we need some help.We write tomorrow an exam-sentence patterns.we have already written 3 times this exam but we cannot pass.it is too complicated.we get a sentence which has 3 lines it is very hard to understand a sentence at all.we understand those basic patterns-subject verb,subject verb object,subject verb adverbial and so on.but can someone write a really long complicated sentence and explain how we can tell what subject is and the rest of the patterns also..please do not send any web pages.there is no such thing in the internet that can explain these long compicated sentences.there are just simple ones but as i already mentioned we understand that ones.
thank you
croatian students
Let's try a long simple sentence.
In the middle of the night, my younger brother, my older sister, and I were suddenly wakened from a sound sleep by a strange noise out in the back yard behind our bedrooms.
First, let's find the prepositional phrases and get rid of them. The main parts of sentences are never in prepositional phrases. If you need a list of prepositions, see this site.
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-list.htm
The prepositional phrases are in parentheses.
(In the middle)(of the night), my younger brother, my older sister, and I were suddenly wakened (from a sound sleep) (by a strange noise) (in the back yard) (behind our bedrooms).
That leaves:
My younger brother, my older sister, and I were suddenly wakened.
What is the verb? Who is doing the action?
If you post your answer, we'll be glad to check it.
Is this the kind of sentence you mean? Remember there are also compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences which have more than one clause.
First.... find main idea(s) What is the whole long sentence about?
Look at this sentence.
"The dog lived in the backyard, but the cat, who thought she was superior, lived inside the house."
#1 clue - there is a conjunction. So there may be two main ideas. What are they?
a. dog lived (in the backyard)
b. cat lived ( inside the house)
Therefore , you know that you have a compound sentence.
Then what does " who thinks she is superior" relate to? " The cat, of course". Does that group of words have a subject and verb?... Yes, " who thinks " Therefore you know it is a clause. Conclusion... compound, complex sentence.
Please notice..... I am asking myself questions!!!!! First I ask what is the main idea(s). After I separate them out, I ask , are the modifiers phrases or clauses? When I separate those into two groups. I ask, what do they modify?
The main thing I have taught my English classes when analyzing sentences to talk to themselves!!! Don't expect the answers to leap off the page when you look at the sentence. Logic it through.
If you like, take this sentence and work it through. Repost and we will be glad to help.
"With her fingernails, the woman tore open the package she had just received."
i understand this.but we have to do the following
the dog-subject
lived-predication
in the backyard-adverbial
the cat-subject
who thought she was superior-i think this is subject complement...and so on...we have to decide what is il a sentence a subject what is object object complement subject complement adverbial and verb.that is it..and than we get a really long sentence and we don't understand what is an adverbial what is a complement.this is my problem
Sure, I can help you understand how to analyze a long and complicated sentence. To do this, I'll break down the process step by step.
Step 1: Read the sentence thoroughly
Start by reading the sentence slowly and attentively. Take your time to understand the overall meaning and structure of the sentence.
Step 2: Identify the main subject
The subject is usually the noun or pronoun that performs the action in the sentence. Look for the main person or thing the sentence is about. This will help you establish the foundation of the sentence.
Step 3: Find the main verb
The main verb is the action that the subject performs. It shows what the subject is doing. Look for the word or phrase that describes the action in the sentence.
Step 4: Determine the direct object (if any)
The direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. Ask yourself, "What or whom is directly affected by the action?" The answer will help you identify the direct object.
Step 5: Look for adverbial modifiers
Adverbial modifiers provide additional information about the verb, such as when, where, why, or how the action happened. Identify words or phrases that modify the verb and provide extra details.
Step 6: Identify other patterns or structures
Once you have identified the subject, verb, object, and any adverbial modifiers, look for other patterns or structures. This could include prepositional phrases, relative clauses, gerunds, or infinitives. Be aware of any specific grammatical structures that are present in the sentence.
Step 7: Analyze the sentence as a whole
Finally, put all the identified elements together and analyze how they work together to convey the meaning of the sentence. Pay attention to the relationships between different parts of the sentence and how they contribute to the overall structure and coherence.
Remember, practicing with different sentence patterns and analyzing various examples will improve your understanding over time. Don't hesitate to ask for help when needed, and keep practicing to become more proficient in analyzing sentence patterns.