Scribd
Upload
13 views18 pages

Word Order

Uploaded by

097 Nurul Hilmy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
13 views18 pages

Word Order

Uploaded by

097 Nurul Hilmy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 18

Spoken grammar:

Word order
Heads and
1 Tails
Heads and
tails are ‘Heads’ and ‘tails’ are
common in where bits of language,
speaking, often noun phrases, are
but re-located from their
uncommon usual position to the
in writing. beginning or end of
sentences.

3
 We use heads when we place information at the front
of what we say. This can help our listeners to
understand more easily what we are referring to.
 Heads can consist of a noun phrase or noun phrases
or whole clauses.
 The header is followed by a pronoun which refers back
to the header.
 Tails occur at the end of what we say. They are
commonly noun phrases.
 Tails refer back to a pronoun and commonly give more
information about it.
⊳ Tails are often evaluative

4
Examples

Heads Tails
 That white building, is it  I thought it was
the Museum of great, that film.
Contemporary Art?  They’re so friendly,
 Going to football dogs.
matches, that’s what my  She’s a really good
cousin Jim likes best. marathon
 Anna, David’s sister, she’s runner, Alice.
5
going to New York for her
Examples

Compare:
1. a. Isn’t your brother a football player?
b. Your brother, he is a football player, isn’t
he?

2. a. Robert is really clever.


b. He’s really clever, Robert is.
6
Head and tail in dialogues

2.
1.
C: I thought it was great, that
A: What a wonderful view!
film.
B: Fantastic! (pointing) That
white D: Really? Too violent for me,
building, is it the Museum I’m
of afraid.
Contemporary Art?
A: I think so.
7
Head and tail in dialogues

3.
E: Those new jobs you’re applying for, are they part-time
or full-time?
F: Full-time, but they’re only short
contracts. 4.
G: I prefer cats.
H: But they’re so friendly, dogs.
8
Exercise 1: Rewrite the sentences in italics, using a head
or a tail.
1. A: Did the guy you spoke to give you any advice?
The guy ___________________________________________ (head)
B: No, but I’ve got his number, of course.
A: Could you ring him, then?

2. A: That lecture on global warming was much too difficult.


It ___________________________________________ (tail)
B: I know, but it’s a complex subject, isn’t it?

3. A: I found a hotel on Forster Square.


B: But the east side of the city is dangerous. That’s what I read.
But it’s _________________________________ That’s what I read. (tail)
A: You can’t believe everything you read, though, can you?

4. A: Did you finish your project on dolphins?


Your ___________________________________________ (head)
B: Yes, but it took me ages.
A: Still, I bet you’ll get a good grade.
9
Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentences into written
English.

1. The beautiful handkerchief, is that yours?


2. We are going to attend it tomorrow, aren’t
we, the wedding party?
3. The generous man, Josh, he is speaking
with his supervisor.
4. They’re much too tight, these shoes.
10
2 Declarative
Questions
 A declarative question is a declarative sentence being used
to ask something.
 It commonly used in informal speech to express surprise or
ask for verification.
 The most likely response to a declarative question is
agreement or confirmation.
 Declaratives are not neutral; they convey a bias that
interrogatives lack.
 Declaratives can be used as questions only in contexts
where the Addressee is understood as publicly committed
to the proposition expressed.

12
Examples:

A: (arriving home) I’ve been driving around for hours, trying to


find the tip.
B: You got lost?
A: Completely.
B: But you’ve lived here all your life!
A: I’ve never been to the tip before, though, have I?

You got lost? I realize you probably got lost, but I’m
13
Examples:

A: The second series is easily the best.


B: You didn’t watch the episodes in one go?
A: Of course not. There are 14.

You didn’t watch the episodes in one go?

I’m sure you didn’t watch them in one go, because that would be crazy,
but I’m just checking. 14
Compare

Is France a monarchy? X France is a monarchy?

The question is, does he have the money?


X
The question is, he has the money?

15
Exercise 3: Rewrite the following declarative questions
into the standard questions

1. You’re getting married? You’re a bit young,


aren’t you?
2. You’ve bought a Ferrari? You must be a
millionaire.
3. So you’re an exchange student?
4. You’re studying medicine, then?
5. You’ve done what?

16
Exercise 4: Complete the following dialogues using declarative
questions.

A: Of course, most Americans are really friendly to


tourists.
B: Are they? I didn’t know.
A:
…………………………………………………………………………………
…….
B: No. I guess I’ll go some day.

C: And you get a really good appetite after a day


on the ski slopes.
D: That’s what I’ve heard people say.
C: 17
Thank you
18

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy