A Comprehensive Guide of Functional Grammar - Group 8
A Comprehensive Guide of Functional Grammar - Group 8
A Comprehensive Guide of Functional Grammar - Group 8
GRAMMAR
Author by :
1. Yurida Ma’rifatul Trisna
2. Vira Eka Wahyuni
3. Anik Vera Setyawati
4. Nafi’atul Mukhtaroh
1. Proper Noun
A proper noun is a noun that serves as the name
for a specific place, person, or thing. To distinguish
2. Collective Noun
A collective noun is a noun that refers to some sort
of group or collective - of people, animals, things, etc.
Collective nouns are normally not treated as plural,
even though they refer to a group of something.
Example :
- BTS broke up when Seokjin quit the band.
3. Common Noun
Common noun is a noun that may occur with
limiting modifiers (a or an, some, every, and my) and
that designates any one of a class of beings or things.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a common
noun is defined as a noun that is the name of a group
4. Material Noun
Material Noun is one of those which addresses
such a Noun that can only be measured or weighed but
cannot be counted at all. A Material Noun is a special
name given to things made of substance, which
addresses the type of substance rather than the
individual particles of the substance. This Material
Noun is not countable because, it is in the form of
liquid, semi-liquid or solid. As; air, metal, gold, salt,
iron, silver, steel, etc. Using substances with Material
Noun, it can be converted into other colors, forms,
shapes, etc. They remain Material Nouns even after
changing into other forms.
Example :
- Diamond is the hardest
substance in the world.
5. Concrete Noun
A concrete noun is a noun that refers to a physical
thing, person, or place - something or someone that
can be perceived with the five senses (touch, hearing,
sight, smell, and taste). Examples include pencil, dog,
and Patricia.
Example :
- A cat ran across the garden and
climbed the fence.
- My house is made of brick and
mortar.
Example :
- Islam is my religion.
- Keep our friendship.
7. Countable Noun
Used for things that we can count using numbers.
This noun has singular and plural forms. The singular
form can use the articles "a" or "an". If you want to
ask for the number of countable nouns, you ask How
many followed by a plural countable noun. Such as
one dog, two dogs, one man, two men.
8. Uncountable Noun
Used for things that we cannot count using
numbers. These words include names for abstract
ideas or properties or physical objects that are too
small to count or have no form (liquids, powders,
gases, etc.). Uncountable nouns are used with
singular verbs. These nouns usually do not have a
plural form. Such as : tea, sugar, water, air, etc.
Example :
- He did not have much sugar
left.
- I have some milk.
1. Personal Pronoun
A personal pronoun refers to a specific person or
thing and can be subjective (used as the subject of a
sentence), objective (used as the object of a sentence),
or possessive (used to show ownership). Personal
Pronoun is a pronoun typically used to refer to a
speaker or to the people or things that a speaker is
referring to. Often, personal pronouns are used to
replace proper names as in Olivia went to bed early
because she (Olivia) worked hard today.
Example :
- She is my friend. (The pronoun
"she" is a personal pronoun
2. Possessive Pronoun
The possesive pronoun is a type of pronoun that
originates from personal pronoun types and indicates
possession quality for any comparable relationship.
A possessive pronoun are pronoun that are used to
show your possesion or ownership of someone or
something (a noun or pronoun). They indicate that
they belong to that particular person and no one else.
Possessive pronouns can be used instead of a noun
phrase to avoid any repetition.
Example :
- This is my book, not yours
(The pronoun "yours" is a
possessive pronoun showing
ownership).
- That blue car is mine.
- The project that won the first
prize was ours.
5. Reflexive Pronoun
A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of
a sentence and is used to show that the subject is also
the object of the sentence. Reflexive pronoun is a
pronoun that refers to another noun or pronoun
within the same sentence. In the English language
specifically, a reflexive pronoun will end in -self or -
selves, and refer to a previously named noun or
pronoun.
Example :
- I hurt myself. (The pronoun
"myself" is a reflexive pronoun
referring back to the subject
"I")
- He wants to pass his driving
test so that he can drive
himself to work.
6. Indefinite Pronoun
An indefinite pronoun refers to a person, place,
thing, or idea that is not specifically identified. An
indefinite pronoun is a pronoun which does not have
a specific, familiar referent. Indefinite pronouns are
in contrast to definite pronouns. Indefinite pronouns
can represent either count nouns or noncount nouns.
We use indefinite pronouns to refer to people or
things without saying exactly who or what they are.
Example:
- Someone left their phone her.
(The pronoun "someone" is an
indefinite pronoun referring to
an unidentified person).
- Everybody enjoy the concert.
- It was a very clear day. We
could see everything.
1. Action Verbs
These are used to refer to physical or mental
2. Linking Verbs
These are used to link a subject with a subject
complement, which describes or identifies the subject
of the sentence or clause. Linking verb connects the
subject of a sentence to an adjective, noun, or pronoun
that completes the meaning of the verb. Common
linking verbs are the forms of the verb to be; verbs
relating to the five senses, and the verbs become,
appear, and seem.
Example :
- She seems sad today.
- This place looks like a mess!
3. Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are verbs that help other verbs
show meaning. An auxiliary verb, or helping verb, is
used alongside the main verb in a sentence to add
4. Main Verbs
Main verbs, or lexical verbs, serve as the linchpin
of a sentence, carrying the fundamental semantic
weight by expressing actions, states, or occurrences.
They are distinguished by their capacity to function
independently or combine with auxiliary verbs to
create nuanced verb phrases. These verbs encapsulate
the core meaning of a sentence and are pivotal in
conveying the primary action or state. In essence, they
constitute the backbone of sentence structure,
c. Infinitive verbs
Infinitives are a special form of verbs that can
d. To Infinitive verbs
The to-infinitive is a grammatical construction
in English that consists of the base form of a verb
preceded by the word “to.” It serves various
functions within a sentence, functioning as a
verbal complement and expressing a range of
meanings.This multifaceted structure, recognized
as a verbal complement, transcends conventional
verb usage, assuming roles akin to nouns,
adjectives, or adverbs within the syntactical
framework of sentences. Below are examples
along with the explanations:
1) Noun Function:
EXERCISE
1. What is the primary auxiliary verb in the sentence: "She
is reading a book"?
A) is
B) reading
C) she
D) a
Answer: A
Example :
- She danced gracefully. (showcasing
elegance in her movements).
- He spoke loudly. (indicating the manner in
which he expressed himself).
- They worked diligently. (emphasizing the
focused and conscientious approach to
their tasks).
2. Adverbs of Time
An adverb of time is a word that provides
information about when an action takes place. It adds
a temporal dimension to a sentence, answering
Example:
- She will arrive tomorrow. (specifying the
time of her arrival).
- We met recently. (giving a temporal
context to the meeting).
- They exercise daily. (indicating the
frequency with which the action occurs).
3. Adverbs of Place
An adverb of place is a word that offers
information about the location or position of an action.
It helps answer questions like “where” or “to what
extent.” Adverbs of place contribute spatial context to
sentences, enriching the description of actions by
specifying the setting or direction in which they unfold.
Example: here, there.
Example :
4. Adverbs of Frequency
An adverb of frequency is a word that indicates
how often an action occurs. It provides information
about the repetition or regularity of an activity.
Adverbs of frequency help convey the regularity or
infrequency of actions in a sentence. Example: always,
rarely.
Example :
- She always finishes her work on time.
(denoting a consistent occurrence).
- They occasionally go out for dinner.
(expressing infrequent events).
- He rarely complains. (indicating a low
frequency of the action).
Example :
- The water was very cold. (intensifying the
degree of coldness).
- She sings too loudly. (suggesting an
excessive level of volume).
- The movie was quite interesting.
(emphasizing a moderate level of interest).
6. Adverbs of Certainty
Adverbs of certainty express the degree of
confidence or assurance in the statement they modify.
Adverbs of certainty help convey the speaker’s belief
or conviction regarding the likelihood or inevitability
of a particular event. Example: definitely, probably.
Example :
7. Adverbs of Negation
Adverbs of negation are words that express the
absence or denial of an action. These adverbs play a
crucial role in altering the meaning of a statement by
expressing the negative aspect of an action. Example:
not, never.
Example :
- They did not agree on the proposal.
(denying consensus).
- He never forgets your birthday, expressing
the absence of forgetfulness).
- She rarely makes mistakes. (indicating a
low frequency of errors).
Example:
- She studies hard to succeed. (specifying
the goal behind her studying).
- They work diligently so that they can
achieve their dreams. (indicating the
purpose of their efforts).
- He exercises regularly to maintain good
health. (expressing the intention behind the
physical activity).
1. Descriptive Adjective
A descriptive adjective describes the quality or
characteristic of a noun or pronoun. Descriptive
adjectives form one of the main groups of adjectives
and have a specific definition. Descriptive adjectives
are used to describe features of people, animals, or
things.
Example:
- "The beautiful sunset" ( T he
2. Numeral Adjective
A numeral adjective indicates the number or
quantity of a noun or pronoun. A numeral adjective
is an adjective that tells us about how many or how
much or in what order the noun is in. There are three
kinds of numeral adjectives: Definite numeral
adjectives use cardinal (numbers used in an amount)
and ordinals (numbers used as an order).
Example :
- "I have three cats" (the
adjective "three" indicates the
number of cats)
- A few cats ran up the stairs
- Each cat that ran up the stairs
had blue eyes.
4. Demonstrative Adjective
A demonstrative adjective points out or
identifies a noun or pronoun. According to the
Collins Dictionary, the word ‘demonstrative’
5. Interrogative Adjective
An interrogative adjective is used to ask a
question about a noun or pronoun. An interrogative
adjective is a word like 'whose', 'what' and 'which'
that is employed in order to modify the noun or the
pronoun by asking a question.
Example :
- "Which car is yours?" (the
adjective "which" asks a
question about the car).
- Which color is your favourite
?
Explanation : In the above
sentence, the adjective which
modifies the noun color to ask
someone what their favorite
color is. If you know your
adjectives, you’ll see that the
6. Possessive Adjective
A possessive adjective shows ownership or
possession of a noun or pronoun. The most
commonly used possessive adjectives are my, your,
his, her, its, our, their, and whose. In order, these
adjectives correspond to the pronouns I, you, he, she,
it, we, they, and who. Possessive adjectives are also
used to refer to people who have a relation to
someone or something.
Example :
- "My phone is ringing" (the
adjective "my" shows
ownership of the phone).
- How old is your sister ?
- He’s broken his arm.
- I need to clean my teeth.
8. Exclamatory Adjective
An exclamatory adjective expresses strong
emotion or feeling about a noun or pronoun.
Example :
- "What a beautiful day!" (The
adjective "beautiful" expresses
strong emotion about the day).
EXERCISE
Answer:
1. Preposition of direction
These prepositions help us describe the movement
or orientation of an object or individual. Common
prepositions of direction include "to," "in," "on,"
"above," "under," "from," "behind," "among," and
others.
Example:
- "The cat and dogs chased each other."
Prepositions: "at" (place) and "of"
(direction)
Explanation: The cat and dogs chased each
other at a specific location, and the
sentence indicates that the action was
happening in a particular direction.
- "The kids were playing around the table."
Prepositions: "around" (direction) and
"on" (place)
Explanation: The kids were playing
2. Preposition of place
These prepositions indicate the location or
position of an object or individual with respect to
another object or place. Common prepositions of place
include "in," "at," "on," "above," "under," "from,"
"behind," "among," and others.
Example:
- "Children were playing at the school."
Prepositions: "at" (place) and "in" (time)
Explanation: The children were playing at
the school, which is a specific location,
and the sentence indicates that the action
was happening during a particular time.
- "The cat is hidden in the room."
Prepositions: "in" (place)
Explanation: The cat is hidden in the
room, which is a specific location where
the cat is concealed.
EXERCISE
A. Pick out the preposition in each sentence and state
whether it shows a relationship of place, time, or
manner!
1. You may leave at five o'clock.
(__________)
2. The passenger jumped off the bus.
(__________)
3. She answered him without thinking.
(__________)
4. Return me the book by this afternoon.
(__________)
5. Please do the work in the correct way.
(__________)
6. You must complete the project in two
weeks. (__________)
2. Subordinating Conjunctions
These conjunctions are used to connect a complete
idea (independent clause) and an incomplete idea
(dependent or subordinate clause). They show a
relationship of superiority or inferiority between
the connected elements, with the independent
clause being the main idea and the subordinate
clause providing additional information or context.
Subordinating conjunctions include "although,"
"because," "since," "If," "while," and "until".
- Because: "I stayed home because I was
sick."
3. Correlative Conjunctions
These conjunctions are always used in pairs and
are similar to coordinating conjunctions. They are
used to connect similar words, phrases, or clauses,
and require a conjunction from the same category
to form a complete sentence. Correlative
conjunctions include " Not…only/but…also,"
"neither…not," "either…or," "not only…but also,"
EXERCISE
A. Pick out the conjunctions in each sentence and state
whether it is a coordinating, subordinating or
correlative conjunction
1. The children play outside when it is fine.
2. We had an early breakfast and set out
before eight.
3. If you wish, you may join us.
4. Either behave yourself or leave the room.
5. We expected her but she did not turn up.
6. They are not only proud but also selfish.
7. Although he has been warned, he does not
care.
8. She was busy, so she did not help them.
9. We have neither the time nor the money to
go for a holiday.
10. Since we must return early, let us leave
now.
EXERCISE
1.What did you say when you found out you won the
lottery?
a. Excitement
b. Surprise
c. Joy
d. Disbelief
1. Noun phrases
A noun phrase is a group of words centered on a noun.
It typically includes modifiers (adjectives or other
descriptive words)
Example:
- "The man with the red jacket is my father."
(The noun phrase "The man with the red
jacket" is used to modify the subject "my
father" by providing additional
2. Verb phrases
A verb phrase consists of the main verb and its
accompanying auxiliary (helping) verbs. It may also
include other elements like adverbs or objects.
Example:
- "She continued to run while silently
humming a tune." ( The verb phrase
"while silently humming a tune" is used to
modify the verb "continued" by indicating
the action that was happening
simultaneously).
-
3. Gerund phrases
A gerund phrase is built around a gerund, which is the
-ing form of a verb functioning as a noun.
Example:
- "Taking my dog for a walk is fun." (The
gerund phrase "Taking my dog for a walk"
is used to modify the verb "is" by
indicating the action that is being
performed).
5. Appositive phrases
An appositive phrase renames or explains a noun. It
usually consists of the appositive (the renaming word
or phrase) and its modifiers.
Example:
- "My friend, the doctor, is coming over
tonight." (The appositive phrase "My
friend, the doctor" is used to modify the
noun "my friend" by providing additional
information about the person's
profession).
7. Prepositional phrases
A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and
includes the preposition's object, along with any
modifiers. It functions as an adjectival or adverbial
phrase.
Example:
- "He performed the song with a smile on
his face." (The prepositional phrase "with
a smile on his face" is used to modify the
verb "performed" by indicating the
manner in which the action was
performed).
EXERCISE
A. Complete each sentence by choosing the correct word
to complete the phrasal verb shown in CAPITALS.
1. Simple Sentence
A simple sentence is a sentence that consists of
just one independent clause. An independent
clause has a subject and a verb and expresses a
complete thought.
Example:
- "Some students like to study in the
morning,"
S V
- "The green dish broke,"
S V
2. Complex Sentence
A complex sentence is made up of an independent
clause and one or more dependent clauses
connected to it. A dependent clause is similar to
an independent clause, or complete sentence, but
it lacks one of the elements that would make it a
complete sentence.
Examples of dependent clauses include:
- "because Mary and Samantha arrived at
3. Compound Sentence
A compound sentence refers to a sentence made
up of two independent clauses (or complete
sentences) connected to one another with a
EXERCISE
Determine the type of sentence below based on its
structure, whether it is a simple, compound,
complex, or compound-complex sentence by
circling a, b, c, or d.
1. Dependent clause
A dependent clause is a clause that cannot stand
alone as a sentence because it does not express a
complete thought. It is also known as a subordinate
clause. Dependent clauses can be one of three types:
noun clause, adjective clause, and adverbial clause.
Example:
- "when I go to college,"
- "which used to be my mom's," and
- "if you don't stop yelling, I am going to
leave"
2. Independent clause
An independent clause is a clause that can stand
alone as a sentence because it expresses a complete
thought. It is also known as a main clause.
Example:
- "I am going to the store,"
- "She is reading a book," and
- "The dog barked loudly"
5. Adjective clause
An adjective clause, also known as a relative
clause, is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or
pronoun. It tells which one or what kind. Adjective
clauses almost always come right after the nouns they
modify.
Example:
- "There is the mountain that we are going
to climb,"
- "My blue tennis shoes, which used to be
my mom's, were under the bed," and
- "Daniel, who was late again today, sits
next to me in English"
6. Adverbial clause
An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that
functions as an adverb. It modifies the verb of the
7. Noun clause
A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions
as a noun. It can be one of three types: that-clauses,
wh-word clauses, and if/whether clauses.
Example:
- "That he is guilty is obvious,"
- "What she said was true," and
- "Whether he will come is uncertain"
EXERCISE
A. What type of clause does the underlined clause in
the following sentence belong to? Choose your
answer between a, b or c!
EXERCISE
Choose the correct sentence structure below by circling a,
b, c or d.
Example:
Most of the women read novels
A. SV
B. SVO
C. SVC
D. SVA
5. He is sleeping
A. SV
B. SVO
C. SVC
D. SVA
NP VP
on The mat
a. Ideational function
The ideational function is language concerned
with building and maintaining a theory of experience.
It includes the experiential function and the logical
function.
Example of Ideational Metafunction:
- He gave her a book. (Actor Process
Beneficiary Goal)
- He bought a present for her. (Actor
Process Goal Beneficiary)
b. Experiential function
The experiential function refers to the
grammatical choices that enable speakers to make
meanings about the world around us and inside us:
"Most obviously, perhaps, when we watch small
children interacting with the objects around them we
c. Logical function
Halliday describes the logical function as those
systems "which set up logical– semantic relationships
between one clausal unit and another". The systems
which come under the logical function are taxic and
logico semantic relationship. When two clauses are
combined, a speaker chooses whether to give both
clauses equal status or to make one dependent on the
other. In addition, a speaker chooses some meaning
relation in the process of joining or binding clauses
d. Interpersonal function
The interpersonal function refers to the
grammatical choices that enable speakers to enact
e. Textual function
Halliday argues that both experiential and
interpersonal functions are intricately organized, but
that between the two "there is comparatively very
little constraint". This means that "by and large, you
can put any interactional 'spin' on any
representational content". What allows meanings
from these two modes to freely combine is the
intercession of a third, distinct mode of meaning that
Halliday refers to as the textual function. The term
encompasses all of the grammatical systems
responsible for managing the flow of discourse.
These systems "create coherent text – text that
coheres within itself and with the context of
situation" They are both structural (involving choices
relating to the ordering of elements in the clause), and
non-structural (involving choices that create cohesive
ties between units that have no structural bond). The
relevant grammatical systems include Theme, Given
EXERCISE
1. In systemic functional linguistics, the realization of
experiential meaning, such as actions, processes, and
participants, falls under:
A. Ideational metafunction
B. Interpersonal metafunction
C. Textual metafunction
A) Ideational metafunction
B) Interpersonal metafunction
C) Textual metafunction
D) Structural metafunction
Key Answer: A) Ideational metafunction
Churchill