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clauses that constitute them (see § 137, 138, 144).
Complete and incomplete (or elliptical) sentences are distinguished by the
presence or absence of word-forms in the principal positions of two-member sentences.
In a complete sentence both the principal positions are filled with word-forms.
When did you arrive?
I came straight here.
In an incomplete (elliptical) sentence one or both of the main positions are not filled, but can be easily
supplied as it is clear from the context what is missing.
Cheerful, aren’t you?
Ready?
Could’ve been professional.
Wrong again.
Elliptical sentences are typical of conversational English. One-member and two-member sentences are
distinguished by the number of principal parts (positions) they contain: two-member sentences have two main
parts - the subject and the predicate, while one-member sentences have only one principal part, which is neither
the subject nor the predicate.
Two-member sentences:
The magpie flew off.
We are going to my house now.
One-member sentences:
An old park.
Mid-summer.
Low tide, dusty water.
To live alone in this abandoned house!
THE SIMPLE SENTENCE
Two-member sentences
§ 3. The basic pattern of a simple sentence in English is one subject-predicate unit, that is, it has two main
(principal) positions: those of the subject and of the predicate. It is the pattern of a two-member sentence. There
are several variations of this basic pattern, depending mainly on the kind of verb occupying the predicate
position. The verb in the predicate position may be intransitive, transitive, ditransitive or a link verb.
Here are the main variants of the fundamental (basic) pattern:
1. John ran.
2. John is a student.
3. John is clever.
4. John learned French.
5. John gives Mary his books.
6. John lives
in London.
there
7. We found John guilty.
8. We found John a bore.
The basic pattern may be unextended or extended.