Grammar

1)   Fronting & Postponement

In English, the first element in adeclarative sentence is usually the subject, but if we want to emphasizeanother element, we can put it first instead. We can put the object, thecomplement, the predicate verb at the initial position. Fronting is common inparallel structures.

For example: 

They havepromised to finish the work, and [finishit] they will. (predicate verb)

[His face] not many admired, while [his character] still fewer could praise.(object)

[A professor] he was, but in name only.(complement)

Practice 

Emphasize the underlined part bymoving it to the initial position of the clause.

1.      Youwill growl, and you must go. (predicate verb)

Growl you will, and go you must.

2.He might have agreed underpressure; he would never willingly. (adjunct)

Hemight have agreed under pressure; willinglyhe would never.

3. Wehave already discussed this question at some length. (object)

This question we have already discussed at somelength.

4. His name is Wilson. (complement)

Wilson, his name is.

 

5. My sister Flora was sitting at her desk in deepconcentration. (predicate)

Sitting at her desk in deepconcentration was my sister Flora.

6. We plunged into the stifling smoke. (adjunct)

Into thestifling smoke we plunged.

 

We canpostpone the object in SVOO, SVOC, SVOA clause patterns in order to follow theprinciple of end weight. (S=subject; V=verb; O=object; C=complement; A=adjunct)

For example:  

Theypronounced guilty [every one of theaccused]. (SVOC)

Send theparcel to [my father] not to [my mother]. (SVOO)

I saw onmy way home yesterday [a man with a scaracross his face trying to escape with a bag he had snatched from a lady]. (SVOA)

 

Practice  

Improve the following sentences by changing the word order.

1.      Hehad called the man on whose judgment he now had to rely an idiot.

2.      The problem of what contribution the public should pay then arose.

3.      He gave the sergeant who occupied the trench opposite the parcel.

4.      The story of her phenomenal success in Australia is told.

5.      She rapidly spotted the book that I had been desperately searching for all morning righton my desk.

6.      I confessed all my defects to him.

 

2) as … as

If you want to say that a thing or person has much of a quality assomething or someone else, you can use a structure based on the word “as” infront of an adjective / adverb. Usually this adjective / adverb is thenfollowed by a phrase or clause which also begins with “as”.

For example: 

You’re just [as bad as your sister].

Conversationwas nearly [as slow as I feared it wouldbe].

Practice  

Makesentences with the given words and phrases and you have to make sure you usethe “as … as” structure.

1.      as hard; would; without this; ten times; rearing ourchildren; be; as it is.

2.      as a heat burn; be; sunburn; just; can; as severe

3.      as they expected; the; result; as bad; was; just

4.      as good; are; ten years ago; the village gardens; as theywere

5.       nearly; a huge bird; as big; hadseen; as a man; never; I; which; was; such

6.      asthey want; has eaten; everyone; as much

 

 

3) not as / so … as  

The negative form of “as … as” is “not as … as” or “not so… as”. But so may not be used (1) after the contracted form suchas isn’t, don’t, (2) when there are other lexical items in between thenegative word and as…as construction. However, when adverbs withnegative meanings, such as not nearly,not quite, are used directly before the comparative construction, sois usually acceptable.

For example:

Johnisn’t as tall as his father.

John isnot as / so tall as his father.

Michaeldoes not swim as well as Paul.

Michaeldoes not swim nearly as / so well as Paul.

Practice 

 

Turn the following into the negative statements.

1.      The film is as good as the book.

2.      This is nearly as complicated as it sounds.

3.       Is there anythingquite as lonely as illness?

4.       I’m as gooda cook as she is.

5.       Is there anything quite as satisfying asundergoing a difficult process and after long hard work discovering the truenature of that process?

6.      Isit quite as straightforward a problem as it might at first seem?

Grammar

1)   Fronting & Postponement

In English, the first element in adeclarative sentence is usually the subject, but if we want to emphasizeanother element, we can put it first instead. We can put the object, thecomplement, the predicate verb at the initial position. Fronting is common inparallel structures.

For example: 

They havepromised to finish the work, and [finishit] they will. (predicate verb)

[His face] not many admired, while [his character] still fewer could praise.(object)

[A professor] he was, but in name only.(complement)

Practice 

Emphasize the underlined part bymoving it to the initial position of the clause.

1.      Youwill growl, and you must go. (predicate verb)

Growl you will, and go you must.

2.He might have agreed underpressure; he would never willingly. (adjunct)

Hemight have agreed under pressure; willinglyhe would never.

3. Wehave already discussed this question at some length. (object)

This question we have already discussed at somelength.

4. His name is Wilson. (complement)

Wilson, his name is.

 

5. My sister Flora was sitting at her desk in deepconcentration. (predicate)

Sitting at her desk in deepconcentration was my sister Flora.

6. We plunged into the stifling smoke. (adjunct)

Into thestifling smoke we plunged.

 

We canpostpone the object in SVOO, SVOC, SVOA clause patterns in order to follow theprinciple of end weight. (S=subject; V=verb; O=object; C=complement; A=adjunct)

For example:  

Theypronounced guilty [every one of theaccused]. (SVOC)

Send theparcel to [my father] not to [my mother]. (SVOO)

I saw onmy way home yesterday [a man with a scaracross his face trying to escape with a bag he had snatched from a lady]. (SVOA)

 

Practice  

Improve the following sentences by changing the word order.

1.      Hehad called the man on whose judgment he now had to rely an idiot.

2.      The problem of what contribution the public should pay then arose.

3.      He gave the sergeant who occupied the trench opposite the parcel.

4.      The story of her phenomenal success in Australia is told.

5.      She rapidly spotted the book that I had been desperately searching for all morning righton my desk.

6.      I confessed all my defects to him.

 

2) as … as

If you want to say that a thing or person has much of a quality assomething or someone else, you can use a structure based on the word “as” infront of an adjective / adverb. Usually this adjective / adverb is thenfollowed by a phrase or clause which also begins with “as”.

For example: 

You’re just [as bad as your sister].

Conversationwas nearly [as slow as I feared it wouldbe].

Practice  

Makesentences with the given words and phrases and you have to make sure you usethe “as … as” structure.

1.      as hard; would; without this; ten times; rearing ourchildren; be; as it is.

2.      as a heat burn; be; sunburn; just; can; as severe

3.      as they expected; the; result; as bad; was; just

4.      as good; are; ten years ago; the village gardens; as theywere

5.       nearly; a huge bird; as big; hadseen; as a man; never; I; which; was; such

6.      asthey want; has eaten; everyone; as much

 

 

3) not as / so … as  

The negative form of “as … as” is “not as … as” or “not so… as”. But so may not be used (1) after the contracted form suchas isn’t, don’t, (2) when there are other lexical items in between thenegative word and as…as construction. However, when adverbs withnegative meanings, such as not nearly,not quite, are used directly before the comparative construction, sois usually acceptable.

For example:

Johnisn’t as tall as his father.

John isnot as / so tall as his father.

Michaeldoes not swim as well as Paul.

Michaeldoes not swim nearly as / so well as Paul.

Practice 

 

Turn the following into the negative statements.

1.      The film is as good as the book.

2.      This is nearly as complicated as it sounds.

3.       Is there anythingquite as lonely as illness?

4.       I’m as gooda cook as she is.

5.       Is there anything quite as satisfying asundergoing a difficult process and after long hard work discovering the truenature of that process?

6.      Isit quite as straightforward a problem as it might at first seem?