Sentence Structure 4
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
In temperate and subpolar climates, cells added at the growing season’s start are large and thin-walled, but later the new cells that develop are smaller and thick-walled.
- In temperate and subpolar climates, (PP modifying the verb of the first IC)
- cells (Subject of the first IC)
- added at the growing season’s start (Verb-ed modifier modifying “cells”)
- are large and thin-walled, (Verb of the first IC “are”)
- but later the new cells (Subject of the 2nd IC “cells”)
- that develop (DC modifying the subject of the 2nd IC)
- are smaller and thick-walled. (Verb of the 2nd IC “are”)
Sentence 2
The breakage frequencies in the extinct species were strikingly higher than those in the present-day species.
- The breakage frequencies (Main subject)
- in the extinct species (PP modifying the main subject)
- were (Main verb)
- strikingly higher than those (Adjective after the linking verb – modifies the main subject)
- in the present-day species. (PP modifying “those”)
- strikingly higher than those (Adjective after the linking verb – modifies the main subject)
Sentence 3
Many commentators believe that this change had already occurred in 1871 when Congress abolished the making of treaties with Native American tribes.
- Many commentators believe (Main clause)
- that this change had already occurred (DC modifying “believe”)
- in 1871 (PP modifying “occurred”)
- when Congress abolished (DC modifying “1871”)
- the making (Noun – modifies “abolished”)
- of treaties (PP modifying “making”)
- with Native American tribes. (PP modifying “treaties”)
- of treaties (PP modifying “making”)
- the making (Noun – modifies “abolished”)
- when Congress abolished (DC modifying “1871”)
- in 1871 (PP modifying “occurred”)
- that this change had already occurred (DC modifying “believe”)
Sentence 4
Netscape released the Netscape Navigator, a web browser that was heavily influenced by Mosaic, in 1994.
- Netscape released (Main clause)
- the Netscape Navigator, (Noun – modifies “released”)
- a web browser (Beginning of a noun+noun modifier)
- that was heavily influenced (DC modifying “web browser” – Subject “that”; Verb “was influenced”)
- by Mosaic, (PP modifying “was influenced”)
- that was heavily influenced (DC modifying “web browser” – Subject “that”; Verb “was influenced”)
- a web browser (Beginning of a noun+noun modifier)
- in 1994. (PP modifying “released”)
- the Netscape Navigator, (Noun – modifies “released”)
Sentence 5
The team credited with the development of Mosaic was led by Marc Andreessen, who later left NCSA to start his own company, named Netscape.
- The team (Main subject)
- credited with the development (Verb-ed modifier modifying the main subject)
- of Mosaic (PP modifying “development”)
- credited with the development (Verb-ed modifier modifying the main subject)
- was led (Main verb)
- by Marc Andreessen, (PP modifying the main verb)
- who later left NCSA (DC modifying “Marc Andreessen”)
- to start his own company, (Infinitive modifying “left”)
- named Netscape. (Verb-ed modifier modifying “company”)
- to start his own company, (Infinitive modifying “left”)
- who later left NCSA (DC modifying “Marc Andreessen”)
- by Marc Andreessen, (PP modifying the main verb)
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