STRUCTURE OF

ENGLISH
English Specialization (Majorship)

DR. ARIES S. PEREZ

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IV
BICOL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
 Basic Sentence Patterns
Pattern Symbols
N1 be N1 N1 = subject and subject
N be Adj complement (predicate noun)
N be UW Adj = subject complement
N InV (predicate adjective)
N1 TrV N2 UW = uninflected word
N1 TrV N2 N3 (adverb)
N1 TrV N2 N2 InV = intransitive verb
TrV = transitive verb
N2 = direct object/object
complement
N3 = indirect object
1. N be Adj (formerly known as S-LV-
C with Adjective as complement)

 where the adjective is a SUBJECT COMPLEMENT,

in particular a PREDICATE ADJECTIVE. The
adjective refers back to the subject. The copula
verb be means “may be described as.”

 Roses are sweet. (subject complement =

predicate adjective)
2. N be UW (S-LV-Adv, formerly
missing pattern)

 where the UW stands for uninflected word is an

ADVERBIAL such as here, there, up, down, in,
out, inside, upstairs, downstairs, on, off, now,
then, yesterday, and tomorrow. Be has the
meaning of “be located” or “occur.”

 The meeting was yesterday. (adverbial)

3. N1 be N2 (formerly known as S-LV-
C with Noun as complement)

 where the superscript means that the two

nouns have the same referent. the second noun
following the be verb is also a SUBJECT
COMPLEMENT, in particular a PREDICATE NOUN
or PREDICATE NOMINATIVE.

 Her neighbor is my cousin. (subject

complement = predicate nominative)
4. N InV (formerly known as S-IV
with or without Adv)

 where the InV stands for INTRANSITIVE VERB

does not require an object. The verb being self-
sufficient can stand alone with its subject.

 Glasses break.
5. N1 TrV N2 (formerly known as S-
TV-DO with or without OC)

 where N2 does not have the same referent as is

called the DIRECT OBJECT (the receiver of the
action) of the verb (TrV = transitive V) the
receiver of the action

 The girl buys yellow roses.

6. N1 TrV N2 N3 (formerly known as S-
TV-IO-DO)

 where the superscripts 1, 2, and 3 indicate that

each noun has a different referent.
 Mother gave a gift to the orphan.
(usually reads as Mother gave the orphan a gift.)
7. }N2
}Adj
}Pronoun
N1 Trv N2 }Adv (of place), uninflected
}Verb, present
participle
 (object complement) The }Verb, pastsecretary.
class voted Henry
participle
 (adjective) The principal found the gardener efficient.

 (pronoun) We considered the writer you.

 (adverb of place) The teacher directed them outside.
 (present participle) She saw them praying.
 (past participle) I imagine my father overworked.
 The most common illustration of this sentence pattern is
one with the occurrence of a final N2.
 Types of Verbs
 Linking verbs: what follows the verb
relates back to the subject (= subject
complement: pred. noun or pred. adj.)

We are teachers. (N1 LV N1 = pred.

noun)
We become molders of minds.
The children seem scared. (N LV Adj =
pred. adj.)
The boys are in the garden. (N LV Adv)
 Types of Verbs
 Intransitive verbs: take no following
object

The team won. (N InV)

 Transitive verbs: require an object

My father raises rabbits. (N1 TV N2 =

direct object)
 Types of Verbs

 Prepositional verbs: require a

prepositional phrase to be
complete

I glanced at the mirror.

Types of Transitive
Verbs
 Monotransitive: takes one object (direct
object)

My father raises rabbits. (N1 TrV N2)

Types of Transitive Verbs
 Ditransitive : takes two objects (direct
and indirect)

The postman delivered a package

to my sister. (N1 TrV N2 N3 )

The postman gave my sister a

package.
(N1 TrV N3 N2)

N3 = indirect object
 Types of Transitive Verbs
 Complex transitive: takes two objects,
but what follows the direct object relates
back to it

The class elected Jose their

representative.
(N1 TrV N2 N2)

N2 = object complement
 Functions of Nouns
 Subject of verb
The guest is amiable.
 Subject complement

He is my hero. (predicate noun)

They are excited. (predicate
adjective)
 Direct object

Mother gave a gift

 Indirect object

Mother gave a gift to the orphan.

Mother gave the orphan a gift.
 Functions of Nouns
 Object complement/object noun predicate
They elected Mario president.
 Appositive
Baguio City, the summer capital of the
Philippines, is no longer as beautiful as it
was before.
 Vocative
Friends, shall we play tennis tomorrow?
 Object of the preposition
PNU is at the corner of Taft Avenue and
Ayala Boulevard.
Forms of Adverbials
 Adverbial clause:
She cried because she lost
her wallet.

 Adverbial phrase:
She cried very silently.

 Prep.phrase:
Jason woke up at seven o’clock
 Linking/Copula Verbs
 Beverbs (am, is, are, was, were, will
be)
when it is the main verb in the
sentence.

 Other verbs
appear, feel, look, prove, seem,
smell, sound, taste, become, fall, get,
go, grow, keep, remain, stay may be
substituted by an appropriate be verb
 Linking/Copula Verbs
 Beverbs (am, is, are, was, were, will
be)
when it is the main verb in the
sentence.

 Other verbs
appear, feel, look, prove, seem,
smell, sound, taste, become, fall, get,
go, grow, keep, remain, stay may be
substituted by an appropriate be verb
 HELPING VERB
Auxiliary SONG
Tune: Jingle Bells Song

/
Helping Verbs, Helping Verbs There
Helping
help are 23!
express Am is are was and were Being Been
and Be (Hey!)
tense,
Have has had
aspect,
modality, Do does did

and voice Shall will should and would!

There are five more helping verbs
May might must can could!
Let’s see…

1. The sentence “The audience

clapped when the musical rendition
was over,” illustrates one of these
patterns. Which one is it?
A. N InV
B. N LV Adj
C. N TrV N
D. N InV Adv
2. In the sentence, “The club meeting
will be over in an hour,” the
underlined phrase functions as
_____.

A. subject complement
B. predicate noun
C. prepositional phrase
D. adverbial phrase
3. Which of the following sentences
does not have a linking verb?

A. The tall building appears haunted.

B. The principal is busy monitoring
school activities.
C. The ugly bud becomes a beautiful
flower after two days.
D. The class are working on their
science project.
4. Which of these is a passive
sentence?

A. The box contains a pair of silver

shoes.
B. He has bought a new house
by the lake.
C. Bob got excused for his first
offense.
D. The choir sang an early folk tune.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is
the cornerstone rule that forms the background of
the concept.

The dog growls when he is angry. The dogs growl when

they are angry.

2. Don’t get confused by the words that come

between the subject and verb; they do not affect
agreement.

The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject
and verb usually do not affect agreement.

The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

4. When sentences start with “there” or “here,”

the subject will always be placed after the verb,
so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.

There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here are

the papers you requested.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
5. Subjects don't always come before verbs in
questions. Make sure you accurately identify the
subject before deciding on the proper verb form to
use.

Does Lefty usually eat grass? Where are the pieces of this
puzzle.

6. If two subjects are joined by and, they typically

require a plural verb form.

The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
7. The verb is singular if the two subjects
separated by and refer to the same person or
thing.

Red beans and rice is my mom's favorite dish.

8. If one of the words each, every, or no

comes before the subject, the verb is singular.

No smoking or drinking is allowed. Every man and

woman is required to check in.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
9. If the subjects are both singular and are connected
by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not
only/but also the verb is singular.

Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.

10. The only time when the object of the preposition

factors into the decision of plural or singular verb
forms is when noun and pronoun subjects like some,
half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a
prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of
the preposition determines the form of the verb.

All of the chicken is gone. All of the chickens are gone.

Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
11. The singular verb form is usually used for
units of measurement or time.

Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

12. If the subjects are both plural and are

connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor,
either/or, and not only/but also, the verb is plural.

Neither the dogs nor the cats are available at the pound.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
13. If one subject is singular and one plural and the
words are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor,
either/or, and not only/but also, you use the verb form
of the subject that is nearest the verb.

Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo.
Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.

14. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs.

Everybody wants to be loved.

Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
15. Except for the pronouns (few, many,
several, both, all, some) that always take
the plural form.

Few were left alive after the flood.

16. If two infinitives are separated by and

they take the plural form of the verb.

To walk and to chew gum require great skill.

Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
17. When gerunds are used as the subject of a
sentence, they take the singular verb form of the
verb; but, when they are linked by and, they take
the plural form.

Standing in the water was a bad idea. Swimming in the

ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.

18. Collective nouns like herd, senate, class,

crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.

The herd is stampeding.

Subject-Verb Agreement
Rules
19. Titles of books, movies, novels, etc.
are treated as singular and take a
singular verb.

The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

20. Final Rule – Remember, only the

subject affects the verb!
Pronoun-Antecedent
Agreement
An antecedent is a word for which a
pronoun stands. (ante = "before")
1. A phrase or clause between the subject and verb does not
change the number of the antecedent

2. Indefinite pronouns as antecedents

Singular indefinite pronoun antecedents take singular pronoun
referents.

Example: •Plural indefinite pronoun antecedents require plural referents.

PLURAL: several, few, both, many
Example:
Pronoun-Antecedent
Agreement
•Some indefinite pronouns that are modified by a prepositional phrase may be either singular or plural.
EITHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL: some, any, none, all, most

Examples:
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

3. Compound subjects joined by and always take a plural referent.

Example:

4. With compound subjects joined by or/nor, the referent pronoun agrees with the antecedent closer to the
pronoun.

Example #1 (plural antecedent closer to pronoun):

Example #2 (singular antecedent closer to pronoun):

Note: Example #1, with the plural antecedent closer to the pronoun, creates a smoother sentence
than example #2, which forces the use of the singular "his or her."
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

5. Collective Nouns (group, jury, crowd, team, etc.) may be singular or plural, depending on meaning.

In this example, the jury is acting as one unit; therefore, the referent pronoun is singular.

In this example, the jury members are acting as twelve individuals; therefore, the referent
pronoun is plural.

In this example, the jury members are acting as twelve individuals; therefore, the referent
pronoun is plural.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

6. The number of vs A number of before a subject:

•The number of is singular.

•A number of is plural.
Types of Phrases
A phrase is a group of words without both a subject and predicate
. Phrases combine words into a larger unit that can function as a
sentence element.

•Noun Phrase - "The crazy old lady in the park feeds the pigeons every day." A noun phrase
consists of a noun and all of its modifiers, which can include other phrases (like the
prepositional phrase in the park).

• Appositive Phrase - "Bob, my best friend, works here" or "My best friend Bob works
here." An appositive (single word, phrase, or clause) renames another noun, not
technically modifying it..
• Gerund Phrase - "I love baking cakes." A gerund phrase is just a noun phrase with a
gerund as its head.
• Infinitive Phrase - "I love to bake cakes." An infinitive phrase is a noun phrase with an
infinitive as its head. Unlike the other noun phrases, however, an infinitive phrase can
also function as an adjective or an adverb.

•Verb Phrase - The verb phrase can refer to the whole predicate of a sentence (I was watching
my favorite show yesterday) or just the verb or verb group (was watching).

•Adverbial Phrase - The adverbial phrase also has two definitions; it's a group of adverbs (very
quickly), while others say it's any phrase (usually a prepositional phrase like “at the mall”)
that acts as an adverb
Types of Phrases
•Adjectival Phrase - As with adverbial phrases, adjectival phrases can either
refer to a group of adjectives (two classic leather Italian ) or any phrase (like
a participial or prepositional phrase) that acts as an adjective

•Participial Phrase - "Crushed to pieces by a sledgehammer, the computer no

longer worked" or "I think the guy sitting over there likes you." A participial
phrase has a past or present participle as its head. Participial phrases
always function as adjectives.

•Prepositional Phrase - "The food on the table looked delicious." A

prepositional phrase, which has a preposition as its head, can function as an
adjective, adverb, or even as a noun.

•Absolute Phrase - "My cake finally baking in the oven, I was free to rest for
thirty minutes." Unlike participial phrases, absolute phrases have subjects
and modify the entire sentence, not one noun. Almost a clause, the absolute
phrase can include every sentence element except a finite verb. For example,
"My cake finally baking in the oven" would be its own sentence if you just
added one finite verb: "My cake was finally baking in the oven."
 Voice

• Pertains to who or what serves as the

subject in a clause.

• ACTIVE voice: the subject of a clause

is most often the agent/ doer of the action.
• PASSIVE voice: the subject of a clause is the
receiver or undergoer of the action. The passive
“defocuses” the agent.

The lifeguard saved the child. (active)

The child was saved [by the lifeguard].
(passive)

• The active voice requires only transitive verbs.

• Passive morphology : be . . . –en

(a form of the be verb + the past participle)
• AGENTED passive: the agent is mentioned
(appears in a prepositional phrase marked by the
preposition by.
The child was saved by the lifeguard.

• AGENTLESS passive : the agent is not mentioned

The child was saved.

• Some passive sentences have no active

counterparts.
Justin was born in Canada.
5. In the sentence “My aunt tenderly
mothers her youngest son,” the underlined
word is _____.
A. a noun
B. a verb
C. an adjective
D. a possessive

 Referred to as conversion/functional shift

6. Which of the following sentences does not
contain a phrasal verb?
A. The Board winded their meeting up
quite early.
B. We look up to him as our role model.
C. Do not lean against the wall.
D. Am I going to round off the numbers?

 Phrasal verbs are two-word verbs.

= V + adverbial particle
Examples of Phrasal Verbs (PVs)

Phrasal Verb Synonym

call up telephone
keep on continue
pick out choose
give in/up surrender
leave out omit
put off postpone
 Separable and Inseparable PVs
 Look after your baby brother.
*Look your baby brother after. (* means ungrammatical)
Look after him.

 Donna turned on the light.

Donna turned the light on.
Donna turned it on.

 She passed out (fainted).

She passed the brochures out (distributed).
7. Which of the following words is
not a derived word?
A. attendance
B. television
C. perfectly
D. children
 Affixation
 Word formation process involving
 Inflection = inflected word
 Derivation = derived word

 8 inflectional affixes in English

 noun = plural, possessive
 verb = 3rd p. sg., simple past, present
participle, past participle
 adjective = comparative, superlative degree
markers
 Inflectional & Derivation Suffixes
Inflectional Derivational
Keeps the class of the Changes the class . . . .
word to which it is
added

Closed list Open list

Widely distributed Limited in distribution

Closes a word Can pile up at the end of

words
8. I can hardly hear the news.
Please turn _____ the volume.
A. over
B. up
C. around
D. on
Some examples of phrasal
verbs (verb + adverb/prep)
 turn over: pass the control/running
of, give into the custody
of
 turn up: make loud, appear,
improve (economy),
be found;
 turn around: reverse
 turn out: extinguish; produce
 turn on: switch on, excite
 turn in: submit
9. Which of the following plural
nouns is an unmarked form?
A. students
B. bacteria
C. women
D. sheep
Unmarked and Marked Forms
 Unmarked

means predictable, typical,

regular, basic (e.g. honest)

 Marked

means not common,

irregular
(e.g. dishonest)
10. In the verb phrase, will have
been chosen, the operator verb
is _____.
A. will
B. have
C. been
D. chosen
 Operator Verb
 Related to the concept of auxiliary/helping verbs

 Types of auxiliary verbs

 Modal – can/could, will/would, shall/should,
may/might, must
 Non-modal – be, do, have verbs

 Crucial in the formation of negative sentences,

yes-no questions, tag questions
 Finding the Operator Verb
An operator verb is a part of a verb phrase.
In a verb phrase with more than one verb (e.g. with an
auxiliary), the operator is the first verb on the left.
Example: I can understand operators.
In a verb phrase with just one lexical verb (and no auxiliaries),
in which the lexical verb is formed with "be,” the operator is
the lexical verb.
Example: Operators are part of the verb phrase.
In a verb phrase with just one lexical verb formed with a verb
other than "be," there is no operator. The operator is formed
by adding a form of "do.”
Example: Jamie (does) love his pet cat.
 Modal as Operator Verb
We can submit our project on time.
Negative:
We cannot submit our project on time.
Yes-no Question:
Can we submit our project on time?
Can we not submit our project on time?
Can’t we submit our project on time?
Tag Question:
We can submit our project on time, can’t we?
We cannot submit our project on time, can we?
 Be as Operator Verb
The students are here
Neg.: The students are not here.
Y/N Q: Are the students here?
Tag Q: The students are here, aren’t they?

He is joining the party.

Neg.: He is not joining the party.
Y/N Q: Is he joining the party?
Tag Q: He is joining the party, isn’t he?
He is not joining the party, is he?
 Have as Operator Verb
My brother has reviewed for the final
exams.

Neg.: My brother has not reviewed for the

final exam.
Y/N Q: Has my brother reviewed for the final
exam?
Tag Q: My brother has reviewed for the final
exam, hasn’t he?
My brother has not reviewed for the
final exam, has he?
 Has as Main Verb
Albert has a new girl friend.

Neg: Albert does not have a new girl

friend.
Y/N Q: Does Albert have a new girl friend?
Tag Q: Albert has a new girl friend, doesn’t
he?
Albert does not have a new girl
friend, does he?
Do Operator with Other Verbs
The baby takes a nap every day.
The babies take a nap every day.
The baby/babies took a nap this morning

Do insertion:
The baby does take a nap every day.
The babies do take a nap every day.
The baby/babies did take a nap this
morning.
 Tag Questions
1. A tag question comes at the end of a
statement.
2. It asks for agreement or disagreement.
3. It is positive after a negative statement
and vice versa.

The mail has come today, hasn’t it.

The mail hasn’t come today, has it?

It’s raining, isn’t it?

It isn’t raining, is it?
11. Which of the following adjective
phrases is syntactically correct?
A. the most perfect
B. nearly perfect
C. the very perfect
D. less perfect
Gradable & Absolute Adjectives
 Gradable adjective: allows comparison
easy easier
easiest
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
less _____
least _____
 Absolute/Non-gradable adjective:
perfect *more perfect *most
perfect
*less perfect *least
perfect
 Absolute Adjectives

round supreme
fatal total
unique unanimous
possible impossible

equal eternal
final infinite
12. Which of the following phrases is
properly sequenced?
A. an old ugly gray wooden statue
B. a wooden old ugly gray statue
C. an ugly old gray wooden statue
D. a gray wooden old ugly statue
Modifiers/Adjectives
Sequence

1.Quantity or number
2.Quality or opinion
3.Size
4.Age
5.Shape
6.Color
7.Proper adjective (often nationality, other
place of origin, or material)
8.Purpose or qualifier
 Order of Determiners
Pre-Det Core Det Post-Det Adj Noun
QUANTIFIERS ARTICLES CARDINAL
all a/an, the NUMBERS
both one/two
half POSS. ADJECTIVES
my/your/his, etc. ORDINAL young boys
NUMBERS
MULTIPLIERS
DEMONSTRATIVES first/second
twice this/these, etc. next, last
four times
NOUN POSSESSIVES
QUANTIFIERS
Boy’s bag, cat’s toy,
etc. little, some,
most
INDEFINITE WORDS
some, any, no, each,
etc.
13. Which of the following
questions is positively phrased?
A. How young are you today?
B. How old are you today?
C. What’s your age today?
D. All of the above
 Polarity
Positive Negative
old young
big small
long short
fast slow

Positive:
Are unmarked forms (more frequent),
learned earlier by children, used in neutral
contexts
14. One of the most powerful
countries which existed several
years back is _____ Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics. What article is
missing?
A. a
B. an
C. the
D. none
 Article Use
Nouns

Common Proper
(inherently
definite)
Count Non-
count
(mass)
sg. pl. sg. pl.

Definite the the the Ø the

Indefinite a/an some/Ø some/Ø

 Other Uses of the
 countries viewed as unions, collection of islands
the United States of America
the Philippines (Philippine Islands)
 lakes (if they form a geological group)
the Great Lakes
 mountain ranges
the Rocky Mountains, the Alps, the Sierra
Madre
 islands
the Bahamas
15. You can sleep on the beach or
in the woods. The sentence has
conjoined _____.
A. clauses
B. predicates
C. verb phrases
D. prepositional phrases
Coordination/Conjoining Process
 Makes use of coordinators/coordinating
conjunctions
 FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
 Coordinators join two or more independent
clauses
 Coordinators form compound sentences.

I wanted to help my parents, but they won’t let me

be a working student.
Sentence Types: Clause Structure

1. Simple = one subject + one predicate

The parents / signed the permission form.
The captain and his men / fought with their
enemies bravely.

2. Compound = 2 or more independent

clauses
The doctor / schedules a consultation, but he /
has not come yet.
This test / is for preschool children; it / should
not be used for other children.
The children / didn’t enjoy it; nevertheless, it /
was a learning experience.
Sentence Types: Clause Structure

3. Complex = 1 independent clause + at least 1

dependent clause
Alan, [the boy I told you about], was discharged last
week.
[As the family has suspected,] their barangay captain
would not help at all.
The poem [which won the award] pleased the judges.

4. Compound-complex = 2 or more independent

clauses + at least 1 dependent clause
It was true [that the building was elevated above the
flood level], but the water reached the floor anyway.
16. If you learn to swim, you _____
on this trip. The appropriate verb
phrase to complete the sentence
is _____.
A. would go
B. will go
C. will be going
D. would have gone
 Conditional Sentences
Conditional tenses are used to speculate about
what could happen, what might have happened,
and what we wish would happen. In English, most
sentences using the conditional contain the word if.
Many conditional forms in English are used in
sentences that include verbs in one of the past
tenses. This usage is referred to as
"the unreal past" because we use a past tense but
we are not actually referring to something that
happened in the past. There are five main ways of
constructing conditional sentences in English. In all
cases, these sentences are made up of an if clause
and a main clause. In many negative conditional
sentences,
Source: there is an equivalent sentence
https://www.ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar/conditional/
construction using "unless" instead of "if".
Types of Conditional
Sentences
Types of Conditional Sentences
(continued)
Types of Conditional Sentences
(continued)
Types of Conditional Sentences
(continued)
Types of Conditional Sentences
(continued)
Types of Conditional Sentences
(continued)
Source:
https://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditionalintro.html#conditional-
chart-title
17. You look attractive in _____ the blue
sweater _____ the yellow one. To
complete the sentence which
correlative conjunction is appropriate?
A. not only . . . but
B. neither . . . nor
C. either . . . or
D. both . . . and also
Correlative
Conjunctions
 A paired conjunction that links
balanced words, phrases, and
clauses.

 both . . . and
either . . . or
neither . . . nor
not . . . but
not only . . . but also
Uses of Coordinating
Conjunctions
CONJUNCTION MEANING CONJUNCTION MEANING

one or the other

of the two
for because or
alternatives is
true
but at the same
and plus yet
time
conjoins two
negative
nor sentences, both so therefore
of which are
true

but shows contrast

Uses of Subordinating
Conjunctions
CONJUNCTIO CONJUNCTIO
TYPE TYPE
N N
when, before,
time after, since, conditional If, unless
while, until, as
in order to, so because,
purpose reason
that since, as
although,
result so that concessive though, while,
despite
where,
place manner as, like
wherever
18. The amount which she paid for is a
student loan. The
underlined group of words is
considered _____.
A. an independent clause
B. a dependent clause
C. a fragment
D. a subject complement
 Relative Clause
 A dependent clause
 A product of an embedding process
 An adjective clause (noun modifier)
The amount is a student loan.
She paid for the amount.
which
The amount [she paid for the amount] is a
student loan.
The amount which she paid for is a student loan.
19. My brother doesn’t like meat
and neither do I. The underlined
words show _____.
A. uninverted affirmative elision
B. inverted affirmative elision
C. uninverted negative elision
D. inverted negative elision
 Elision Process
My brother doesn’t like meat.
I do not like meat.
 Uninverted negative elision
My brother doesn’t like meat and I don’t, either.
 Inverted negative elision
My brother doesn’t like meat and neither do I.

My brother likes meat.

I like meat.
 Uninverted affirmative elision
My brother likes meat and I do, too.
 Inverted affirmative elision
My brother likes meat and so do I.
20. Which of the following is a
prototypical imperative sentence?
A. Let’s gather wild berries.
B. Could you please sharpen my
pencil?
C. Don’t wash your dirty linen in
public.
D. Wait for your turn.
Kinds of Imperative Sentences
A. Inclusive imperative
Let’s gather wild berries.
B. Polite imperative/Request
Could you please sharpen my pencil?
C. Negative imperative
Don’t wash your dirty linen in public.
D. Affirmative imperative
Wait for your turn.
E. Elliptical imperative
Trays!
F. Diffuse imperative
Somebody open the door
21. One of the following is not a
content word. Which word is it?
A. he
B. bought
C. new
D. shirt
 Categories of Words
Traditionally, we recognize eight (8) parts of speech
NOW, we categorize words into:
 Content words (open classes)
 Nouns
 Verbs
 Adjectives
 Adverbs
 Structure/function words (closed classes)
 All other word classes (pronouns, determiners,
prepositions, conjunctions, etc.)
22. Which of the following verbs can be
both transitive and intransitive?
A. seem
B. arrive
C. sing
D. bring
 To Remember
 Some verbs are intransitive only.
arrive, blush, cry, disappear, erupt, faint, happen,
kneel, laugh, moan, persist, roar
 Some verbs are transitive only.
admire, blame, catch, design, enjoy, free, give,
hear, keep, like, make, need, plant, record
 Other verbs can be both intransitive or
transitive (may or may not take an object
eat, play, run, sing, speak, wash
The children played. (intransitive)
The children played chess. (transitive)
23. Which adverbial phrases come in the
right order?
A. (walks) every morning hurriedly to
catch the bus
B. (walks) to catch the bus hurriedly every
morning
C. (goes) at seven o’clock to the library to
return some books
D. (goes) to the library at seven o’clock to
return some books
Sequence of Sentence-Final
Adverbials
{ direction/goal} + position ↔ manner
+ time ↔ frequency + purpose/reason}

He walks home leisurely at 5:30 PM

every day because he wants to feel
relaxed.

He walks home leisurely every day at

5:30 PM because he wants to feel
relaxed.
24. ”If Fred _____ hard, he would have passed
the examination.” Which verb form
correctly completes the conditional
sentence?
A. studied
B. had studied
C. has studied
D. would have studied
Verb Pairing in If and Main Clauses

 If … studies … will pass

 If… studied … would
pass
 If… has studied … will have
passed
 If… had studied … would
have passed
25. Which of the following sentences
does not make use of an operator
verb?
A. They seem anxious today.
B. She is coming tonight.
C. You are joining my birthday party,

aren’t you?
D. I will expect you and your sister.
26. In the sentence, “The supplier
delivers water on Tuesdays and
Fridays,” the verb is a _____ verb.
A. transitive
B. intransitive
C. linking
D. phrasal
27. Which of the following is an
active sentence?
A. The dishes have been washed.
B. Much corn is raised in the
Ilocos Region.
C. The boy scouts raised the flag.
D. The drums are played at 7:45
in the evening.
28. The pitcher _____ the ball with a
strong force scoring a perfect
strike. In a commentary of a
baseball match, which verb will
complete the sentence correctly?
A. throws
B. is throwing
C. has thrown
D. will be throwing
Tense and Aspect of Verbs
1. Tense gives information about the time when an event
takes place.

Present / Past / Future

2. Aspect gives information on completion and duration of

an event.

Simple / Progressive / Perfect / Perfect progressive

Perfect Tense of the
Verb
Perfect Tenses
The three perfect tenses in English are the three verb tenses which show action already completed. (The
word perfect literally means "made complete" or "completely done.")
They are formed by the appropriate tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the verb.

Present Perfect: I have seen it few hours ago.

(Present tense of to have plus participle. Action is recently completed with respect to the
present.)

Past Perfect: I had seen it before you even asked.

(Past tense of to have plus participle. There are TWO past actions where one is is completed
before the other with respect to the past.)

Future Perfect: I will have seen it by Monday.

(Future tense of to have plus participle. Action is expected to be completed with respect to the
future.)

Some authorities consider the passive voice of certain verbs that are always intransitive to be the
perfect tense also.
Example: They are gone.
Example: He is risen.
Perfect Progressive Tense of the
Verb

Present Perfect Progressive

Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past,
continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is
formed by using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the
verb form ending in -ing).

Example: The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of

Texas where profits would be larger.
Perfect Progressive Tense of the
Verb

Past Perfect Progressive

Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was
completed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had
been and the present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).

Example: Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating
in many extracurricular activities.
Perfect Progressive Tense of the
Verb

Future Perfect Progressive

Future perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing action that will
occur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will
have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -
ing).

Example: By the year 2020, linguists will have been studying and
defining the Indo-European language family for more than 200 years.
29. Which aspect of the verb carries
the meaning of “prior.”
A. simple
B. progressive
C. perfect
D. perfect progressive
 Meaning of the Aspects
1. Simple aspect
= complete; unchanging nature;
immediate
factuality (present & past tense) /strong
prediction (future tense)
2. Perfect aspect
= prior/before
3. Progressive aspect
= incomplete; changing
30. Which sentence has a ditransitive
verb?
A. He looked at the mountain with
binoculars.
B. We were happily chatting under
the tree.
C. Mother made dresses for my doll.
D. She put a rocking chair on the
lawn.
31. Which of the following sentences
shows an error in subject-verb
agreement?
A. Measles is contagious.
B. The committee works hard even
on holidays.
C. One hundred pesos are hard to
earn in one day.
D. My pajamas are still wet.
32. We watched the softball game
on the front porch. Which question
elicits the direct object
constituent?
A. Who watched the softball game?
B. What did we do?
C. What did we watch?
D. Where did we watch the game?
33. Which of the following yes/no
questions is not formed accurately?
A. Have you all the things that you
need for the trip?
B. Do you want to play badminton?
C. Won’t you have been the rightful
heiress?
D. Can you not deliver your speech
without a script?
34. Father drove the car into the
garage beside our house with its
headlights on. The reference of
the underlined word is _____.
A. Father
B. car
C. garage
D. house
 Referencing
 Antecedent- noun being replaced by a pronoun; comes
before the pronoun substitute

 Referent = noun being substituted; neutral term

 Anaphoric – backward reference; referent comes before

(antecedent)
If a man has talent and can’t use it, he’s failed.
 Cataphoric – forward reference; referent comes after
A few days before she left for Hongkong, my mother
gave me a list of reminders and advice.
35. Which of the following sentences is
the most acceptable because it is easy
to handle?
A. Everyone passed his or her paper on
time.
B. Everyone passed their project on time.
C. Everyone passed his/her project on
time.
D. All the students passed their project
on time.
36. Which of the following nouns
shows inflection?
A. friendship
B. helplessness
C. advocacy
D. librarians
37. Which of the following sentences
expresses negation?
A. The dogs are not well trained.
B. Many never pray before sleeping.
C. Usually the lame can neither run nor
jump.
D. All of the above.
38. The imperative “Have an
enjoyable vacation,” is used as
_____.
A. a suggestion
B. a wish
C. an advice
D. an invitation
 Other Uses of Imperatives
 Offer: Have another biscuit.
 Suggestion: Let’s go to the movie tonight.
 Request: Close the door, please.
 Advice: Don’t forget Mother’s Day.
 Directions: Go left at the next corner.
 Prohibition: Do not pick the flowers.
 Warning: Watch out!
 Procedure: Add a teaspoon of baking powder to
the flour.
 Invitation: Come in.
 Threat: Watch your step.
 Wish: Have a great day!
39. Which of the following is not a correct
coordination of these sentence?

Mark loves to eat fruits.

I love to eat fruits.

A. Mark and I love to eat fruits.

B. Mark loves to eat fruits and I do, either.
C. Mark loves to eat fruits and so do I.
D. Mark loves to eat fruits and I do, too.
40. In the sentence, “The
awardee that the committee
chose comes from a poor
family,” the underlined word
functions as _____.
A. a relative pronoun
B. an object of the verb
C. a subject of the clause
D. a subordinating conjunction
 Uses of that
 As a pronoun
Let’s think carefully about that.
 As a determiner
I like that shoulder bag.
 As a relative pronoun
The letter that came this morning is from my
brother
 As conjunction
His manners are so bad that nobody invites him to a
party.
 As sentence marker
The fact that the students destroyed the science lab
infuriated the school head.
41. Ella was a girl who could surf
but who was afraid to swim. The
conjuncts in the sentence are
_____.
A. sentences
B. relative clauses
C. relative pronouns
D. independent clauses
42. Which of the following sentences
should have the article the on the
blank?
A. The artist I talked in the Art Fair is
_____ Michelangelo.
B. _____ Philippines has a lot of wonderful
tourist destinations.
C. Obama Wins by _____ Landslide
D. _____ Sampaguita lei is usually
given to a guest of honor.
43. In the sentence, “The red roses
given as a birthday gift by my
best friend really smell sweet,”
which adjective is predicative?
A. red
B. birthday
C. best
D. sweet
Attributive and
Predicative Adjectives
 Attributive : precedes a noun
wherever that noun is in the sentence

My late father was an honest

person.

 Predicative: occurs in the predicate

following a linking verb

The young man is tall.

44. In the noun phrase, a sound
advice from my grandmother
who came last weekend, the
head is _____.
A. sound
B. advice
C. grandmother
D. weekend
45. Which of the following is a gradable
adjective?
A. unique
B. round
C. perfect
D. healthy
46. The team, which won the
volleyball championship, has
retained their title. What does the
underlined group of words
exemplify?
A. non-restrictive clause
B. restrictive clause
C. attributive clause
D. predicative clause
 Restrictive and Non-
restrictive Relative Clauses

1. Restrictive: necessary/essential for

defining which noun is being referred
to
The house which is decorated by the
Albas is quite unusual.

2. Non-restrictive: not necessary/ non-

essential; simply adds information
The house, which is decorated by the
Albas, is quite unusual.
47. “His bag is more expensive than
mine. His father bought it when
he went to Singapore.” The word
mine is called _____.
A. possessive pronoun
B. subject pronoun
C. possessive determiner
D. demonstrative determiner
48. In the word nationalism, which
part of the word functions as the
base?
A. nation
B. national
C. nat-
D. -ism
 Types of Morphemes
The words teachers & nationalism are made up of
the following:
Morphemes

Base Affix
Free Bound Bound
teach nat- Inflectional Derivational
Affix Affix

native -s -er
nation -ion
nature -al
-ism
 Stem
 The form to which the last affix is added.
 nat- + -ion > nation
 nation + -al > national
 national + -ism > nationalism

 Base is a constant; does not change.

 Stemchanges as the word grows, i.e., as
more affixes are added.
49. Some persons think of the word
water as either life or death.
Which vocabulary concept do
the italicized words illustrate?
A. lexical meaning
B. referential meaning
C. denotation
D. connotation
Denotation and Connotation
 Denotation
= dictionary meaning
also referred to as lexical meaning/
referential meaning

 Connotation
= the emotional association with a
word; association can be personal or
communal.
50. In which phrase is the spatial
meaning of the preposition about
shown?
A. ran about the school ground
B. about 7:00 in the morning
C. about -4 degrees centigrade
D. a movie about space aliens
51. In the sentence “The woman left HER
purse,” the capitalized pronoun can be
identified as
A. third, singular, possessive
B. third, plural, subjective
C. third, singular, objective
D. third, singular, subjective
52. In the sentence “The secretary is
overworking herself again in the
office,” IS can be identified as
A. Main Verb
B. Auxiliary Verb
C. Linking Verb
D. Transitive Verb
53. In the sentence “The girls entered the
room just as the bell rang,” which is
the subordinating conjunction?
A. room
B. just
C. as
D. just as
54. In the sentence “BELIEVING what he
said is not that easy,” the capitalized
word is an example of
A. gerund
B. progressive verb
C. participle
D. infinitive
55. What punctuation is required to
complete this sentence? (She was so
tired hence, she slept early.)
A. a comma after tired
B. a semicolon after was
C. a comma after slept
D. a semicolon after tired
56. Which of the following completes this
sentence, “He ___ in bed all morning
since he had no classes.”
A. laid
B. lay
C. lain
D. lie
57. The sentence “There are in most
classrooms one projector,” shows what
error?
A. punctuation error
B. pronoun-antecedent agreement
C. subject-verb agreement
D. none of the above
58. Which of the following sentences is
grammatically incorrect?
A. The graphics in this game are insane!
B. I have a double major in English and
ICT
C. Neither the cats nor the dog is missing
D. All of the above
59. Which of the following sentences has a
dangling modifier?
A. In applying for a job, the cover letter is
required
B. Singing like a professional, the song was
really well.
C. Both of the above
D. Neither of the above
60. The road was still wet she slipped
when they played.
A. punctuation: add a period after slipped
B. conjunction: add “so” after wet
C. tense: change slipped to slips
D. pronoun: change she to her
References:

PNU Review Material 2016

MET LET Review Material 2016

ALICE M. KARAAN
Former Head, Department of English