of STC is his dream. Now that he is going to retire, he still has some loose ends to tidy up. Whether his dream will come true depends on how willingly STC students want to speak English.

Main verb (tense) Simple present (truth, habits)  I wake up at six. Continuous  Students are preparing for the final exam. Perfect / simple past  J.K. Rowling has finished the Harry Potter series, seven books in all.  J.K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2005.

Modal Verbs I may/might give you a surprise. You can/could climb a tree. He shall/should hand in his assignment before noon. They will/would go swimming tonight. We must speak the truth.

Conditionals (If + main) 1. Certainty  If you heat the ice cubes, they melt. 2. Possibility  If you revise hard, you will pass the final. 3. Impossibility  If Obama were the US president, pigs would fly. 4. Did not happen  John cancelled the flight to Sichuan. If he had boarded the aeroplane, he would have died in the May 12 earthquake.

If-clause + main-clause An if-clause is incomplete:  If you heat the ice cubes, …  If you revise hard, …  If Obama were the US president, …  If John had boarded the aeroplane, … They need the main-clause to complete the meaning.  …, they melt.  …, you will pass the final.

Conditional examples If students have self-control, they will not affect by these online games. If students have self-control, they will not affect be affected by these online games.

It- structures It is + adjective + for + noun + to-infinitive + complement e.g.  It is important for us to prepare well for the final examination.  It is understandable for parents to worry about their children who spend too much time online.

There- structures There be + noun (no more main verb) e.g.  There is an exchange student in 4L. [An exchange students is in 4L.]  There are four students taking English Literature. [Four students are taking English Literature.]  There have been several thousand aftershocks after the major quake in Sichuan.  There will be only one repeater place in S4 next year. [Only one repeater place will be (available) in S4 next year.]

There are people think that … Redundant ‘there are’ e.g.  There are many online games attract students. (Which is the main verb? be? attract?)  There are people think that technology brings bad effects to students. (Which is the main verb? be? think? bring?)