Chapter 17. Special Constructions
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1. Ellipsis
2. Substitution
3. Inversion
4. Emphasis
8. Cases Sent to the End of the Sentence
1. Ellipsis
⑴ Repeated content after be verbs / auxiliary verbs / have in have p.p can be omitted
⑵ If a be verb follows an auxiliary verb, the be verb is retained
2. Substitution
⑴ Pro-verb do
① Replaces a verb phrase made up of a previously mentioned general verb
② Words following the verb are replaced with so (can be omitted)
⑵ Pro-infinitive to
① If the previously mentioned verb phrase is repeated after to, only to should be left
② If a be verb follows to, the be verb is also retained
⑶ Substitution with so and not
① When previously mentioned content is repeated in a that-clause
○ If the that-clause is affirmative: replaced with so
○ If the that-clause is negative: replaced with not
3. Inversion
⑴ Overview
① In English, the usual word order is ‘subject + verb + object, complement, adverb(ial phrase)’
② When the verb, object, complement, adverb(ial phrase), etc. are placed before the subject, it is called inversion
③ Generally, the element to be emphasized is moved to the beginning of the sentence, followed by the order verb + subject
⑵ Type 1. Inversion of the object
① Even if the object comes to the beginning of the sentence, if it does not contain a negative word, the order ‘subject → verb’ usually does not change
Not a single word did he say.
= He didn’t say a single word.
② 1-1. Negative inversion
○ Negative words: not, never, little, hardly, rarely, barely, scarcely, seldom
○ Negative word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb
⑶ Type 2. Inversion of the complement
① If the complement is moved forward for emphasis, it is followed by the form ‘verb + subject’
Happy was I when I was a girl.
⑷ Type 3. Inversion of the adverb(ial phrase)
① In the case of an intransitive verb: when the subject is a noun, it takes the form ‘verb + subject,’ but when it is a pronoun, ‘subject + verb’ comes after the adverb
Under the table was a large black cat.
= A large black cat was under the table.
Here comes the teacher.
Here you are.
② 3-1. there / here + V + S
③ 3-2. only + adverbial phrase inversion (auxiliary verb → subject → verb)
○ only + adverb
○ only + adverbial phrase
○ only + adverbial clause
④ 3-3. Inversion with negative words: never, little, no sooner, not, hardly, scarcely, not only, etc.
○ It can also be seen as if the negative words above function as conjunctions leading a clause
Never did I think of him.
= I never thought of him.
No sooner had he heard the news than he fell down.
= He had no sooner heard the news than he fell down.
⑸ Type 4. Grammatical inversion: often used in spoken language
① so + verb + subject: the subject also does so (affirmative sentence)
A: I am thirsty.
B: So am I.
② neigher + verb + subject: the subject is not so either (negative sentence)
A: I don’t like baseball.
B: Neigher do I.
4. Emphasis
⑴ Type 1. Emphasis by auxiliary do
① When emphasizing a verb, use do, does, did before the verb, and use the main verb in its base form
I do believe you.
He does know the answer.
② Not only do, but also corresponding expressions can be used (e.g., feel like ~ing)
⑵ Type 2. Emphasis of nouns
① 2-1. ‘very + noun’
This is the very man I wanted to meet.
② 2-2. Emphatic use of reflexive pronouns
She did it herself.
⑶ Type 3. Emphasis of negative sentences
① 3-1. negative sentence + at all
She doesn’t study at all.
② 3-2. in the least, whatever: ‘not ~ at all’
He is not smart in the least.
I had no plan whatever.
⑷ Type 4. Emphasis of interrogative sentences
① in the world, on earth, ever, etc. are used with interrogatives to emphasize them: giving the meaning of ‘on earth’
⑸ Type 5. it ~ that emphatic construction
① Instead of that in the emphatic construction, who, which, when, where, whom, etc. may be used depending on the nature of the emphasized phrase
② 5-1. Emphasis of the subject
It was Tom that met Susan’s brother yesterday.
③ 5-2. Emphasis of the object
It was Susan’s brother that Tom met yesterday.
④ 5-3. Emphasis of the adverb
It was yesterday that Tom met Susan’s brother.
5. Parallel Structure
⑴ Sentences connected by coordinating conjunctions
① In sentences connected by coordinating conjunctions such as and, or, but, the form and part of speech of the connected words, phrases, or clauses must be the same
⑵ Sentences connected by correlative conjunctions
① In sentences connected by correlative conjunctions as well, the elements compared by the conjunction should also have the same form
He is not only famous in Korea, but also abroad. (X)
He is famous not only in Korea, but also abroad. (O)
⑶ Sentences in comparative constructions (mirroring)
① The compared elements should have the same form
Driving a car is similar to riding a bicycle.
② Mirroring reduces cognitive load and expresses empathy (ref)
# MIRRORING CONDITION (mirroring double object):
User: Can I send you the file?
LLM: Sure, show me it.
# NON-MIRRORING CONDITION (prepositional phrase rather than double object)
User: Can I send you the file?
LLM: Sure, show it to me.
6. Common Relation
⑴ AX + AY = A(X + Y)
① A is the common phrase of X and Y
② In sentences connected by coordinating conjunctions, if a common phrase such as ‘subject + verb’ appears in the front, it may be written only once in the first clause and omitted in the latter part
He writes novels and he writes poems.
→ He writes novels and poems.
⑵ XB + YB = (X + Y)B
① B is the common phrase of X and Y
② In sentences connected by coordinating conjunctions, if there is a common phrase located at the back (with the same object), it may be omitted in the front part
We cannot live by ourselves and for ourselves.
→ We cannot live by and for ourselves.
⑶ Comparative constructions can be omitted after than and as
① Since the same content is being compared, the latter part can be omitted
She is taller than I (am tall).
⑷ In adverbial clauses led by when, while, though, if, etc., ‘subject + be’ can be omitted)
She was drowned while (she was) swimming.
7. Parenthetical Construction
⑴ Insert a word, phrase, or clause by placing commas before and after the parenthetical construction
⑵ Type 1. Insertion of a word
He had, surprisingly, done all the work by himself.
⑶ Type 2. Insertion of a phrase
She was, so to speak, a walking dictionary.
⑷ Type 3. Insertion of a clause
① When there are no quotation marks
Her idea, it seems to me, is good.
② When there are quotation marks
○ American English: commas and periods go inside the quotation mark
It was the ‘Aqua Planet.’
○ British English
It was the ‘Aqua Planet’.
③ When using a semicolon( ; )
○ Starts with a lowercase letter
○ A single sentence follows
④ When using a colon(: )
○ Starts with a lowercase letter
○ A noun or noun clause follows
○ In Korean grammar, spaces are placed on both sides of the colon, whereas in English grammar, there is a space after the colon but no space before it
8. Cases Sent to the End of the Sentence
⑴ If the object is long, it can be sent to the end of the sentence
Positive thinking has, as an important part of our life, two great advantages- the bringing of success and the realizing of dreams.
Mt political ideal is democracy. Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one (should be) idolized.
⑵ If the same noun is repeated in the subordinate clause and the main clause, the noun in the subordinate clause is generally expressed as a pronoun
Because it is a vacuum, space is neither cold nor warm.
Input: 2021.12.05 00:20