Sentence analysis, clause and phrase level

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zyph  #48038  Wed, 29 Sep 04 04:21 PM
For my written homework, which is to be handed in before October 15th, one of the tasks is to analyse a sentence in terms of type of sentence, type of clause, clausal pattern, phrases, function within phrases and form class of words.

The sentence is as follows:
He found his secretary a reliable typist

I've managed to figure out that it's a simple sentence and that it consists of one main clause. I also think I've figured out the clausal pattern: S, P, dO and oC (correct me if I'm wrong!)

The problem lies in the next area: phrases.

The first constituent [he] is a noun phrase, [found] is a verb phrase, [his secretary] must be a noun phrase, but what about the next one? Is [a reliable typist] an adjective phrase, or is it simply a noun phrase too, like the others?

Moving into the function within phrases area, is the word typist the head of that phrase? And reliable the premodifier?

I know how to deal with many simple, compound and complex sentences, but I found this one a bit hard actually.

Thanks in advance for all help!
Regards from Norway Smile [:)]
  
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miriam  #48045  Wed, 29 Sep 04 04:45 PM
Hello, Zyph, and welcome to the forums. Smile [:)]

Congratulations! Your analysis is perfect.

"His secretary" is -not just 'must be'- a noun phrase. It has a determiner (his) and a noun as head (secretary).

Object complements are usually either noun phrases/clauses or adjectival phrases/clauses. You are right that in your sentence the OC is a noun phrase. If you are in doubt, compare it with the DO: both have (almost) the same structure. In the OC, "a" is the determiner, "reliable" (adjective) the premodifier, and "typist" (noun) the head.

If the sentence were, say, "He found his secretary very reliable", then the OC would be "very reliable" (an adjectival phrase), with "very" as premodifier and "reliable" as the head.

Miriam

  
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zyph  #48073  Wed, 29 Sep 04 05:58 PM
Thanks Miriam for your quick responce!

I'm studying English at a Norwegian university, and this forum will certainly be used frequently during my time of study. It's great that there are such sources out on the internet, with helpful and clever people ready to answer your question in no time.

:-D

  
CalifJim  #48145  Thu, 30 Sep 04 02:43 AM
The sentence is interesting for its ambiguity.
Another interpretation, admittedly less likely but nevertheless possible, is S P iO dO.
  
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zyph  #48149  Thu, 30 Sep 04 02:57 AM
"Another interpretation, admittedly less likely but nevertheless possible, is S P iO dO."

Yes, my first attempt resulted in an SPOO-sentence actually. Ambiguity creates confusion, and I suspect my teacher in choosing that sentence on purposeStick out tongue [:P]
  
CalifJim  #48174  Thu, 30 Sep 04 06:29 AM
Not to mention that ambiguity makes you think!
Aren't teachers just awful that way?!!!

Smile [:)]
  
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