The English language is messy, and many times analyzing for grammatical elements is not always as obvious as the simple examples that we use on the content pages. So to assist your ability to analyze all the different texts you may encounter as you read, we want to offer a few more sample analyses of more difficult texts.

For these more complicated examples, we review some or all of the key features discussed in Section 5. Please review these examples closely, trying to understand the analysis or the choices made. As always, if you have any questions, please ask your instructor or start a conversation in your work group.

Complicated Example #1

Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them, they are so friendly how can they be so suspicious they are so suspicious how can they be so friendly but they just are.

Main Verb Phrases

1. are - Present + BE
2. is - Present + BE
3. are - Present + BE
4. is - Present + BE
5. upsets - Present + UPSET
6. deals - Present + DEAL
7. can . . . be - Interrogative Transformation - Present + Modal + BE
8. are - Present + BE
9. can . . . be - Interrogative Transformation - Present + Modal + BE 
10. are - Present + BE

The form for all MVPs in this sentence is SIMPLE PRESENT

Phrases

1. with them - Prepositional Phrase - Adverbial - modifies verb DEALS  

Complicated Example #2

She was aware of all of it without being preoccupied with any of it—and when the tiny scratch sounded behind her, she moved as smoothly and gracefully as if she were taking her turn in a dance.

Main Verb Phrases

1. was - Past + BE = Simple Past
2. sounded - Past + SOUND = Simple Past
3. moved - Past + MOVE = Simple Past
4. were taking - Past + BE + [-ing] + TAKE = Past Progressive

Phrases

1. of all - prepositional phrase - ADVERBIAL (modifies AWARE)
2. of it - prepositional phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies ALL)
3. without being preoccupied - prepositional phrase - ADVERBIAL (modifies the clause - can move to front of sentence)
4. being preoccupied - gerund phrase - NOMINAL (object of the preposition WITHOUT)
5. with any - prepositional phrase - ADVERBIAL (modifies PREOCCUPIED)
6. of it - prepositional phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies ANY)
7. behind her - prepositional phrase - ADVERBIAL (modifies SOUNDED)
8. in a dance - prepositional phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies TURN)

Complicated Example #3

My eyes fell upon a pair of crudely carved and polished bones, "knocking bones," used to accompany music at country dances, used in black-face minstrels; the flat ribs of a cow, a steer or sheep, flat bones that gave off a sound, when struck, like heavy castanets (had he been a minstrel?) or the wooden block of a set of drums. 

Main Verb Phrases

1. fell upon - Past + FALL + UPON (verb particle) = Simple Past
2. gave off - Past + GIVE + OFF (verb particle) = Simple Past
3. had . . . been - Interrogative Transformation - Present + HAVE + [-en] + BE - Present Perfect

Phrases

1. of crudely carved and polished bones - Prepositional Phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies PAIR)
2. carved - Past Participle - ADJECTIVAL (modifies BONES)
3. polished - Past Participle - ADJECTIVAL (modifies BONES)
4. knocking - Present Participle - ADJECTIVAL (modifies BONES)
5. used to accompany music - Past Participle - ADJECTIVAL (modifies BONES)
6. to accompany music - Infinitive Phrase - NOMINAL (direct object of USED)
7. at country dances - Prepositional Phrase - ADVERBIAL - describes where the are USED
8. used in black-face minstrels - Past Participle - ADJECTIVAL (modifies BONES)
9. of a cow, a steer or sheep - Prepositional Phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies RIBS)
10. like heavy castanets - Prepositional Phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies SOUND)
11. of a set - Prepositional Phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies BLOCK)
12. of drums - Prepositional Phrase - ADJECTIVAL (modifies SET)

Complicated Example #4

“Oh Jake,” Brett said, “we could have had such a damned good time together.”

Main Verb Phrases

1. said - Past + SAY = Simple Past
2. could have had - Present + Modal (could) + HAVE + [-en] + HAVE = Present Perfect

No Other Phrases

Complicated Example #5

You have just begun reading the sentence you have just finished reading. 

Main Verb Phrases 

1. have begun - Present + HAVE + [-en] + BEGIN = Present Perfect 
2. have finished - Present + HAVE + [-en] + FINISH = Present Perfect 

Phrases

1. reading the sentence - Gerund Phrase - Direct Object of HAVE BEGUN
2. reading - Gerund Phrase - Direct Object of HAVE FINISHED

NOTE: In the first phrase, some might argue that BEGUN functions as a BE auxiliary, which would make READING part of the main verb phrase, with THE SENTENCE serving as the Direct Object. However, the best argument is that BEGUN is the past participle form of BEGIN, and not a BE auxiliary, which would make READING THE SENTENCE a present participle phrase.

After reading through these sample analyses, please go to the practice exercises page to further develop your analytical skills.