Sentence Structure 6
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
These sources are of little help in determining how often women’s special statutory privileges were thwarted by intimidation or harassment, or how often women managed to evade special statutory limitations.
- These sources are (Main clause)
- of little help (PP modifying “are”)
- in determining (PP modifying “help”)
- how often women’s special statutory privileges were thwarted (Noun clause modifying “determining” – Subject “privileges”; Verb “were thwarted”)
- by intimidation or harassment, (PP modifying “were thwarted”)
- or how often women managed (Noun clause modifying “determining” – Subject “women”; Verb “managed”)
- to evade special statutory limitations. (Infinitive modifying “managed”)
- how often women’s special statutory privileges were thwarted (Noun clause modifying “determining” – Subject “privileges”; Verb “were thwarted”)
- in determining (PP modifying “help”)
- of little help (PP modifying “are”)
Sentence 2
Tragic dramas written in Greece during the fifth century B.C. engender considerable scholarly debate over the relative influence of individual autonomy and the power of the gods on the drama’s action.
- Tragic dramas (Main subject)
- written in Greece (Verb-ed modifier modifying “dramas”)
- during the fifth century B.C. (PP modifying “written”)
- written in Greece (Verb-ed modifier modifying “dramas”)
- engender (Main verb)
- considerable scholarly debate (Noun – modifying “engender”)
- over the relative influence(PP modifying “debate”)
- of individual autonomy (PP modifying “influence”)
- and the power (Second noun of the PP “over..”)
- of the gods (PP modifying “power”)
- on the drama’s action. (PP modifying “influence”)
- over the relative influence(PP modifying “debate”)
- considerable scholarly debate (Noun – modifying “engender”)
Sentence 3
To A. Rivier, Snell’s emphasis on the decision made by the protagonist, with its implicit notions of autonomy and responsibility, misrepresents the role of the superhuman forces at work, forces that give the dramas their truly tragic dimension.
- To A. Rivier, (PP modifying the main verb)
- Snell’s emphasis (Main subject)
- on the decision (PP modifying “emphasis”)
- made by the protagonist, (Verb-ed modifier modifying “decision”)
- with its implicit notions (PP modifying “decision”)
- of autonomy and responsibility, (PP modifying “notions”)
- on the decision (PP modifying “emphasis”)
- misrepresents the role (Main verb “misrepresents”)
- of the superhuman forces (PP modifying “role”)
- at work, (PP modifying “forces”)
- forces that give (Noun+Noun modifier or absolute phrase)
- the dramas (Noun – modifies “give”)
- their truly tragic dimension. (Noun – modifies “give”)
- of the superhuman forces (PP modifying “role”)
Sentence 4
Arguing that the church lacked the level of economic interest required for a hearing, the FCC rejected the petition, though it attempted to mollify the church by granting only a short-term, probationary renewal to the station.
- Arguing (Verb-ing modifier modifying the main subject)
- that the church lacked (DC modifying “arguing”)
- the level (Noun – modifies “lacked”)
- of economic interest (PP modifying “level”)
- required for a hearing, (Verb-ed modifier modifying “economic interest”)
- of economic interest (PP modifying “level”)
- the level (Noun – modifies “lacked”)
- that the church lacked (DC modifying “arguing”)
- the FCC rejected the petition, (Main clause)
- though it attempted (DC presenting contrast to the main clause)
- to mollify the church (Infinitive modifying “attempted”)
- by granting only a short-term, probationary renewal (PP modifying “mollify”)
- to the station. (PP modifying “grant”)
- by granting only a short-term, probationary renewal (PP modifying “mollify”)
- to mollify the church (Infinitive modifying “attempted”)
Sentence 5
The real reason for denying the church a hearing was likely the prospect that citizens’ groups representing community preferences would begin to enter the closed worlds of government and industry.
- The real reason (Main subject)
- for denying (PP modifying the main subject)
- the church (Noun – modifies “denying”)
- a hearing (Noun – modifies “denying”)
- for denying (PP modifying the main subject)
- was likely the prospect(Main verb “was”)
- that citizens’ groups (DC modifying “the prospect” – Subject “groups”)
- representing community preferences (Verb-ing modifier modifying “groups”)
- would begin (Verb for the subject “groups”)
- to enter the closed worlds (Infinitive modifying “begin”)
- of government and industry. (PP modifying “worlds”)
- to enter the closed worlds (Infinitive modifying “begin”)
- that citizens’ groups (DC modifying “the prospect” – Subject “groups”)
Sentence 6
The church appealed the FCC’s decision in court, and in 1967 was granted the right to a public hearing on the station’s request for a long-term license.
- The church appealed (Main subject and Main Verb 1)
- the FCC’s decision (Noun – modifies “appealed”)
- in court, (PP modifying “appealed”)
- and in 1967 (PP modifying “was granted”)
- was granted the right (Main Verb 2 “was granted”)
- to a public hearing (PP modifying “the right”)
- on the station’s request (PP modifying “granted”)
- for a long-term license. (PP modifying “request”)
Sentence 7
Subsequent rulings have supported the right of the public to question the performance of radio and television licensees before the FCC at renewal time every three years.
- Subsequent rulings have supported (Main clause)
- the right (Noun – modifies “have supported”)
- of the public (PP modifying “the right”)
- to question (Infinitive modifying “the right”)
- the performance (Noun – modifies “question”)
- of radio and television licensees (PP modifying “performance”)
- before the FCC (PP modifying “questions”)
- at renewal time every three years. (PP modifying “question”)
- the performance (Noun – modifies “question”)
- the right (Noun – modifies “have supported”)
Sentence 8
Virtually any cross section cut through a tangled mass of interconnected flow lobes would give the appearance of a pile of discrete ellipsoidal masses.
- Virtually any cross section (Main subject)
- cut through a tangled mass (Verb-ed modifier modifying “cross section”)
- of interconnected flow lobes (PP modifying “tangled mass”)
- cut through a tangled mass (Verb-ed modifier modifying “cross section”)
- would give (Main verb)
- the appearance (Noun – modifies the main verb)
- of a pile (PP modifying “appearance”)
- of discrete ellipsoidal masses. (PP modifying “pile”)
- of a pile (PP modifying “appearance”)
- the appearance (Noun – modifies the main verb)
Sentence 9
Adequate three-dimensional images of intact pillows are essential for defining the true geometry of pillowed flows and thus ascertaining their mode of origin.
- Adequate three-dimensional images (Main subject)
- of intact pillows (PP modifying “images”)
- are essential (Main verb “are”)
- for defining (PP modifying “are”)
- the true geometry (Noun – modifies “defining”)
- of pillowed flows and (PP modifying “geometry”)
- the true geometry (Noun – modifies “defining”)
- thus ascertaining (Verb-ing noun parallel to “defining”)
- their mode (Noun – modifies “ascertaining”)
- of origin (PP modifying “mode”)
- their mode (Noun – modifies “ascertaining”)
- for defining (PP modifying “are”)
Sentence 10
Other geologists argued that neither the upper rock layer nor the underlying igneous rocks on the one side of the rift differ fundamentally from the corresponding layers on the other side.
- Other geologists argued (Main clause)
- that neither the upper rock layer nor the underlying igneous rocks (DC modifying “argued” starts with Subject “neither…rocks”)
- on the one side (PP modifying the subject)
- of the rift (PP modifying “side”)
- on the one side (PP modifying the subject)
- differ fundamentally (Verb “differ” for the subject “neither…rocks”)
- from the corresponding layers (PP modifying “differ”)
- on the other side. (PP modifying “layers”)
- from the corresponding layers (PP modifying “differ”)
- that neither the upper rock layer nor the underlying igneous rocks (DC modifying “argued” starts with Subject “neither…rocks”)
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