Transformation of Sentences:Phrases-Clause-sentences

Transformation of Sentences

   (Simple,  Complex and  Compound Sentence)

 

We know that a sentence is a grammatical unit that is composed of one or more clauses. That means a sentence is formed by Clause .So,the Clause should be discussed before discussing sentence form and structure.This is why we need to learn about clause  and sentence structure.

বাক্যের গঠন সম্পর্কে আলোচনার পূর্বে বাক্যাংশ সম্পর্কে আলোচনা করা উচিত ।এইজন্য আমরা বাক্যাংশ এবং বাক্যের গঠন সম্পর্কে জানতে  হবে।

What is a clause?

A clause is the basic unit of grammar. Typically a main clause is made up of a subject (s) (a noun phrase) and a verb phrase (v). Sometimes the verb phrase is followed by other elements, e.g objects (o), complements (c), adjuncts (ad). These other elements are sometimes essential to complete the meaning of the clause:

A clause হল ব্যাকরণের প্রাথমিক একক। সাধারণত একটি প্রধান খণ্ডবাক্য একটি কর্তা  ( যা একটি বিশেষ্য স্থানীয় শব্দগুচ্ছ) এবং একটি ক্রিয়াস্থানীয় শব্দগুচ্ছ (v) নিয়ে গঠিত। কখনও কখনও ক্রিয়াপদ বাক্যটি অন্যান্য উপাদানগুলির দ্বারা অনুসরণ করা হয়, যেমন, objects (o), complements (c), adjuncts (ad).এই অন্যান্য উপাদানগুলি মাঝে মাঝে বাক্যাংশের অর্থ সম্পূর্ণ করার জন্য প্রয়োজনীয়:     

[S]   [V]

Kamal smiled.

[S] [V] [ad]

Kamal went away laughing.

[S]  [V]   [O]     [C]

He  put some salt in the soup.

A clause means a part of a sentence having a subject and a predicate( a verb phrase) of its own. Or you can say: A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. Here verb will be a finite verb.

একটি বাক্যাংশ বা খণ্ডবাক্য হচ্ছে বাক্যের  একটি অংশ যাতে উদ্দেশ্য বা  কর্তা এবং তার নিজের বিধেয় থাকবে । অথবা আপনি বলতে পারেন: A clause হচ্ছে একগুচ্ছ শব্দের সমষ্টি  যার  একটি কর্তা এবং একটি ক্রিয়া থাকে। এখানে ক্রিয়াটি হবে সমাপিকা ক্রিয়া।  

What is a sentence?

A sentence is a unit of grammar. It must contain at least one main clause. It can contain more than one clause. In writing, a sentence typically begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, a question mark or an exclamatory mark.This is the  latest defination of sentence and   Cambridge University has given the definition of sentence.     

 

Look at the sentences:

a .I love you .

b. You are honest.

c. I love you because you are honest .=Complex Sentence

   Principal clause       Subordinate clause.

d .Since you are honest , I love you .=Complex Sentence

       Subordinate clause.    Principal clause

e .You are honest and I love you .   =Compound sentence

 Principal clause      Principal clause   

f .Because of your honesty , I love you. =Simple Sentence

Phrase                               Principal clause

We see that sentences a bears one subject ‘I’ and a predicate ‘love you’.

On the way we see in the sentence  that it also bears a subject ‘You’ and a predicate ‘are honest’.

An independent clause[main clause] has a subject and a verb, and by itself, can be a sentence: a simple sentence. Sentences a and b are independent clauses and simple sentences.

If we combine the two sentences ,we will get some new sentences . c , d , e  and  f which   contain the meaning of the first two sentences .

The clause that is dependent on another clause to make a complete sense called a Subordinate or Dependent clause.

The Principal clause can make a complete sense by itself. It does not have to depend on any other clause.

A sentence having two principal clauses is called a Co-ordinate clause. By the combination of the sentences a and b , we have formed the above sentences .

What is the difference between a clause and a sentence?

 

(1) A sentence is a maximal clause, i.e. a clause that is not part of another clause .

(১) একটি বাক্য একটি বৃহত্তম বাক্যাংশ অর্থাৎ একটি বাক্যাংশ  অন্য কোন বাক্যাংশের অংশ নয় ।

(i) A clause is a combination of a predicate (full verb or nonverbal predicate) and its arguments, plus modifiers .

 (ii) A clause is a grammatical unit that can be independently negated (cf. Haspelmath 2010 .

 

Sentence is of three types according to its form and structure. They are:

 

a) Simple Sentence

b) Complex Sentence

c) Compound Sentence

A sentence which has only one Subject, only one Finite verb and only one clause is called a simple sentence. The Finite verb may be expressed or understood.

Nadia is in class nine. She lives in Dhaka with her parents.  She has two brothers. They are also students. Nadia has a friend. Her name is Jhalak. She is also in class nine. Nadia and Jhalak go to school everyday. Returning from  school, they play in the lawn. They sit to read just after sun set. The lesson being over, they go to bed by 11 p. m. Both Nadia and Jhalak are good students. Reading is favourite to them. They like to play after school.

[Note: In the above passage every sentence has only one subject, one finite verb and also one clause. Students should also know that a clause means a part of a sentence]

Hence, each of the sentences in the passage is a simple sentence. At the time  of transformation of sentences we need to focus on clause construction.  Here we need to know about the use of conjunction  used to form complex and compound sentences.

Complex sentences are often formed by putting these words at the beginning of the dependent clause:

as,  as if, before,  after, because, though, even though, while, when, whenever, if, during, as soon as, as long as, since, until, unless, where, wherever. These words are called subordinating conjunctions.

Here are some examples showing principal and subordinate clauses joined by conjunctions.

a. We know when he will come.

b. They returned home after the sun had set.

c. He cannot come because he is ill.

d. Wait here until I come back.

e. Tell me the way how you did it.

f. I know the reason  why he said so.

g. You cannot succeed if you do not work hard.

Here the red marked words are conjunctions ,underlined parts are subordinate clauses and other parts are principal clauses.

Compound Sentences

A compound sentence refers to a sentence made up of two independent clauses (or complete sentences) connected to one another with a coordinating conjunction.Here are some  Coordinating conjunctions:

For ,And ,Nor ,But ,Or ,Yet ,So,And  Still ,Or, Otherwise ,Therefore ,on the contrary etc.

There are some co-relatives which are used to form the compound sentences.These are: both and, not only.. but also, neither ...... nor,either...:. or

A.

a)She did not cheat on the test, for it was the wrong thing to do.

B)I really need to go to work, but I am too sick to drive.

C)I am counting my calories, yet I really want cheese.

D)He ran out of money, so he had to stop playing poker.

E)They got there early, and they got really good seats.

B.

a. The man is rich but not happy.

b. He is poor but honest.

c. The boy came here and returned at once.

d. Rabindranath was not only a poet but also a dramatist.

e. Nazrul was both a poet and a dramatist.

f. Read regularly or you will not do well in the examination.

g. I always help you, on the contrary, you work against me.

h. Neither Rahim nor his brothers are working here.

i. I know you spoke against me, yet I am not angry with you.

 

The general rules of sentence formation do not apply during the conversation. In this case, the sentence structure can be seen if the person's statement is arranged descriptively.These are two things to keep in mind.

বাক্য গঠনের সাধারণ নিয়ম কথোপকথনের সময় প্রয়োগ হয় না। এই ক্ষেত্রে, ব্যক্তির বক্তব্য বর্ণনামূলকভাবে সাজানো থাকলে বাক্যের কাঠামোটি দেখা যায়।এই দুটো বিষয় মনে রাখতে হবে ।