Textbooks write English correctly_06 potx

lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE PARTICIPLE PHRASE
The detective, standing at the corner of the street, watches the
woman moving in her bed room.
(iii) The Post Position
(b) Subject is a Pronoun
Depend on the context, there are two positions as below:
(i) The Initial Position
Having money, she has had alnost everything except real good days.
(ii) The post position
He hurried came to see her, not knowing she was dead two months
ago.
b. The Use of Participle Phrase as OC
Ngươi ta thếy khoi bö́c lïn tư phña sau tram xăng.
Smoke was seen rising from behind the gas station.
Ngươi ta phat hiïn viïn canh sat năm chḯt ơ goc ₫ương.
The policeman was found lying dead at the corner of the street.
Khi trơ lai, töi thếy ngươi gac dan năm chḯt ơ gền cö̉ng.
When I got back, I found the janitor lying dead by the gate.

S (noun)
, PP ,
the rest of the sentence

S (noun)
+
the rest of the sentence
, PP .
PP,
S ( pronoun) + the rest of the sentence

S (pronoun)
+
the rest of the sentence
, PP .
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE PARTICIPLE PHRASE
c. The Use of PP in Nominative Absolute Phrase
Höm nay chu nhêt, moi văn phong ₫ï̀u ₫ong cưa.
Today being Sunday, all government offices are closed.
Öng gia, ₫ưa con trai duy nhết bị giḯt trong chiḯn tranh, hiïn ₫ang
sö́ng möt mònh trong möt tup lï̀u canh bơ söng.
The old man, his only son killed in the war, is now living alone in
small hut by the river.
Mua thu ₫a ₫ḯn, la băt ₫ều nga vang.
Autumn having come, leaves are beginning to turn yellow.
Nang chay ra cưa, toan thên rung lïn vò xuc ₫öng.
She ran quickly to the door, her body trembling with excitement.
d. Participle Phrase Used as Absolute Particle
A few participle, through usage, are allowed to stand as ‘abso-
lute particle’ even though they are, strictly speaking, dangling
participles. GENERALLY SPEAKING, STRICTLY SPEAK-
ING, FRANKLY SPEAKING, POLITICALLY SPEAKING etc.
Frankly speaking, I don’t like your boy friend much.
e. Participle Used as Preposition
Some participle have come to function as preposition for all
practical purposes. ACCORDING TO, BARRING, CON-
CERNING, EXCEPTING, EXCLUDING, INCLUDING, FOL-
LOWING, REGARDING, OWING, WANTING etc.

Wanting honesty, true friendship is impossible.
Following the decision by the court, violence broke out in many
places in south California.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE PARTICIPLE PHRASE
(prepositional phrase)
1. Dangling PP
A PP functions as an adjective and therefore we ought
to fasten it immediately and unerringly to a substan-
tive (a noun or pronoun) that indicates its agency. If
not, it is said to be dangling.
Coming to the room, the center table was seen to have been
moved to one side.
In this case, the phrase has nothing to fasten itself to
and is therefore dangling.
Coming to the room, we saw the center table has been moved
to one side.
2. Discriminate between PP and NAP
Care should be taken not to confuse between PP and
NAP.
Having been late 3 times in the week, the janitor has been dis-
missed.
(pp=appositive adjective)
The janitor having been late 3 times in the week, has been dis-
missed.
(pp used in NAP)
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE

IV. THE GERUND PHRASE
A. THE GERUND
1. WHAT IS A GERUND?
The gerund is a verb form ending in ING form and normally
used as a noun.
Thếy tưc la tin.
Seeing is believing.
Tiḯng kïu vo vo cua muö̃i.
The whinning of the mosquitos.
Tiḯng chim hot trong vươn ₫anh thưc töi dêy.
The singing/chirping of the birds in the garden woke me up.
Tiḯng chuöng lanh canh cua ngươi ban kem thêt la thu vị.
It’s fun to listen to the jingling of the bells of the icecream man.
Tiḯng roc rach cua dong suö́i ₫ưa töi vao giếc ngu.
The chattering of the brook reeled me to sleep.
Tiḯng ong vo vo kiḯm mêt.
The buzzling of the bees hunting nectar.
Chung töi nghe tiḯng ₫ai bac döi tư xa.
We heard the pounding of the artillery from away.
Nha lanh ₫ao mơi co möt sư ung hö lêu dai.
The new leader has a long backing.
Chung ta phai lam gò ₫o
 ₫ï̉ ₫on năm mơi chư.
Let’s do something to welcome the coming of the new year/
springtime, shall we?
Töi lăng nghe tiḯng chim se chiïm chiḯp trong bui.
I listened to the chirping of the sparrow in the bushes.
Töi lăng nghe tiḯng mưa löp ₫öp trïn mai nha.
I listened to the pattering of the rain on the roof.
Tiḯng sếm ềm ềm tư xa văng lai.

There came in distance the rumbling of the thunder.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
Tiḯng gao ru cua gio qua cac răng cêy.
The howling of the wind through the trees.
2. WHAT IS THE USE OF GERUND?
In as much as a noun may function as an adjective, a gerund
may also function as an adjective which expresses the activity,
the use or the purpose of the thing or person indicated by the
noun. And after that the Gerund and the noun function as one
unit and must not be set off.
The manufacturing company.
A thriving manufacturing company
A trading company
A prosperous trading company
A fishing village / A mining town
Drinking water / Fishing village
Mining town / Washing water
Rocking chair / Sliding door
A few gerunds may function as adverb.
It’s burning hot here.
Möt cuöc sö́ng khöng co muc ₫ñch thò khöng ₫ang sö́ng.
A life without purpose is not worth living.
Cö́ găng nay khöng ₫ang ₫ï̉ lam.
The effort is not worth making.
Tết ca chung töi ₫ï̀u ươt nhep.
We all got dripping soaking/wringing/drenching wet.
Trong nay trơi khö ran.
It’s now parching dry down here.

GERUND + NOUN

lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
B. THE GERUND PHRASE
1. WHAT IS A GERUND PHRASE?
The gerund phrase is a syntactic unit which consists of a gerund
and any complement(s) or modifier(s) it may take. The Gerung
phrase is normally used as a noun.
It seems there’s some misunderstanding between you and me.
It takes understanding, sympathy and forgiveness to build a happy
marriagge
2. WHAT IS THE BASIC FORM OF THE GP?
There are four forms of GP:
1/ Present GP in active voice
2/ Perfect GP in active voice
3/ Present GP in passive voice
4/ Perfect FP in passive voice
3. HOW IS THE GP MADE NEGATIVE?
Möt sö́ ngươi bị phat vò khöng tön trong nöi qui nay.
Some people was fined for not observing this rule.
active
passive
present
perfect
Doing
Having done
Having been done
Being done

active
passive
present
perfect
NOT Doing
NOT Having done
NOT Having been done
NOT Being done
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
Hăn bị buöc töi la khöng chăm soc gia ₫ònh ₫ềy ₫u.
He was charged not taking enough care of his family.
4. HOW IS THE GP MODIFIED?
The GP may be modified by a possessive adjective(s) or adjec-
tive equivalent(s).
Xin lö̃i vï̀ sư trï̃ nai cua töi.
Sorry for my being late.
Töi hut thuö́c co phiï̀n anh khöng?
Do you mind my smoking?
Thưa öng, öng co phiï̀n nḯu ngay mai töi khöng ₫i lam?
Sir, do you mind my not working tomorrow?
C. THE USE OF GP
1. THE USE OF GP AS A NOUN
a. The Use of GP As the Subject of a Sentence
Mastering a language takes time, hard-work and patience.
Choosing friends is no easy job.
Working is the only to success.
Marrying a lazy man is marrying a devil.
Living a life is climbing up and then down a hill.

Note that Patttern 6 is more common than Patern 5 in this case.
It takes time, hard work and patience to master a language.
It’s no easy job to choose friends.
Also, pay attention to these constructions:
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
Cư phan nan vï̀ chuyïn ₫a qua như thḯ thò khöng ñch gò ca.
It’s no use complaining about the past.
Khoc trïn chuyïn ₫a rö̀i thò khöng co ñch gò ca.
It’s no point crying over spilt milk.
Khöng ai noi trươc ₫ươc khi nao My ₫anh Iraq.
It’s impossible to predict when the US will …
There is no telling when the US will begin to attack Iraq.
Khöng thï̉ ₫oan trươc ₫ươc tương lai.
It’s impossible to predict the future.
There is no predicting the future.
Khöng thï̉ noi ₫oan trươc ₫ươc ₫ḯn khi nao thò sư xung ₫öt giưa
Isarel va Palestine se chếm dưt.
It’s impossible to predict when the conflict
There is no predicting when the conflict between Isarel and
palestine will come to an end.
b. The Use of GP as the DO of a Verb
A number of verbs always take the GP, never IP, as their DO
such as: ADMIT, APPRECIATE, AVOID, CAN’T HELP,
CONSIDER, DENY, DELAY, ENJOY, FINISH, MIND, MISS,
PRACTICE, POSTPONE, PREFER, QUIT, RECALL
REGRET, RESUME SUGGEST, STOP and TAKE etc.
Chung ta hay khoan quyḯt ₫ịnh cho ₫ḯn khi co thïm thöng tin mơi.
We should postpone making decision until we have had more infor-

IT [BE] NO
use
good
point
merit
DOING ST
trueS
THERE [BE] NO DOING ST
IT [BE] IMPOSSITBLE TO DO ST
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
mation.
Anh ₫ï̀ nghị mai lam gò?
What do you suggest doing tomorrow?
Töi ₫ï̀ nghị ₫i thăm viïn bao tang.
I suggest visiting the museum.
Cưng a, anh luön luön thñch ơ bïn em.
Honey, I’ve always enjoyed being with you.
Bö́ me töi khöng bao giơ chịu cho töi ₫i chơi trï̃ hơn 10 giơ tö́i.
My parents have never tolerated my staying out late than 10 pm
Anh ₫a viḯt xong luên an chưa?
Have you finished writing your thesis?
Anh hay ăn nhiï̀u trai cêy xem.
You should try eating more fruits.
Sao anh khöng thư năm sếp möt luc xem.
Why don’t you try lying on your stomatch for a while?
Töi ghet bị thuc hö́i.
I hate being rushed.

VERB
D.O.
TO DO ST / DOING ST
TRY
FORGET
REMEMBER


VERB of PREFERENCE
D.O.
TO DO ST
DISLIKE / LIKE
HATE / LOVE
PREFER etc.
DOING ST
DO=GP
chỉ y thñch muön thuơ
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
Töi thñch ₫i trong mưa.
I prefer walking in the rain.
c. The Use of GP as True O
Töi thếy sö́ng ơ möt thị trến nho la phñ hoai.
I find it a waste living in this small town
Töi thếy ơ nha khöng co chuyïn gò lam rết chan.
I find it boring staying at home and having nothing to do.
Töi thếy ngay nao cung lam möt thư chuyïn rết chan.
I find it boring doing the same thing day after day.
d. The Use of GP as the SC

Đêy la chơ cui vï̀ rưng.
This is carrying coal back to New Castle.
Niï̀m vui cua bö́ me töi suö́t ₫ơi la thếy chung töi sung sương.
Our parents’pleasure has been seeing us happy.
Sö́ng la leo lïn va leo xuö́ng möt ngon ₫ö̀i.
Living a life is climbing up and down a hill.
e. The Use Of GP as The O of the Preposition
COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING
Cang ngay cang co nhiï̀u ngươi phan nan vï̀ viïc ngay nao cung
phai lam möt thư chuyïn ma thö̀i.
More and more people are complaining about having to do the same
thing day after day.
SUCCEED IN DOING SOMETHING

V + O
preposition + GP
NOUN
preposition + GP
ADJECTIVE
preposition + GP
(adverbial phrase)
(adjectival phrase)
(adverbial phrase)
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
Chung ta ₫a thanh cöng trong viïc thuyḯt phuc ngên hang gia han
nơ vay.
We succeeded in persuading the bank to extend our loan.
RETURN TO DOING SOMETHING

Chăng bao lêu sau, hăn trơ lai viïc ăn căp ₫ï̉ kiḯm sö́ng.
Soon he returned to stealing for a living.
AIM AT DOING SOMETHING
Dư an nhăm giup ₫ơ nhưng ngươi ngheo tư giup mònh.
The project aims at helping the poor help themselves.
TO ACCUSTOM SB TO DOING SOMETHING
Nḯu ban chếp nhên cöng viïc nay thò ban nïn băt ₫ều lam quen vơi
lam viïc muön va thïm giơ.
If you accept this job, you should begin to accustom yourself to
working late and working over time.
• TO INTEREST SOMEBODY IN DOING ST
Chung ta phai cö́ găng lam cho giơi tre thñch thu trong viïc kham
pha gia trị truyï̀n thö́ng cua chung ta.
We should try to interest young people in discovering our traditional
values.
• TO BLAME SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING
Töi khöng trach anh ₫a khöng bo cöng giup ₫ơ con gai töi.
I don’t blame you for not having taken trouble to help my daughter.
• TO PUNISH SOMEBODY FOR STH / DOING STH
No bị phat vò ₫a thưc hiïn sai möt cêu thền chu.
He was punished for having conjured a wrong spell.
• TO LOVE SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING
• TO CONTEMPT SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING
• TO PRAISE SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING
No ₫ươc khen ngơi vò ₫a cưu ₫ưa be.
He was praised for having saved the boy.
No ₫ươc khen ngơi vò ₫a tra lai sö́ tiï̀n ma no ₫a lươm ₫ươc trong tăc
xi.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
He was praised for having returned the money he found in the taxi.
• TO CONGRATULATE SOMEBODY ON DOING SOME-
THING
Chuc mưng ban ₫a thi ₫êu.
I congratulate you on passing the exam.
Khöng thï̉ chö́i cai ₫ươc răng chung ta danh phền lơn thơi gian cho
viïc chăm soc thên xac cua mònh.
It’s impossible to deny the fact that we give most of our time to tak-
ing care of our bodies.
TO GIVE ST TO ST
• CONSENT TO ST
• CONSENT TO DOING ST
• CONSENT TO SB’S DOING ST (give permission for st to
be done)
Me chị se khöng bao giơ băng long cho chị lếy möt tïn ngheo xac
như vêy ₫êu.
I think your mother would never consent to your marrying such a
pauper.
WOULD LIKE / LOVE / PREFER/ CONSENT + SB +
TO DO STH
• TO BE SORRY FOR DOING SOMETHING
• TO BE SORRY FOR HAVING DONE ST
Xin lö̃i ₫a gêy qua nhiï̀u phiï̀n toai cho anh qua.
Sorry for having caused you so much inconvenience.
Xin lö̃i ₫a ₫ḯn trï̃.
Sorry for being late.
Hăn chỉ khoai kiḯm tiï̀n chư khöng khoai xai.
He is interested in making money, not in spending it.
• TO BE AFRAID OF SOMETHING

• TO BE AFRAID OF SB’S DOING ST
Luön co ngươi sơ cö ₫öc.
There are always people who are afraid of being alone.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
• TO BE TIRED OF ST
• TIRED FROM DOING ST = TO BE BORED WITH ST
• (BECOME / GET / GROW / REMAIN / TURN)
Töi ₫a chan cai viïc bị sai khiḯn như ₫ay tơ rö̀i.
I’m tired of being ordered about like a servant.
Bay nhiï̀u giơ như vêy lam töi mït qua.
I’m tired from flying so long.
Bay ₫ương dai như vêy anh co mït khöng?
Are you tired from flying such a long distance?
Ba ta tröng co ve băng long vơi viïc lam chuyïn nha va săn soc con
cai.
She looks happy with doing the house chores and taking care of her
children.
Cang ngay cang nhiï̀u phu nư khöng băng long vơi viïc mònh lam
nöi trơ.
More and more women are not happy with their being a housewife.
Anh ky qua.
You’re being so funny!
May chỉ gioi xao!
You’re only good at telling lie!
Cö ta rết kheo leo trong chuyïn gêy thiïn cam vơ
i ngươi khac.
She’s very clever in creating good will in others.
• BE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING

• BE INTEREST IN SOMETHING
Hăn ta co ve như thñch kiḯm tiï̀n nhanh.
He seems to be very interested in making fast money.
Giơi tre ngay nay hònh như khöng thñch giư gòn nhưng gia trị truyï̀n
thö́ng.
Young people seem to be not interested in preserving our traditional
values.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
There is no use in complaing all the time.
There is no use in crying over spilt milk.
There is no merit in giving away something one no longer needs.
• TAKE CARE OF SOMEBODY/SOMETHING
• TAKE CARE OF DOING SOMETHING
• TAKE CARE OF + NOUN CLS
• TAKE OVER SOMETHING
• TAKE SOMETHING OVER
Töi se giư ve cho.
I will take care of the tickets
Töi se lo mua ve cho.
I will take care of buying the tickets.
Töi se lo chuyïn ₫ăt ban.
I will take care of booking the table.
• GIVE SOMETHING TO DOING SOMETHING
Phền lơn ₫ơi ngươi danh cho viïc chăm soc thên xac.
The bulk of our time is normally given to taking care of our bodies.
• THINK ABOUT SOMETHING
• THINK ABOUT DOING SOMETHING
Cö ta ₫ang suy nghĩ vï̀ viïc xin möt cöng viïc mơi.

She is thinking about applying for a new job.
Ho ₫ang nghĩ vï̀ viïc phai mua möt chiḯc xe mơi.
They are thinking about buying a new car.

THERE IS NO (good / point / use / merit) IN DOING ST
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
f. The Use of GP as an Appositive
Vơ hăn chưa bao giơ hiï̉u ₫ươc sơ thñch ky cuc cua hăn: thu thêp
giềy cu.
His wife has never been able to make sense of her husbund’s
weird pastime : collecting discarded shoes.
Lö̃i lềm lơn nhết cua hăn, bo hoc trung hoc, ₫a gêy cho hăn nhiï̀u
hö́i tiḯc vï̀ sau.
His greatest mistake, dropping out of highschool, caused him many
regrets in later years.
drop out of st - leave school w/t completing the
full course or study - no longer take part in sth.
Hăn chỉ co möt ₫iï̉m yḯu duy nhết: mươn tiï̀n ban ma khöng nhơ tra
lai.
He has only weakness: borrowing money from friends without
remembering to return it.
Thu vui duy nhết trong ₫ơi töi: ₫i bö möt mònh trong mưa.
My only one pleasure in my life: walking alone in the rain.
2. THE USE OF GP AS AN ADVERB
Cai gò ₫ang lam thò lam cho tö́t. co nhiï̀u thư khöng ₫ang ₫ï̉ bên
têm.
Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well. There are
things are not worth worrying about.

3. THE USE OF GP AS AN ADVERB
Thuyḯt phuc ngên hang gia han nơ vay khöng thï̉ ₫uơc, chung töi
phai xoay sang cach khac.
Persuading the bank to extend our loan proving impossible, we
had to resort to something else.

N
, GP ,
the rest of the sentence
N GP
(complete statement)
:
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE GERUND PHRASE
NOTE
1. Dangling problem
Like the PP, the GP may be left danling. In other
words, take care not to leave the GP’s dangling
without anything to attach themselves to.
Six precious wees were lost in trying to find the right man for
the job.
In this case, the phrase has nothing to fasten itself to
and is therefore dangling.
We lost 6 precious weeks in trying to find the right man for
the job.
2. Discriminate between Participle Phrase and GP
Care should be taken not to confuse b/w PP and GP
TO OBJECT TO ONE’S DOING ST
TO OBJECT TO ONE DOING ST

Bö́ me em co phan ₫ö́i em ₫i vơi anh khöng?
Do your parent object to your going out with me?
(GP modified by ‘your’)
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
V. THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
A. DEFINITION
1. WHAT IS A NAP?
NAP is a phrase in which a Participle Phrase or an IP modifies a
noun, a pronoun or a noun equivalent. It has no grammatical
function at all in the sentence in which it appears. In this case,
the noun, pronoun or noun equivalent is said to be used abso-
lutely.
Do your parents object to you going out with me?
(‘you’ is a pronoun which is an object to the
preposition ‘to’ and ‘going out’ is a PP modifi-
ers to ‘you’)
Do you mind my smoking here?
Do you mind me smoking here?
Sir, do you object to my writing my exam in pencil?
Sir, do you object to me writing my exam in pencil?
In general, a GP modified by a posessive adjective (1) or
by some other equivalents will express an idea more
neatly than a PP modifying a noun or pronoun (2). But
when emphasis is on an action going on, the use of the
PP is more effective.

N / proN / NEqui + PHRASE
(= participle /infintive)

NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
2. HOW IS A NAP CONSTRUCTED?
a. The Nominative is a Noun
Höm nay chu nhêt, tết ca cöng sơ ₫ï̀u ₫ong cưa
Today being Sunday, all government’s offices are closed.
Mua thu ₫a tơi, la băt ₫ều trö̉ vang.
Autumn having come, leaves are beginning to turn yellow.
Ban töi ₫a xin lö̃i rö̀i, khöng con gò ₫ï̉ noi nưa.
My friend having made his apology, there is nothing else to say.
Mưa ₫a tanh, chung töi băt ₫ều ₫i bö vï̀ lang.
The rain having stopped, we walded to the village.
Biï̉n ca la ₫ương ₫i cua mònh, Columbus tiḯn thăng ₫ḯn thḯ giơi mơi.
The sea being his way, Columbus journeyed to the new world.
Mua xuên ₫a tơi, cêy băt ₫ều ra nu.
Spring having come, trees are beginning to bud.
b. The Nominative is a Pronoun
I / We/ You / He / She / They / It
Cö ta khöng phai la möt thanh viïn trong nhom, chung ta phai cền
thên lơi ăn tiḯng noi.
She not being a member of our group, we have to be guarded our
remarks.
Ho la ban cua chung ta, chung ta nïn giup ₫ơ ho.
They being our friends, we ought to help them.
Chuyïn nay lam xong, ho thu xḯp hanh ly ra vï̀.
This having done, they packed and left
This done, they packed and left.
c. The Nominative is a Noun Equivalent

Thuyḯt phuc hăn giup chung töi khöng ₫ươc, chung töi ₫anh xoay
sang cach khac.
Persuading him to help us proving impossible, we had to resort
to something else.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
RESORT TO ST: to make use of st, esp. st bad, as a means of
achieving st, of b/c of there is no other possible solution
Băt ca ơ cai hö̀ ₫o xem ra khöng ₫ươc, chung töi phai lai xe ₫i nơi
khac.
Catching fish in that lake being impossible, we drove to another
place.
Cai chuyïn anh ₫ịnh lương gat töi bêy giơ ₫aro như ban ngay rö̀i,
anh con gò noi khöng?
That you intended to deceive me now being as broad day light, do
you have anything to else to say?
Cai chuyïn ma chung ta phai lam gò ₫o ₫ï giup cö ếy ₫a ₫ươc ₫ö̀ng
y rö̀i, cac ban con cai nhau chuyïn gò nưa?
That we must do something to help her being agreed, what are you
argueing about?
3. THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS OF THE NAP
The NAP may occupy different positions in a sentence depends
on the logic of each situation.
a. The Initial Position
In this position, the phrase expresses the cause that leads to the
fact mentioned in the rest of the sentence.
Smith bị ₫uö̉i viïc, hiïn töi phai lam viïc cho hai ngươi.
Smith having been dismissed, I now have to do the work of two
men.

Đïm ₫a xuö́ng, trơi băt ₫ều tö́i.
Night have fallen, it is getting dark.
Xa höi chung ta thḯ nay, ₫i hoc ĐH phñ ₫i.
Our society being as it is, it would be a waste to go to college.
Mua xuên ₫a ₫ḯn, nu băt ₫ều he.
Spring having come, buds are beginning to come out.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
b. The Middle Position
In this position, the phrase expresses an ownership between
itself and the S of the sentence.
Cu gia, ₫ưa con duy nhết cua mònh bị chḯt trong chiḯn tranh, hiïn
₫ang sö́ng möt mònh trong möt tup lï̀u nho bïn canh dong söng.
The old man, his only son killed in the war, is now living alone
in a small hut by the river.
Đöi vơ chö̀ng gia, mếy ₫ưa con ho ₫a lêp gia ₫ònh va don ra ơ riïng,
hiïn ₫ang sö́ng trong căn nha röng thïnh thang cua ho, căn nha
thỉnh thoang ₫ö́i vơi ho giö́ng như nguc tu.
The old couple, their children having married and moved out, are
now living in their big, big house, which sometimes looks like a
prison to them.
Ba me gia 70 tuö̉i cua hăn, răng am ₫o vò nhai trều, noi cac cö gai tre
ngay nay cho răng ₫ê
́y la möt hu tuc.
His 70- year- old mother, her teeth stained from chewing betel
nuts, said ‘now the young girls think this is an ugly custom.
Con cho, ₫uöi nguc ngoăc, mưng rơ chay vï̀ phña töi.
The dog, tail waving, came running happily towards me.
c. The Post Position

Like in the middle position, the phrase in this position also
expresses an ownership between itself and the subject of the
sentence.
Nang im lăng cều nguyïn, măt nhăm lai.
She prayed in silence, eyes closed.
Nang ngö̀i trïn bêc cếp, tay chö́ng vao ₫ều gö́i.
She sat on the steps, elbows resting on her knees.
Öng bươc tơi lui trïn ₫öi chên manh me như thên cêy, rêu va toc bac
trăng cua öng bay theo lan gio nhe.
He strode back and forth on powerful tree-trunk legs, his white
hair and beards blowing in a breeze.
Ta hay ngu ₫i, ngay mai ₫a co chua lo.
Let’s go to bed, tomorrow to be taken care of by the God.
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
B. A FEW SUGGESTIONS AS HOW TO USE THE NAP
EFFECTIVELY
There is a CAUSE & EFFECT relationship between what
is stated in the phrase and what is stated in the rest of the
sentence. In other words, the situation started in the
phrase leads to the situation in the rest of the sentence.
And these two situations are parallel in TIME.
Höm nay ₫ep trơi, chung ta ₫i picnic.
It being a nice day, let’s go on picnic.
Xa höi chung ta như thḯ nay, ₫i hoc ĐH phñ ₫i.
Our society being as it is, it would be a waste to go to college.
There is an ownership relation between the subject of
the sentence and the NAP.
Nang ngö̀i trïn bêc cếp, tay chö́ng vao ₫ều gö́i.

She sat on the steps, elbows resting on her knees.
Nang chay vöi ra cưa, toan thên run lïn vò hö̀i höp.
She ran quickly to the door, body trembling with excitement.
1
2
lesson 5 - The Phrases
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THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
lesson 6 - Interesting Matters of English Syntax
-151-
THE NOMINATIVE ABSOLUTE PHRASE
lesson 6
Interesting Matters of English
Syntax
1 Expletive
2Inversion
3 Shifts
4 Ellipses
5 Absolute Expression
lesson 6 - Interesting Matters of English Syntax
-152-
THE EXPLETIVE
There are five matters of English syntax one needs to under-
stand if one is to do complete syntactical analisis. They are:
EXPLETIVE
INVERSION
SHIFTS
ELLIPSES
ABSOLUTE EXPRESSION
I. THE EXPLETIVE

A. WHAT IS AN EXPLETIVE?
An expletive is an expression that has no grammatical function
in the sentence in which it appears. Although it has no grammti-
cal function, it has a very important rhetorical value, which we
shall see in our discussion later.
How many expletives are there in English?
The following expletives are showed by the most important.
IT
THERE
FOR
AS
OF
OR
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
lesson 6 - Interesting Matters of English Syntax
-153-
THE EXPLETIVE
1. THE IT EXPLETIVE
a. The It Expletive As The Dummy Subject
In this case, the IT-Expletive has an important rhetorical value:

it permits placing a grammatical subject after its verb without
any resulting confusion in meaning at all. And this is due to the
fact that in English longer and heavier structures usually come
last. These structures usually have the highest information
value. In other words, when the subject is a phrase, normally an
IP or a clause, the IT-Expletive is used as the dummy subject,
and the true subject is now at the end of the sentence.
Thanh thao möt ngoai ngư la rết kho.
It is very hard to master a language.
Khöng thï̉ nao hiï̉u nö̉i trai tim cua möt ngươi ₫an ba.
It’s almost impossible to understand a woman’s heart.
Bị băt chơ ₫ơi thêt la kho chịu.
It’s annoying to be kept waiting.
Đöi khi thêt kho khöng noi dö́i.
It’s very hard not to tell a lie sometimes.
Hều như ơ nơi ₫êu ngươi ta cung chếp nhên răng thanh thêt la
phương sach tö́t nhết.
It’s universally acknowledged that honesty is the best policy.
Ngươi ta tiïn ₫oan răng TQ se la möt trong nhưng cương quö́c trïn
thḯ giơi vao giưa thḯ ky
nay.
M

SC

trueS
IT [BE]
IT [V + complement]

IT IS PASSIVE VERB

That Clause