SIMPLE, COMPOUND AND COMPLEX SENTENCES

 

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES

Simple, Compound And Complex Sentences

Sentences can be classified as simple, compound and complex. To understand these notions, it is essential to know the difference between a phrase and a clause.

A clause is a group of words with a finite verb.

A phrase, on the other hand, is a group of words without a verb.

 

Simple Sentence: A simple sentence is one which has only one clause. The clause is independent. A simple sentence may have non-finite verbs like present participle, past participle, to infinitive, plain infinitive or a gerund but it has only one finite verb.

Below are examples of simple sentences (The finite verb in each sentence is italicized):

1. The boy cried.

2. I bought a car.

3. The cop is chasing the criminal.

4. He goes to the library.

5. Mia was filled with remorse.

6. Seeing the snake, she fainted.

7. Beaten by the enemy, the army withdrew from the town.

8. He studied hard in order to pass.

9. Smoking is injurious to health.

10. I saw the man come.

(In sentences 6-10 there is a present participle, past participle, to-infinitive, gerund and plain infinitive but there is only one finite verb in each sentence.)

 

Compound sentence: A compound sentence is one which has two or more independent (main) clauses. Each clause can stand by itself as a meaningful unit or sentence. It follows that each clause has a finite verb. The clauses are often connected by conjunctions such as and, or, but, else.

Below are examples of compound sentences (The finite verb in each clause is italicized, while the conjunction is underlined):

1. Neela went to the mall and bought curtains.

2. Study else you will fail.

3. Either he is unbiased or he pretends to be so.

4. He was tired but he continued to write.

5. He felt famished so he made dinner.

 

·        The connecting conjunctions in compound sentences include:

and, not only…..but also, yet, but, still, however, so, therefore, hence, else, or, either......or, neither......nor

·        However, the connecting conjunction may sometimes be omitted.

·        E.g., I came, I saw, I conquered.

·        Here the conjunction and is understood but omitted.

·        The conjunctions used in compound sentences are called co-ordinating conjunctions.

 

Complex Sentence: A complex sentence is one which has a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. The main clause can stand independently as a unit and it makes complete sense by itself. The subordinate clause, despite having a subject and predicate, cannot stand on its own and is dependent on the main clause for it to make sense.

Below are examples of complex sentences (The finite verb in each clause is italicized, while the conjunction is underlined):

1. I know that he is honest.

2. The students stood up when the professor entered the room.

3. She did not go to work as she was unwell.

4. They finished the project though they were shorthanded.

 

Sometimes the subordinate clause may come at the beginning of the sentence:

1. If you are thirsty, you can drink lemonade.

2. Unless he works fast, he will miss the deadline.

3. Wherever you may go, I will follow you.

4. Although he is talented, he is not egotistical.

 

·        The connecting conjunctions in complex sentences include:

because, as, since, unless, if, though, although, so that, which, who whom, where, when, until, that (followed by a finite verb)

·        The conjunctions used in complex sentences are called subordinating conjunctions.

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ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

 

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES

Active Voice: In active voice, the subject does the action or acts upon the verb in such sentences and so the sentences are said to be in the active voice.

·       The active voice emphasizes the person or agent who performs the action.

·       The active voice is more commonly used as it conveys a strong and clear tone while the passive voice is comparatively weaker.

 

Passive Voice: In passive voice, the subject receives the action or the subject is being acted upon (or is passive) and so the sentences are said to be in the passive voice.

·       The passive voice lays stress on the recipient of the action or sometimes the action itself.

·       We only use the passive voice when the receiver of the action is more important or when we have no idea about who did the action.

 

1. The Passive voice is expressed by using the appropriate form of the auxiliary verb be along with the past participle of the main verb.

 

The following table provides passive forms of the verb download.

Tense	Active verb	Passive verb (be+ V-ed)
present simple	download/downloads Meena downloads the files.	am/is/are downloaded The files are downloaded by Meena.
present continuous	is/are downloading Meena is downloading the files.	am/is/are being downloaded The files are being downloaded by Meena.
present perfect	has/have downloaded The school inspector has inspected the classes. Meena has downloaded the files.	has/have been downloaded The files have been downloaded by Meena.
past simple	downloaded The school inspector inspected the classes. Meena downloaded the files.	was/were downloaded The files were downloaded by Meena.
past continuous	was/were downloading The school inspector was inspecting the classes. Meena was downloading the files.	was/were being downloaded The files were being downloaded by Meena.
past perfect	had downloaded The school inspector had inspected the classes. Meena had downloaded the files.	had been downloaded The files had been downloaded by Meena.
future simple	will download The school inspector will inspect the classes. Meena will download the files.	will be downloaded The files will be downloaded by Meena.
future perfect	will have downloaded Meena will have downloaded the files.	will have been downloaded The files will have been downloaded by Meena.

 

 

2. Only a transitive verb (the verb with an object after it) has active and passive forms. Intransitive verbs do not have passive forms. So, we cannot change a sentence with an intransitive verb into the passive voice. When a sentence is changed from active voice to passive voice, the object of the transitive verb moves to the subject position.

·       Active: We placed the books on the shelf.

·       Passive: The books were placed on the shelf.

·       Active: We kept the trophy in the showcase.

·       Passive: The trophy was kept in the showcase.

·       Active: We added a little spice to it.

·       Passive: A little spice was added to it.

 

3. The subject (agent) of the active verb is made a by-object in the passive sentence. However, it should be remembered that the by-object is not mentioned unless it is either important or necessary for the discourse.

·       Active: The English professor conducted the debate.

·       Passive: The debate was conducted by the English professor.

·       Active: Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin.

·       Passive: Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming.

 

4. Ditransitive verbs have two objects (direct and indirect objects) after them. In such a case, both objects can be moved to the subject position. So, we can form two passive sentences from a sentence with a ditransitive verb: in one sentence the direct object becomes the subject and in the other, the indirect object becomes the subject.

Active: She gave me a gift. 

Passive: (1) I was given a gift.

 (2) A gift was given to me.

Active: She has taught us English. 

Passive: (1) English has been taught to us by her. 

 (2) We have been taught English by her.

 

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DEGREES OF COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

 

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES

Degrees Of Comparison

Adjectives can be written in different degrees, depending on the meaning and the context. Adjective change their form to show comparison. These forms are called degrees of comparison. Adjectives can be used in three degrees—Positive, Comparative and Superlative.

 

Positive Degree: Positive Degree is generally used when we refer to a quality in a person, place, animal or thing without making a comparison. The positive degree is the simplest form of the adjective. It is used when no comparison is made.

E.g.

·       Bindu is an honest girl.

·       Zinc is a useful metal.

 

Comparative Degree: Comparative Degree is generally used when there is a comparison between two persons, places, animals or things.

E.g.

·       Revanth is taller than Sahil.

·       This sofa is more comfortable than that.

 

Superlative Degree: Superlative Degree is generally used when there is a comparison among more than two persons, places, animals or things.

E.g.

·       The Sahara is the largest desert in the world.

·       Integrity is the best quality a person can have.

                       

Positive Degree	Comparative Degree	Superlative Degree
Large	Large	Largest
Thin	Thinner	Thinnest
Small	Smaller	Smallest
Long	Longer	Longest
Hot	Hotter	Hottest
Happy	Happier	Happiest
Tall	Taller	Tallest
Good	Better	Best
Pretty	Prettier	Prettiest
Little	Less	Least
Good	Better	Best
Much	More	Most
Beautiful	More beautiful	Most beautiful
Intelligent	More intelligent	Most intelligent
Famous	More famous	Most famous
Bad	Worse	Worst

 

 

However, it is possible, sometimes, to write the same sentence in different degrees of the adjective, without altering the meaning.

Pattern 1

Positive: No other flower is as pretty as the rose.

Comparative: The rose is prettier than any other flower. (Or.....all other flowers-)

Superlative: The rose is the prettiest flower.

(Note – Comparative Degree – We can use any other or all other.)

 

Pattern 2

Positive: Few other flowers are as pretty as the rose.

Comparative: The rose is prettier than many other flowers. (Or…..than most other-)

Superlative: The rose is one of the prettiest flowers.

(Note – Comparative Degree – We can use many other or most other.)

 

Pattern 3 and 4 are comparisons made only between two people, places, animals or things, therefore, the superlative degree cannot be used.

 

Pattern 3:

Positive: The lily is not as pretty as the rose.

Comparative: The rose is prettier than the lotus.

 

Pattern 4:

Positive: The lotus is as pretty as the rose. (Or…..at least as-)

Comparative: The rose is not prettier than the lotus.

(Note – Positive Degree – We can use as…..as or at least as.)

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DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

 

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES

Indirect Speech: Indirect speech or reported speech refers to the reporting of events, conversation or actions. It means reporting someone's message in our own words.

Direct Speech: Direct speech or quoted speech is spoken or written text that reports speech or thought in its original form, i.e., as phrased by the original speaker. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks.

 

Ø  Reporting what other people have said can be done in two ways;

v  Quoting

v  Reporting

 

v  Quoting is reporting what someone has said in his/her own words. This is called direct speech. We can identify direct speech with the help of punctuation.

·        Leah said "I'm calling from Vancouver."

o   The clause used in quotation marks is called direct speech.

 

v  Reporting is repeating someone's message in our own words. This is called reported speech or indirect speech.

·        Leah said that she was calling from Vancouver.

o   In reporting statements, the reported clause begins with the subordinating conjunction that.

 

RULES OF DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH

Ø  When we report a statement, the reported clause usually begins with the word that, which is a subordinating conjunction. The subordinating conjunction can be omitted in spoken (informal) English.

·        Leah said (that) she would buy a laptop in January.

·        Leah agreed (that) she didn't do well on the test.

 

Ø  The pronouns in the reported clauses have to be chosen carefully.

·        Direct: Leah said to Leena: "I want to become an Accountant."

o   Here 'I' refers to Leah. So, when we report this sentence, we need to use the pronoun she.

·        Indirect: Leah told Leena that she wanted to become an Accountant.

o   A good way to use pronouns in indirect speech is to note who said what, who is reporting to whom, and who the people mentioned are and then use the pronouns accordingly.

 

The following table shows changes in tense from direct speech to indirect speech:

Direct Speech	Indirect Speech
Present Simple	Past Simple
Present Continuous	Past Continuous
Present Perfect	Past Perfect
Past Simple	Past Perfect/Past Simple
Past Continuous	Past Perfect Continuous/Past Continuous
Past Perfect	Past Perfect
Will/Shall/Can + Infinitive	Would/Should/Could + Infinitive

 

 

Ø  When the direct speech expresses a permanent situation or general truth, the tense in indirect speech remains the same as the tense in direct speech.

·        Direct: The teacher said, "The Earth orbits the Sun."

·        Indirect: The teacher said that the Earth orbits the Sun.

 

Ø  When the situation that is described in direct speech still holds true or is assumed to be true by the speaker, the tense in the indirect speech may or may not change.

·        Direct: Leah said to me, "I have passed the exam."

·        Indirect: Leah told me that she has passed the exam. (The speaker believes that Leah has passed the exam…)

                                                                                                     (or)

·        Leah told me that she had passed the exam. (The speaker may or may not believe that Leah has passed the exam...)

 

Ø  If the reporting is being done on the same day or time, change of adverbials does not take place.

·        Direct: Leah said, "I will come tomorrow."

·        Indirect: Leah said that she would come tomorrow (or) Leah says that she will come tomorrow.

o   'Says' is in present and so 'will' will not be changed to 'would'.

 

Ø  The demonstrative pronouns 'this' and 'these' become 'that' and 'those' respectively in indirect speech.

·        Direct: Leah said, "I have read this novel."

·        Indirect: Leah said that she had read that novel.

·        Direct: Leena said, "These cups have to be placed in the cupboard."

·        Indirect: Leena said that those cups had to be placed in the cupboard.

 

Ø  Time and Place adverbials also change in indirect speech.

·        now -> then

·        today -> that day

·        tomorrow -> the following / next day

·        yesterday -> the previous day

·        next month/year -> the following month/ year

·        here -> there

·        Direct: He said, '"I saw your dad at the post office yesterday."

·        Indirect: He said that he had seen my dad at the post office the previous day.

 

 

 

 

QUESTIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

When we talk, we also report questions and instructions.

 

Ø  Questions can be reported in the same way as statements. When a yes-no question is reported, the reported clause is introduced by either if or whether.

·        Direct: Leah asked her, "Can you sing with me?"

·        Indirect: Leah asked her if she could sing with her.

·        Direct: The teacher asked the students, "Are you all going to turn in your homework?"

·        Indirect: The teacher asked the students whether they were all going to turn in their homework.

 

o   Note: Here, the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject in direct speech but placed after the subject in indirect speech. So, when a question is reported, the indirect clause begins with if or whether and if there is any auxiliary verb, it is placed after the subject.

 

Ø  When the word whether is used, we can continue the sentence with or not.

So, an alternative is provided for a clause beginning with whether.

But for a clause beginning with if, generally, an alternative is not provided.

·        Indirect: He asked her whether she went to the mall or not. (Right)

·        Indirect: He asked her if she went to the mall. (Right)

·        Indirect: He asked her if she went to the mall or not. (Wrong)

 

Ø  When a wh-question is reported, the indirect speech begins with the wh- word.

·        Direct: Leah said, "Where did you go?"

·        Indirect: Leah asked them where they had gone.

 

Ø  If the direct speech begins with who, what, or which followed by a form of 'be' as the main verb, the verb is placed at the end of the sentence.

·        Direct: She asked him, "Who is the examiner?"

·        Indirect: She asked him who the examiner was.

 

Ø  When do and does are used as auxiliary verbs in direct speech, they are omitted in indirect speech.

·        Direct: She asked me, "Where does your mother live?"

·        Indirect: She asked me where my mother lived.

·        Direct: She asked me, "Do you know him?"

·        Indirect: She asked me if I knew him.

·        Direct: She asked me, "Why didn't you go to the party?"

·        Indirect: She asked me why I had not gone to the party.

 

Ø  When an order, a suggestion, a permission, or a request is reported, the reporting verb is followed by the word to and the base form of the verb.

The reporting verb said is often replaced by words like asked, requested, ordered, suggested, enquired, to convey the tone used in direct speech.

Words like please are omitted in indirect speech.

·        Direct: She said, "Please come with me."

·        Indirect: She requested me to go with her.

·        Direct: The teacher said, "You may go home."

·        Indirect: The teacher permitted me to go home.

·        Direct: He said, "I'll take you to the theatre."

·        Indirect: He offered to take me to the theatre.

·        Direct: She said "Close the door, please."

·        Indirect: She requested me to close the door.

·        Direct: cop said, "Hands up!"

·        Indirect: The cop ordered the criminal to put up his hands.

Depending on the perspective, i.e., in whose direction the speech is being directed, come will change to go in indirect speech.

·        Direct: Leah said, “Will you come to my party?” (Direction is towards Leah, who is speaking.)

·        Indirect: Leah asked me if I would go to her party. (Direction is away from me, because I am the one who is speaking.)

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