Sentence Structure 5
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 studying the autobiographies of Native Americans, most scholars have focused on as-told-to life histories that were solicited, translated, recorded, and edited by non-Native American collaborators.
- In studying (PP modifying “have focused”)
- the autobiographies of Native Americans, (Noun – modifying “studying”)
- most scholars have focused (Main Clause – subject: “scholars”; verb: “have focused”)
- on life histories (PP modifying “have focused”)
- that were solicited, translated, recorded, and edited (DC modifying “histories” – Subject: “that”; Verb: “were solicited, translated, recorded, and edited”)
- by non-Native American collaborators. (PP modifying the previous verbs)
- that were solicited, translated, recorded, and edited (DC modifying “histories” – Subject: “that”; Verb: “were solicited, translated, recorded, and edited”)
- on life histories (PP modifying “have focused”)
Sentence 2
She uncovered an 1876 document that details that in 1718 starving French settlers instructed the captain of a slave ship bound for Africa to trade for 400 Africans.
- She uncovered (Main clause)
- an 1876 document (Noun – modifies “uncovered”)
- that details (DC modifying “document” – Subject: “that”; Verb: “details”)
- that in 1718 (DC modifying “details”)
- starving French settlers instructed (Subject of the DC: “settlers”; Verb: “instructed”)
- the captain (Noun – modifies “instructed”)
- of a slave ship (PP modifying “captain”)
- bound for Africa (adjective – modifies “ship”)
- of a slave ship (PP modifying “captain”)
- to trade (Infinitive modifying “instructed”)
- for 400 Africans. (PP modifying “trade”)
- the captain (Noun – modifies “instructed”)
- that details (DC modifying “document” – Subject: “that”; Verb: “details”)
- an 1876 document (Noun – modifies “uncovered”)
Sentence 3
This discovery is especially compelling because the introduction of rice into what is now the United States had previously been attributed to French Acadians, who did not arrive until the 1760s.
- This discovery is especially compelling (Main Clause – Subject: “discovery”; Verb: “is”)
- because the introduction (DC modifying “is”; Subject: “introduction”)
- of rice (PP modifying “introduction”)
- into what is now the United States (PP modifying “introduction”)
- had previously been attributed (Verb for “introduction”)
- to French Acadians, (PP modifying “attributed”)
- who did not arrive (DC modifying “Acadians”)
- until the 1760s. (PP modifying “did not arrive”)
- who did not arrive (DC modifying “Acadians”)
- to French Acadians, (PP modifying “attributed”)
- because the introduction (DC modifying “is”; Subject: “introduction”)
Sentence 4
They maintain that the sources traditionally accepted as documenting the history of the Pacific Coast have too often omitted the response of Asian settlers to this territory.
- They maintain (Main Clause)
- that the sources (DC modifying “maintain” starts with with the subject “sources”)
- traditionally accepted (Verb-ed modifier modifying “sources”)
- as documenting the history (PP modifying “accepted”)
- of the Pacific Coast (PP modifying “history”)
- as documenting the history (PP modifying “accepted”)
- traditionally accepted (Verb-ed modifier modifying “sources”)
- have too often omitted (Verb “have omitted” for the subject “sources”)
- the response (Noun – modifies “omitted”)
- of Asian settlers (PP modifying “response”)
- to this territory. (PP modifying “response”)
- the response (Noun – modifies “omitted”)
- that the sources (DC modifying “maintain” starts with with the subject “sources”)
Sentence 5
In contrast to the commissioned agents, most of the people who first came to western North America from Asia during this same period did not focus on developing a self-conscious written record of their involvement with the landscape.
- In contrast to the commissioned agents, (PP – presenting a contrast to the main subject)
- most of the people (Main subject)
- who first came (DC modifying the main subject)
- to western North America (PP modifying “came”)
- from Asia (PP modifying “came”)
- during this same period (PP modifying “came”)
- who first came (DC modifying the main subject)
- did not focus (Main Verb)
- on developing (PP modifying “focus”)
- a self-conscious written record (Noun – modifies “developing”)
- of their involvement (PP modifying “record”)
- with the landscape.(PP modifying “involvment”)
- of their involvement (PP modifying “record”)
- a self-conscious written record (Noun – modifies “developing”)
- on developing (PP modifying “focus”)
Sentence 6
Their vision was reinforced by specialized skills involving swamp reclamation and irrigation systems, which helped lay the foundation for the now well-known and prosperous agribusiness of the region.
- Their vision was reinforced (Main Clause)
- by specialized skills (PP modifying “reinforced”)
- involving swamp reclamation and irrigation systems, (Verb-ing modifier modifying “skills”)
- which helped lay the foundation (DC modifying “swamp reclamation and irrigation systems”)
- for the now well-known and prosperous agribusiness (PP modifying “lay”)
- of the region. (PP modifying “agribusiness”)
- for the now well-known and prosperous agribusiness (PP modifying “lay”)
- which helped lay the foundation (DC modifying “swamp reclamation and irrigation systems”)
- involving swamp reclamation and irrigation systems, (Verb-ing modifier modifying “skills”)
- by specialized skills (PP modifying “reinforced”)
Sentence 7
Using the erection of new monuments as a means to determine a site’s occupation span, Lowe assumes that once new monuments ceased to be built, a site had been abandoned.
- Using the erection (Verb-ng modifier modifying “Lowe”)
- of new monuments (PP modifying “erection”)
- as a means (PP modifying “erection”)
- to determine a site’s occupation span, (Infinitive modifying “means”)
- Lowe assumes (Main Clause)
- that (DC modifying “assumes” starts)
- once new monuments ceased (DC within ‘that’ clause – subject “monuments”; verb “ceased”)
- to be built, (Infinitive modifying “ceased”)
- once new monuments ceased (DC within ‘that’ clause – subject “monuments”; verb “ceased”)
- a site had been abandoned. (Subject “a site” and verb “had been abandoned” of the ‘that’ clause)
- that (DC modifying “assumes” starts)
Sentence 8
This “revolving door” phenomenon, along with the high probability of additional immigrants from the south, means that large Spanish-speaking communities are likely to exist in the United States for the indefinite future.
- This “revolving door” phenomenon (Main subject)
- , along with the high probability (PP modifying the main subject)
- of additional immigrants (PP modifying “probability”)
- from the south, (PP modifying “immigrants”)
- of additional immigrants (PP modifying “probability”)
- , along with the high probability (PP modifying the main subject)
- means (Main verb)
- that large Spanish-speaking communities are likely (DC modifying “means”)
- to exist (Infinitive modifying “are likely”)
- in the United States (PP modifying “exist”)
- for the indefinite future.(PP modifying “exist”)
- to exist (Infinitive modifying “are likely”)
- that large Spanish-speaking communities are likely (DC modifying “means”)
Sentence 9
Critics of this first proposal have argued that genuine understanding of other cultures is impossible if the study of other cultures is refracted through the distorting lens of the majority culture’s perspective.
- Critics (Main subject)
- of this first proposal (PP modifying “critics”)
- have argued (Main verb)
- that genuine understanding (DC modifying “argued” starts with the subject “understanding”)
- of other cultures (PP modifying “understanding”)
- is impossible (Verb “is” for the subject “understanding”)
- if the study (DC modifying “is” starts with the subject “study”)
- of other cultures (PP modifying “study”)
- is refracted (verb for the subject “study”)
- through the distorting lens (PP modifying “is refracted”)
- of the majority culture’s perspective. (PP modifying “lens”)
- through the distorting lens (PP modifying “is refracted”)
- if the study (DC modifying “is” starts with the subject “study”)
- that genuine understanding (DC modifying “argued” starts with the subject “understanding”)
Sentence 10
Scholars argue that his successful use of the strategy in Shelley prepared the court to accept such data as convincing evidence for finding “separate but equal” insupportable on its face.
- Scholars argue (Main Clause)
- that his successful use (DC modifying “argue” – Subject “use”)
- of the strategy (PP modifying “use”)
- in Shelley (PP modifying “use”)
- prepared (Verb for the subject “use”)
- the court (Noun – modifies “prepared”)
- to accept such data (Infinitive modifying “prepared”)
- as convincing evidence (PP modifying “accept)
- for finding “separate but equal” insupportable (PP modifying “evidence”)
- on its face. (PP modifying “finding”)
- for finding “separate but equal” insupportable (PP modifying “evidence”)
- as convincing evidence (PP modifying “accept)
- that his successful use (DC modifying “argue” – Subject “use”)
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