TOEFL
GRAMMAR STUCTURE
A.Basic
Sentences Stucture
In general, there was no significant difference
between the structure of English sentences with Indonesian, where a sentence is
built upon four main components, namely.
Subject (S)
+ Verb (V) + Complement (C) + Modifier (M)
Example :
We studied
grammar last week
We + studied
+ grammar + last week
S + V + C +
M
1 . SUBJECT
·
is the agent
of sentence in the active voice
·
is
thing/person that performs or responsible for the action of a sentence
·
normally
precedes the verb
example :
·
I explain how to study English
·
She listens to my explanation
·
They didn’t understand that language
The subject
can be seen from the question who or what is doing the action of a sentence.
2. VERB
Verb is the action of a sentence. Verb phrase:
auxilaries combination with the main verb.
Example :
·
I am learning English (am = auxilary, learning = main verb)
·
My brother is very clever
·
She has gone home (has = auxilary, gone =
main verb)
·
I have been waiting here (have been = auxilary, waiting = main verb)
3. COMPLEMENT
· Usually a
noun or noun phrase
· usually
found after the verb in the active sentence
·
complement
to answer the question what or whom
example .
·
He saw Tony at
the movie
o Whom did he
see at the movie? –> Tony
·
I
explain pharmacology to my students
o What do I
explain to my students? –> pharmacology
4. MODIFIER
· Modifier
describes the time, place, or manner of an action or actions
· The most
common form of the modifier is a propositional phrase (group of words that
begins with a preposition and ends with a noun.
Preposition =
on, out, under, behind, etc ...
·
Modifier answer the questions when, where, or
how
Example :
·
John bought
a book at a book fair
o Where did
John buy a book? –> at a book fair
·
She is
driving very fast
o How is she
driving? –> very fast
·
I posted my
application yesterday
o When do I
post my application? –> yesterday
example
problems :
1.
The Eiffel
Tower is a landmark in Paris, France
2.
Young deer is
fawns
3.
A dream
about falling is scary
4.
Those
flowers are beautiful
5.
I launched
this blog on july 14th 2007
B. Parallel Structure
Parallelism means that the words used in a series or
group that should have the same form as grammar. When we use words or phrases
that are connected by a chain, then it must be the same shape as grammar.
Consider the following example:
·
Terry likes
swimming and to dive. (False - not parallel)
·
Terry likes swimming and diving. (True -
parallel)
·
Terry likes to swim and (to) dive. (True -
parallel)
·
I'm taking history, math, and chemical. (False
- Chemical not a noun)
· I'm taking history, math, and chemistry
Example problem :
Identify and
correct the mistakes in parallel structure in the following sentences
1. I swept the
yard, weeded the garden and washed the clothes.
2.
James
decided to get up early, practice some yoga and eat
healthy foods.
C. Comparative
Adjectives
When talking about the two objects, we can compare and
see the differences as well similarities between the two objects. Maybe it has
the same thing on one side and the difference on the other side. To compare the
difference between the two objects we use comparative adjectives. Comparison is
only using comparative adjectives to compare between two objects only.
There are
two ways to create a comparative adjectives:
1. Adding the suffix-er (short adjectives)
2. Adding more prefix (long adjectives)
1. Adding the suffix-er (short adjectives)
2. Adding more prefix (long adjectives)
Addition of
a suffix rule for short adjectives:
·
Generally only added adjective-er, for
example: older, smaller, richer, etc.
·
If the
ending-e, just add r, for example: later, nicer, etc.
·
If the
ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant, the final consonant plus, then plus-er,
for example: bigger, hotter, etc.
·
If the
ending-y, then y changed to i then added er, for example: happier, Earlier,
busier, heavier, etc.
For long
adjectives, the rule only adds more words only on adjectives, for example:
expensive to be more expensive, more beautiful to be beautiful, and so on. Some
adjectives have irregular shapes, such as good - better, well (healthy) -
better, bad - worse, far - farther / further, etc.
Adjectives
with two syllables can use-er or more: quiet - quieter / more quiet, clever -
cleverer / more clever, narrow - narrower / more narrow, simple - Simpler /
more simple. Comparative adjectives are not only used to compare two different
objects, but can also be used to compare the same object that points to itself,
and the object is not to say, as one example sentence above: I want to have a
more powerful computer.
Adjectives with two syllables
If the
adjective has two or more syllables, we add more before the adjective. example:
·
This book is
more expensive than that book.
·
This picture
is more beautiful.
However, there are many exceptions to the rule of one
/ two syllables it.
Some words with 2 syllables have properties similar to words that have 1 syllable. example:
Some words with 2 syllables have properties similar to words that have 1 syllable. example:
· This is
Easier – True
· This is more
easy - not really
·
And some
adjectives can use both comparative form. example:
· Clever -
cleverer - more clever: These are all correct
·
Quiet -
quieter - more quiet: These are all correct.
No exceptions can be learned through the rules, the
best way to learn is to learn it one by one.
Example
problems :
- They’re more handsome than us, but we’re smarter than them.
- This book bag is more expensive than that bag.
- This newspaper is better than that newspaper.
D. Conditional
Clauses
Conditional (sentence presupposition) explains that an
activity contrary to other activities. The most common conditional is Real and
Unreal Conditonal Conditonal, sometimes called if-clauses. Real Conditional
(often also referred to as Conditional Type I) which describes mengandai-if in
accordance with the facts.
1.
Future
Conditional (Conditional Type 1) This assumption states that something might
happen in the future or now, if the terms / certain conditions are met.
Type 1 Conditional formula:
+ Subject +
If + subject + present simple modals (will, can, may, must) V1 (simple form)
example: If have money I will buy a new car
example: If have money I will buy a new car
Simple If + Subject + ... + subject + present
simple-present
example: If he has enough time, John usually walks to
school.
If + Subject + ... + command simple present form
example: If you go to the post office, please mail
this letter for me!
2.
Unreal
Present (Conditional Type 2) This assumption states something contrary to what
exists or happens now.
+ If +
subject + subject + simple past modals (would, could, might) V1 (Simple Form)
example: If I had time, I would go to the beach with you this weekend
(I do not have time so I could not go)
example: If I had time, I would go to the beach with you this weekend
(I do not have time so I could not go)
He would tell you about it if he were here
(He would
say if he were here, that because she's not here, he did not say Because he is
not here he does not tell you about it.)
* For the
if-clause in this form only to be "were" is used for all subjects.
if the conditional type 2 can be removed is by using pattern inversion:
if the conditional type 2 can be removed is by using pattern inversion:
Were +
subject + Adj / Noun + capital + subject (would, could, might) + V1
example: Were I John I would not forgive you.
example: Were I John I would not forgive you.
(if only I
was the john I will not forgive you, in fact I not john so I forgive you / I'm
not John so I forgive you).
He could hug
me, if he were here. (She may hug me, if he's here). The fact is: he can not
hug me, Because, he is not here.
3. Unreal
Past (Conditional Type 3)
This
assumption states something contrary to what has happened (past).
Type 3 Conditional formula:
Type 3 Conditional formula:
+ If +
Subject + Past Perfect ... subject modals (would, could, might) have + V3
Example :
1. If we had known that you were there, we would
have written you a letter.
(if only we
knew you were there, we had sent a letter to you;
which means that we do not send the letter because we do not know you're there / I did not know that you were there so I did not write you a letter.
which means that we do not send the letter because we do not know you're there / I did not know that you were there so I did not write you a letter.
2. He would tell you about it if he were here.
3. If he did not speak so quickly intervening,
you could understand him.
Form inversion (without the "IF") for this pattern:
Form inversion (without the "IF") for this pattern:
Had + subject + V3 ... subject +
modals (would, could, might) + have V3
inverse sentence above when written into:
Had we known that you were there, we would have written you a letter.
without changing the meaning or significance.
Example
Problems :
1. If I were rich, I would go to
Canada to learn English
2. You should pass this easy exam easily if you have studied hard
2. You should pass this easy exam easily if you have studied hard
E. Noun
Clauses
Noun clause
is a clause (ie subject and verb) is used as a noun. Noun clause in the
sentence is generally used as a subject and an object sentences.
Noun clause can be preceded by:
Noun clause can be preceded by:
·
Question
word or relative pronoun question either single word or phrase:
Single question word (ie when, how, what, ect.).
o Question word + determiner / noun / adjective / adverb.
o Question word + infinitive.
Single question word (ie when, how, what, ect.).
o Question word + determiner / noun / adjective / adverb.
o Question word + infinitive.
·
CONJUNCTION (i.e. Whether and if).
·
That or the fact that.
So the pattern of the noun clause is:
So the pattern of the noun clause is:
Question
word/conjunction/that + subject + verb +
..…
A. Noun clauses beginning with Question words
In How to
Address Questions already discussed about the use of question words either in
making information questions and in making embedded questions. Embedded
questions are noun clause. In this section are given additional examples to
refresh your memory.
Refresh your
memory.
1.
Single question words.
example:
1.
Where she is
now is still unknown.
2.
When they
arrive is still uncertain.
3.
I know what
you did last summer and I still know what you did last summer are two Hollywood
movies starred by Jennifer Love Hewitt. Note: in this sentence, noun clause
what you did last summer became the object of I know and I still know, and once
combined with: are two Hollywood movies starred by Jennifer Love Hewitt, a
compound subject of the sentence.
Noun clause
can be placed at the beginning of the sentence (as subject) or as an object. If
you want to change the position of the subject noun clause object sentence into
a sentence, it is usually necessary pronoun or a slight modification of the
word. The above example becomes:
1.
It is still
unknown where she is now.
2.
Do you know
when they arrive?
3.
Two
Hollywood movies starred by Jennifer Love Hewitt are I know what you did last
summer and I still know what you did last summer. Because the title of movies,
noun clause what you did last summer does not need to be rotated position.
NOTE :
a.
Clause
question preceded by certain words (ie when, Whenever, where) can also function
as an adverbial clause.
B. Noun clauses beginning with
Whether / if
Whether can
be followed by OR / NOT can not; meaning of the sentence is usually the same
although the OR / NOT is not mentioned (it depends on the context of the
sentence).
Example:
1.
Whether I am
not sure she is coming or not = I am not sure Whether or not she is coming = I
am not sure Whether she is coming. (I'm not sure whether he will come or not).
2.
We can not
decide Whether we should go out or stay home. = We can not decide Whether to go
or (to) stay home. Note, infinitives can also be used after Whether.
3.
Whether I am
not sure I should take economics or law after I graduate from high school. (I'm
not sure if I should take some Economic Law after graduating from high school
or later).
4.
If you take
economics, I will take economics. On the other hand, if you take law, I will
take law too
C. Noun clauses beginning with that
/ the fact that
Here, that means that, while the
fact that means the fact that. Whereas, that in adjective clauses mean that.
example:
1.
That she has had a PhD degree at the age of 20
surprises a lot of people = It surprises a lot of people that she has had a PhD
degree at the age of 20.
2.
It is the
fact that the world is round = the fact that the world is round is well known.
3.
It was
obvious that she was very sick = The fact that she was very sick was obvious.
4.
It seems
that it is going to rain soon.
Example Problem:
1. The teacher heard who answered the
question.
analysis:
·
The first sentence "The teacher heard"
is true because the subject teacher and heard verbnya. The second sentence
"Who answered the phoned" is also true because who serves as a
subject and answered as verbnya. Who at the same time also serves as connetor.
·
So the above sentence is correct.
2.
I do not
understand it went wrong.
Analysis:
·
The first
sentence "I do not understand" is correct because I do not understand
the subject and verb. The second sentence "it went wrong" is wrong
because there is no connector at once subject.
·
correct
sentence should be: I do not understand what went wrong.What subject and also
serves as a connector, while his went as a verb.
3.
Of the three
movies, I can not decide is the best roomates.
Analysis:
Analysis:
·
In the first sentence, I can not decide as
Subject and as a verb. In the second sentence, roomates as well as the subject
and the connector is a verb.
4. She did not remember who in her
class.
Analysis:
· In the first sentence, as She did not remember
the subject and the verb. Dikalimat second, who as a connector and also subject
but no verb.
·
correct sentence should ................. who
was in her class.
5.
No one is
sure what did it happen in front of the building.
Analysis:
Analysis:
·
The first
sentence is correct because No one is subject and is is a verb, but the second
sentence is wrong because there was and it did. Did and it seharusnay in delete
and verb "happen" became form of yesteryear "happened".
·
So the
correct sentence should be: ....... what happened in front of the building.
SUMBER :
