Sentence Structure 10
The below sentences have been broken down into subject, verb, and modifiers. Since there are hardly any specific rules around objects, I’ve clubbed objects into modifiers to reduce complexity.
One common confusion students face is regarding prepositional phrases following a noun that comes after a verb (…verb noun PP). In such cases, many students almost always associate those prepositional phrases with the nouns preceding them. However, many a time, such prepositional phrases are modifying the verbs. One way to test that a prepositional phrase is modifying a verb is by putting that prepositional phrase immediately after the verb and then putting the noun. If the sentence still makes sense, the prepositional phrase is modifying the verb.
Please note that the abbreviation ‘PP’ has been used for a prepositional phrase in the below sentence structures.
Sentence 1
Although the court had previously supported such practices implicitly under a doctrine that excused private dealings from the legal requirement for equal protection of citizens under law, Marshall presented sociological data demonstrating that, in sum and over time, these individual transactions constituted a pattern of insupportable discrimination.
- Although the court had previously supported (DC presenting a constrast to the main clause)
- such practices (Noun – modifies “supported”)
- implicitly (Adverb – modifies “supported”)
- under a doctrine (PP modifying “supported”)
- that excused private dealings (DC modifying “doctrine”)
- from the legal requirement (PP modifying “excused”)
- for equal protection (PP modifying “requirement”)
- of citizens (PP modifying “protection”)
- under law, (PP modifying “protection”)
- for equal protection (PP modifying “requirement”)
- from the legal requirement (PP modifying “excused”)
- that excused private dealings (DC modifying “doctrine”)
- Marshall presented sociological data (Main Clause)
- demonstrating (Verb-ing modifier modifying “data”)
- that (DC modifying “demonstrating”)
- , in sum and over time, (PP modifying “constituted”)
- these individual transactions constituted (Subject “transactions” and verb “constituted” of the ‘that’ clause)
- a pattern (Noun – modifies “constituted”)
- of insupportable discrimination (PP modifying “pattern”)
- a pattern (Noun – modifies “constituted”)
- that (DC modifying “demonstrating”)
- demonstrating (Verb-ing modifier modifying “data”)
Sentence 2
Skipped 🙂
Sentence 3
Most modern legal historians who have written on one aspect or another of special laws pertaining to women have begun with an interest in a legal idea, event, or institution, not with a concern for how it affected women.
- Most modern legal historians (Main Subject)
- who have written (DC modifying “historians”)
- on one aspect or another (PP modifying “written”)
- of special laws (PP modifying “aspect”)
- pertaining to women (Verb-ing modifier modifying “laws”)
- of special laws (PP modifying “aspect”)
- on one aspect or another (PP modifying “written”)
- who have written (DC modifying “historians”)
- have begun (Main verb)
- with an interest (PP modifying “have begun”)
- in a legal idea, event, or institution, (PP modifying “interest”)
- not with a concern (PP modifying “have begun”)
- for how it affected women. (PP modifying “concern”)
- with an interest (PP modifying “have begun”)
Sentence 4
The United States government agency responsible for overseeing television and radio broadcasting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), had an early history of addressing only the concerns of parties with an economic interest in broadcasting.
- The United States government agency (Main subject)
- responsible (Adjective – modifies the main subject)
- for overseeing television and radio broadcasting (PP modifying “responsible”)
- , the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), (Modifies the main subject)
- responsible (Adjective – modifies the main subject)
- had (Main verb)
- an early history (Noun – modifies “had”)
- of addressing (PP modifying “history”)
- only the concerns (PP modifying “addressing”)
- of parties (PP modifying “concerns”)
- with an economic interest (PP modifying “parties”)
- in broadcasting. (PP modifying “interest”)
- with an economic interest (PP modifying “parties”)
- of parties (PP modifying “concerns”)
- only the concerns (PP modifying “addressing”)
- of addressing (PP modifying “history”)
- an early history (Noun – modifies “had”)
Sentence 5
Much of this controversy probably results from unwarranted extrapolations of the original configuration of pillow flows from two-dimensional cross-sections of eroded pillows in land outcroppings.
- Much of this controversy probably results (Main clause)
- from unwarranted extrapolations (PP modifying “results”)
- of the original configuration (PP modifying “extrapolations” )
- of pillow flows (PP modifying “configuration”)
- from two-dimensional cross-sections (PP modifying “flows” )
- of eroded pillows (PP modifying “cross-sections”)
- in land outcroppings. (PP modifying “pillows” )
- of eroded pillows (PP modifying “cross-sections”)
- from two-dimensional cross-sections (PP modifying “flows” )
- of pillow flows (PP modifying “configuration”)
- of the original configuration (PP modifying “extrapolations” )
- from unwarranted extrapolations (PP modifying “results”)
Sentence 6
Geologists Harris and Gass hypothesized that the Red Sea rift developed along the line of a suture formed during the late Proterozoic era, and that significant observable differences in the composition of the upper layers of rocks deposited on either side of the suture give clues to the different natures of the underlying igneous rocks.
- Geologists Harris and Gass hypothesized (Main clause)
- that the Red Sea rift (DC modifying “hypothesized” – Subject “rift”)
- developed along the line (Verb-ed modifier modifying “rift”)
- of a suture (PP modifying “line”)
- developed along the line (Verb-ed modifier modifying “rift”)
- formed (Verb for the subject “rift”)
- during the late Proterozoic era, (PP modifying “formed”)
- and that significant observable differences (DC parallel to the first ‘that’ clause – Subject “differences”)
- in the composition (PP modifying “differences”)
- of the upper layers (PP modifying “composition”)
- of rocks (PP modifying “layers”)
- deposited on either side of the suture (Verb-ed modifier modifying “rocks”)
- of rocks (PP modifying “layers”)
- of the upper layers (PP modifying “composition”)
- in the composition (PP modifying “differences”)
- give clues (Verb “give” for the subject “differences”)
- to the different natures (PP modifying “clues”)
- of the underlying igneous rocks. (PP modifying “natures”)
- to the different natures (PP modifying “clues”)
- that the Red Sea rift (DC modifying “hypothesized” – Subject “rift”)
Sentence 7
Until recently, scientists did not know of a close vertebrate analogue to the extreme form of altruism observed in eusocial insects like ants and bees, whereby individuals cooperate, sometimes even sacrificing their own opportunities to survive and reproduce, for the good of others.
- Until recently, (Modifies the main verb)
- scientists did not know of (Main clause)
- a close vertebrate analogue (Noun – modifies the main verb)
- to the extreme form (PP modifying “analogue”)
- of altruism (PP modifying “form”)
- observed in eusocial insects (Verb-ed modifier modifying “altruism”)
- like ants and bees, (PP modifying “eusocial insects”)
- whereby individuals cooperate (DC modifying “altruism)
- , sometimes even sacrificing their own opportunities (Verb-ing modifier modifying “individuals”)
- to survive and reproduce, (Infinitive modifying “opportunities”)
- for the good of others. (PP modifying “cooperate”)
- , sometimes even sacrificing their own opportunities (Verb-ing modifier modifying “individuals”)
- observed in eusocial insects (Verb-ed modifier modifying “altruism”)
- of altruism (PP modifying “form”)
- to the extreme form (PP modifying “analogue”)
- a close vertebrate analogue (Noun – modifies the main verb)
Sentence 8
The traditional model of industrial activity, in which individual manufacturing processes take in raw materials and generate products to be sold plus waste to be disposed of, should be transformed into a more integrated model.
- The traditional model (Main subject)
- of industrial activity, (PP modifying the main subject)
- in which individual manufacturing processes take in raw materials and generate products (DC modifying “the traditional model” – Subject “processes”; Verbs “take in” and “generate”)
- to be sold (Infinitive modifying “products”)
- plus waste to be disposed of, (“waste” is parallel to “products”)
- should be transformed (Main verb)
- into a more integrated model.(PP modifying “transformed”)
Sentence 9
Cotton prices have risen to their highest level in nearly two years thanks to dry weather that has shrunk the crop and concerns of forced labor in China that have made a big chunk of the nation’s fiber output off-limits to clothing makers
- Cotton prices have risen (Main clause)
- to their highest level (PP modifying “have risen”)
- in nearly two years (PP modifying “highest level”)
- thanks to dry weather (modifies “have risen”)
- that has shrunk the crop and (DC modifying “dry weather” – Subject “that” and Verb “has shrunk”)
- concerns (Noun – parallel to “dry weather”)
- of forced labor in China (PP modifying “concerns”)
- that have made (DC modifying “concerns”)
- a big chunk (Noun – modifies “have made”)
- of the nation’s fiber output (PP modifying “chunk”)
- off-limits (Modifies “have made”)
- to clothing makers (PP modifying “off-limits”)
- a big chunk (Noun – modifies “have made”)
- to their highest level (PP modifying “have risen”)
Sentence 10
A big chunk of the world’s supply was affected when the Trump administration last month banned cotton and cotton products from China’s top producer over allegations of forced labor in the arid northwestern region of Xinjiang, where Beijing has targeted the country’s largely Muslim Uighur people as part of the largest mass detention of a minority group since World War II.
- A big chunk (Main subject)
- of the world’s supply (PP modifying the main subject)
- was affected (Main verb)
- when the Trump administration (DC modifying the main verb – Subject “administration”)
- last month (Adverb – modifies “banned”)
- banned (Verb for the subject “administration”)
- cotton and cotton products (Noun – modifies “banned”)
- from China’s top producer (PP modifying “products”)
- over allegations (PP modifying “banned”)
- of forced labor (PP modifying “allegations”)
- in the arid northwestern region of Xinjiang, (PP modifying “forced labor”)
- where Beijing has targeted (DC modifying either “Xinjiang” or “the arid northwestern region of Xinjiang”)
- the country’s largely Muslim Uighur people (Noun – modifies “targeted”)
- as part of the largest mass detention (PP modifying “targeted”)
- of a minority group (PP modifying “detention”)
- since World War II. (PP modifying “largest”)
- where Beijing has targeted (DC modifying either “Xinjiang” or “the arid northwestern region of Xinjiang”)
- in the arid northwestern region of Xinjiang, (PP modifying “forced labor”)
- of forced labor (PP modifying “allegations”)
- cotton and cotton products (Noun – modifies “banned”)
- when the Trump administration (DC modifying the main verb – Subject “administration”)
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