Top 5 Best Lesson Plans on Using Various Sentence Structures in Texts (Literature 11)

I. Using Passive Sentences (T194 Literature 11, Volume 1)

Exercise 1:

- Passive sentence:

He has never been loved by any woman.

- Change to an active sentence:

No woman has ever loved him.

- Insert the active sentence into the paragraph and comment: The sentence is grammatically correct but does not follow the flow or development of the previous ideas.

Exercise 2:

- Passive sentence: His life has never been cared for by a woman's hand.

- Purpose: Creates a link with the previous sentence, continuing the topic about 'him'.

Exercise 3:

Students write a paragraph at home, using the text from 'Chí Phèo' (Author section) for writing.

II. Using Sentences with 'Topic' Expressions (T194 Literature 11, Volume 1)

Exercise 1:

a. Sentence with a topic expression: 'The journey is long, yet full of hope.'

- Topic expression: Journey

b. Compare the above sentence (with a topic expression) to a similar sentence without it: 'The house is still filled with hope.'

+ Both sentences express the same basic idea, but the sentence with the topic expression creates a stronger connection to the preceding sentence, making it the optimal choice according to the writer Nam Cao.

Exercise 2:

Select C

Exercise 3:

a. The second sentence contains a topic expression: 'As for myself.'

- Position: At the beginning of the sentence, before the subject.

- There is a pause (comma) after the topic expression.

- Purpose: Introduces a topic related to the previous sentence.

b. The second sentence also contains a topic expression: 'Feelings, emotions, and life's experiences.'

- Position: At the start of the sentence, before the subject (it).

- There is a pause (comma) after the topic expression.

- Purpose: Introduces a topic connected to what was previously discussed in the prior sentence, i.e., feelings and emotions (topic expression in the next sentence).

III. Using Sentences with Circumstantial Adverbials (T195-196 Literature 11, Volume 1)

Exercise 1:

a. The bold part is placed at the beginning of the sentence.

b. The bold part consists of a verb phrase.

c. Transform: The old lady saw her questioner and laughed.

Exercise 2:

Select C

Exercise 3:

a. Circumstantial adverbial: 'After receiving the official letter from the head of the road administration...'

b. Purpose: Distinguishes between secondary information (shown in the introductory phrase) and main information (shown in the predicate of the sentence, where the speaker asks the secretary to help).

IV. Summary of Using the Three Types of Sentences in Texts (T196 Literature 11, Volume 1)

- The subject in passive sentences, the topic expressions, and the circumstantial adverbials all appear at the beginning of the sentence.

- These components typically present easily relatable content from previous sentences or provide secondary information.

- Thus, using passive constructions, topic expressions, and circumstantial adverbials helps link ideas and maintain coherence throughout the text.

I - USING PASSIVE SENTENCES

1. Consider the following excerpt:

He only felt ashamed, not love. No, he had never been loved by any woman, and that’s why the bowl of porridge made him think a lot. He could make friends, but why create enemies?

(Nam Cao — Chí Phèo)

Answer:

- The passive sentence in the excerpt is: He had never been loved by any woman.

- The general structure of passive sentences: The object of the action - passive verb (bị, được) - the subject of the action - the action.

- Change the passive sentence to an active sentence: No woman had ever loved him.

- The general structure of an active sentence is: The subject of the action - the action - the object of the action.

- Inserting the active sentence into the text shows that the sentence is grammatically correct but disrupts the logical flow of the previous sentence. The first sentence focuses on 'him,' making it the subject and leaving some information implied. Therefore, the next sentence should continue with 'him' as the subject. If we use the active sentence, the focus suddenly shifts to 'a woman,' breaking the flow of the paragraph.

2. Consider this passage:

He wondered and then answered himself: Who would cook for me? Who would cook for me anyway! His life had never been cared for by a "woman's" hand.

(Nam Cao — Chí Phèo)

Answer:

- The passive sentence in this passage is: His life had never been cared for by a "woman's" hand.

- The use of the passive sentence here helps connect the thought with the previous sentence, continuing the focus on 'him.'

3. Write a paragraph about Nam Cao using a passive sentence.

Suggestion:

“After graduating from a secondary school, Nam Cao was brought to the South by his maternal uncle. Due to his health, Nam Cao moved back to the North to live by teaching and writing. After over three years, due to illness, he had to return to his hometown. Later, he taught at a private school in the outskirts of Hanoi.”

=> Observation: The passive sentence “Nam Cao was brought to the South by his maternal uncle” emphasizes a turning point in Nam Cao's life.

II - USING SENTENCES WITH SUBJECT-ADJUNCT

1. Consider this passage:

He needs to eat something. While being ill, eating porridge is the easiest way to feel better... So early in the morning, she hurried to find rice. As for the onions, her house luckily still had them. She cooked them and brought them to Chí Phèo.

(Nam Cao — Chí Phèo)

The subject-adjunct is the element that introduces the topic of the sentence, signaling the start of the information provided. Subject-adjuncts have the following characteristics:

- They always appear at the beginning of the sentence.

- They are separated from the rest of the sentence by the word 'then' or the word 'is,' or a pause (comma).

- There may be function words like 'still,' 'regarding,' or 'as for' before the subject-adjunct.

Answer:

a) In the above passage, the sentence containing a subject-adjunct is: 'As for the onions, her house luckily still had them.' The subject-adjunct in this sentence is: 'As for the onions.'

b) Comparing this sentence with an equivalent sentence without a subject-adjunct (Her house still had onions), we see:

- The two sentences have the same core meaning: They both describe a fact.

- The sentence with the subject-adjunct links more closely to the previous idea, contrasting 'rice' and 'onions' (both necessary for cooking the porridge). Additionally, since the previous sentence has already mentioned 'porridge,' starting this sentence with the subject-adjunct ('onions') helps to maintain the flow of the narrative. Therefore, Nam Cao's choice of this structure is optimal.

2. Choose the appropriate sentence to fill in the blank in the following paragraph:

I am a girl from Hanoi. To modestly put it, I am quite a nice girl. My two thick braids are relatively soft, and I have a tall neck, proud like a flower's stem. /.../

(Lê Minh Khuê — Những ngôi sao xa xôi)

A. The drivers commented on my eyes: “She has such a distant gaze!”

B. My eyes were commented on by the drivers: “She has such a distant gaze!”

C. As for my eyes, the drivers said: “She has such a distant gaze!”

D. According to the drivers, my eyes have a distant gaze.

Answer:

- The correct answer is C: 'As for my eyes, the drivers said: “She has such a distant gaze!”'. This sentence contains a subject-adjunct 'as for my eyes' at the beginning of the sentence. The subject-adjunct continues the topic of 'me' being described in the paragraph (my hair, neck, eyes), which helps the paragraph maintain cohesion and flow.

3. Identify the subject-adjunct and analyze its characteristics and function in the following sentences.

Answer:

a) I hope that all people will exercise. As for me, I exercise every day.

(Hồ Chí Minh — Lời kêu gọi toàn dân tập thể dục)

- The sentence with the subject-adjunct is: 'As for me, I exercise every day.'

- Subject-adjunct: 'As for me.'

- Position: Appears at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject.

- There is a pause (comma) after the subject-adjunct.

- Function of the subject-adjunct: Introduces a related topic (I, after the mention of the general public).

b) ... The central role of art is in love, hate, joy, sorrow, beauty, and ugliness in life, both in nature and society. Emotions, feelings, and life experiences are the true essence of art. Tolstoy said briefly: Art is the voice of emotions.

- The sentence containing the subject-adjunct is: 'Emotions, feelings, and life experiences are the true essence of art.'

- Subject-adjunct: 'Emotions, feelings, and life experiences.'

- Position: Appears at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject (are).

- There is a pause (comma) after the subject-adjunct.

- Function of the subject-adjunct: Introduces a related topic to the previous statement about art's essence, forming a logical connection.

III - USING SENTENCES WITH SITUATIONAL ADJUNCTS

1. Consider the following passage:

She thought to herself: Stop loving and ask her.

When she asked, the old woman laughed. She thought the girl was joking.

(Nam Cao — Chí Phèo)

a. Where is the bold part located in the sentence?

b. What is its structure?

c. Shift the bold part to after the subject and compare the structure and meaning before and after the shift.

Answer:

- The bold part is located at the beginning of the sentence.

- The bold part is a verb phrase.

- The bold part can be moved: 'The old woman, seeing her ask, laughed.' After shifting, the sentence has two verb phrases. Both verb phrases express actions of the same subject, 'The old woman.' However, placing the verb phrase before the subject creates a clearer transition with the previous sentence.

2. Choose the appropriate sentence to fill in the blank in the following passage:

- Did you light the lamp for me, Liên?

/.../

- Take your time, it can wait. Come sit here with me; there are mosquitoes in there.

(Thạch Lam — Hai đứa trẻ)

A. When hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered:

B. Liên heard An’s voice, stood up, and answered:

C. Hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered:

D. Liên heard An’s voice, stood up, and answered:

Answer:

- The sentence used by Thạch Lam to fill the blank is: 'Hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered.' This is a sentence with a situational adjunct. The reason this structure is preferred is:

- The sentence in option A (When hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered) uses a time adjunct 'when,' which makes the event feel distant in time compared to the previous sentence.

- The sentence in option B (Liên heard An’s voice, Liên stood up, and answered) repeats the subject unnecessarily (Liên), making the sentence heavy.

- The sentence in option D (Liên heard An’s voice, stood up, and answered) lacks a subject and makes the connection to the previous sentence unclear, making it unsuitable here.

- The sentence in option C (Hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered) is the most appropriate. It is concise and maintains a smooth flow with the previous sentence.

3. Consider the following passage:

After receiving the notice from Sơn Hưng Tuyên, the prison official turned to ask the clerk for help:

- Hey, clerk, according to this letter, we will soon receive six prisoners sentenced to death.

(Nguyễn Tuân — Chữ người từ tù)

a. Identify the situational adjunct.

b. Discuss the function of the situational adjunct in distinguishing secondary information from the main message of the sentence.

Answer:

a) The situational adjunct in the first sentence is: After receiving the notice from Sơn Hưng Tuyên.

b) The situational adjunct in the first sentence helps to separate secondary information (the receipt of the letter) from the primary information (the prison official’s question). The purpose of the adjunct is not to create a connection to the rest of the passage but to distinguish the less important details from the main message.

IV - CONCLUSION ON USING THE THREE TYPES OF SENTENCES IN A TEXT

- The subject in passive sentences, subject-adjuncts, and situational adjuncts all appear at the beginning of the sentence.

- These components usually present information already known from previous sentences or present new information closely linked to what has already been mentioned.

- Using passive sentences, subject-adjuncts, and situational adjuncts helps to link ideas and maintain cohesion in the text.

I. Using Passive Sentences

1. The passive sentence in the passage above: 'He has never been loved by any woman.'

Change it to an active sentence: 'No woman has ever loved him.'

→ The active sentence doesn't fit well, as the previous sentence focused on 'him,' and the next sentence should continue focusing on 'him' as the subject. Introducing 'a woman' as the subject disrupts the flow of the narrative.

2. Passive sentence: 'His life has never been cared for by a "woman's" hand.'

→ This keeps the connection with the previous sentence, continuing to focus on 'him.'

3. Information about Nam Cao followed by a few passive sentences related to the author:

- In late 1951, during a work trip, he was ambushed by the enemy and died at a young age.

→ Effect: This emphasizes his sacrifice and evokes feelings of sorrow for a talent that was just beginning to shine.

II. Using Sentences with Subject-Adjunct

1. Example: 'Regarding the onions, her house fortunately still had them.'

Explanation: The subject-adjunct 'Regarding the onions' introduces the new topic and creates a smoother flow with the previous mention of 'rice.'

2. Example: 'As for my eyes, the drivers said: "She has such a distant gaze!"'

→ The subject-adjunct 'As for my eyes' ties the new sentence to the previous description of the girl, ensuring cohesion in the paragraph.

3. 'As for me, I exercise every day.'

- Subject-adjunct: 'As for me.'

- Position: Starts the sentence.

- Function: Connects to the previous reference to the public and highlights the subject 'me.'

III. Using Sentences with Situational Adjuncts

1. Example: 'Hearing her ask, the old woman laughed.'

→ After shifting the situational adjunct, the sentence flows better by presenting the verb phrase before the subject.

2. Sentence for blank fill: 'Hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered.'

→ This structure keeps the sentence concise and ensures it flows smoothly from the previous one.

3. Example: 'After receiving the notice from Sơn Hưng Tuyên, the prison official turned to ask the clerk for help.'

→ The situational adjunct 'After receiving the notice from Sơn Hưng Tuyên' separates the secondary detail from the main action, emphasizing the crucial point of the conversation.

IV. Conclusion on Using the Three Types of Sentences in a Text

1. The subject in passive sentences, subject-adjuncts, and situational adjuncts all appear at the beginning of the sentence.

2. These elements often present already-known information or introduce closely related new information, maintaining cohesion in the text.

3. The use of these sentence types helps create logical connections and coherence within the text.

I. Using Passive Sentences

Exercise 1 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Passive sentence: 'He has never been loved by any woman.'

b. Change to active: 'No woman has ever loved him.'

c. After substitution, the cohesion of the passage's meaning is weakened.

Exercise 2 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

Passive sentence: 'His life has never been cared for by a "woman's" hand.'

→ The passive structure enhances the connection of ideas, highlighting Chí Phèo's life and character.

Exercise 3 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

Students are asked to select a topic to write a paragraph on.

Note: Use passive sentences (For example: Chí Phèo was not allowed to live as a human; He was not allowed to be a person; He was pushed out of his own community, etc.)

II. Using Sentences with Subject-Adjunct

Exercise 1 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Subject-adjunct and the sentence with subject-adjunct:

- 'Regarding the onions, there are still some left in her house.'

b. The subject-adjunct links the sentence to the previous one while emphasizing the object being discussed. Sentences with subject-adjuncts are more impactful and cohesive.

Exercise 2 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

Correct sentence: 'As for my eyes, the drivers said: "You have such a far-off look!"'

Exercise 3 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Subject-adjunct: 'As for me.'

b. Subject-adjunct: 'Feelings, emotions, and the life of the heart.'

→ Subject-adjuncts typically begin a sentence.

→ They often precede a comma, followed by auxiliary words (like 'is,' 'are').

→ Subject-adjuncts emphasize the topic, enhancing the connection between ideas in the text.

III. Using Sentences with Situational Adjuncts

Exercise 1 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. The bold part functions as a situational adjunct.

b. It forms a verb phrase.

c. Rewritten sentence: 'The old woman laughed when she heard her question.'

Comment: The coherence of ideas is weakened, and the details are not as strongly emphasized, though the meaning is still clear.

Exercise 2 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

The author selected sentence C: 'Upon hearing An’s voice, Liên stood up and answered.'

This sentence was chosen for its ability to connect smoothly with the preceding text, placing emphasis on the event discussed.

Exercise 3 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Situational adjunct: 'With this document.'

b. Using a sentence with a situational adjunct highlights the main information in the predicate of the sentence.

IV. Conclusion on Using the Three Types of Sentences in a Text

Exercise 1 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

Subjects in passive sentences, subject-adjuncts, and situational adjuncts all appear at the beginning of sentences.

Exercise 2 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

These components create cohesion, reminding readers of prior information and continuing to develop that information in subsequent sentences.

Exercise 3 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

These elements serve to link ideas within the text, and sentences containing them are more cohesive in terms of content and meaning, adding clarity and emphasis to the text's expression.

I. Using Passive Voice

Exercise 1 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Passive sentence in the excerpt: 'He has never been loved by any woman.'

b. Transform the passive sentence into an active one: 'No woman has ever loved him.'

c. While grammatically correct, changing the passive sentence to active removes the continuity and flow of ideas. The word 'he' is the subject in the previous sentence, so it must remain the subject in the transformed sentence. Hence, the passive form is necessary here.

Exercise 2 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

Passive sentence: 'His life has never been cared for by a 'woman's' hand.'

Purpose: The use of passive voice in the paragraph creates a connection to the previous sentence, continuing the topic of 'him'.

Exercise 3 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

Write a paragraph introducing the author Nam Cao.

Nam Cao (1915-1951) was one of the greatest writers in modern Vietnamese literature. His works have endured the test of time, growing even more brilliant with every challenge. Emerging when socialist realism had already made significant strides, Nam Cao's writing did not simply blend into this mainstream movement. He understood the importance of individuality in artistic creation and found his own unique direction: 'Literature only accepts those who dig deep, explore uncharted territories, and create the unprecedented' (The Wasted Life), and he succeeded in doing so. His masterpiece, 'Chí Phèo,' stands as a testament to his unique vision and is a cornerstone of modern Vietnamese literature.

Passive sentence: 'He realized the importance of artistic creation.'

Purpose: Emphasizing Nam Cao’s distinctive artistic vision.

II. Using Sentences with Subject-Adjunct

Exercise 1 (Page 194, Literature 11 Textbook):

The sentence with a subject-adjunct in the above paragraph is: 'As for the onions, they are still there.'

Subject-adjunct: 'onions.'

Exercise 2 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

The sentence with the subject-adjunct links the current idea to the previous sentence through the contrast between 'rice' and 'onions' (two essential ingredients for making porridge). Moreover, since the previous sentence hinted at porridge and the next one mentions rice, beginning this sentence with the subject-adjunct 'onions' makes the narrative flow more smoothly.

Exercise 3 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

Correct answer: 'As for my eyes, the drivers said: 'You have such a far-off look!''

Exercise 4 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Subject-adjunct: 'As for me.'

b. Position: Appears at the beginning of the sentence before the subject.

c. Often separated by a comma after the subject-adjunct.

d. Purpose: Introduces a topic that is related to the preceding sentence.

b. Subject-adjunct: 'Feelings, emotions, and the inner life.'

Position: Found at the beginning of the sentence before the subject ('those').

Purpose: Introduces a topic closely tied to the previous sentence, expressing related emotions or thoughts.

III. Using Sentences with Situational Adverbials

Exercise 1 (Page 195, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. The bold part is in the beginning of the sentence.

b. It consists of a verb phrase.

c. The bold part could be rewritten as: 'The old woman laughed when she heard her question.'

Comment: After the change, the sentence contains two verb phrases. Both verb phrases share the same subject 'The old woman' but starting the sentence with a verb phrase makes the connection to the previous sentence clearer.

Exercise 2 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

The correct answer is C: 'Upon hearing An's voice, Liên stood up and answered.' This sentence not only conveys the correct meaning but also smoothly links to the previous sentence in a fluid and graceful manner.

Exercise 3 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

a. Situational adverbial in the first sentence of the paragraph: 'Upon receiving the notice from Sơn Hưng Tuyên.'

b. Since this situational adverbial is in the first sentence of the text, its function is not to connect ideas but to distinguish secondary information from the main point.

IV. Conclusion on Using the Three Sentence Types

Exercise 1 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

In passive voice, subject-adjuncts, and situational adverbials, the subject or adjunct typically appears at the beginning of the sentence.

Exercise 2 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

These elements often represent information that has already been presented or can be easily inferred from previous sentences, linking the new information to the earlier content.

Exercise 3 (Page 196, Literature 11 Textbook):

The use of passive voice, subject-adjuncts, and situational adverbials helps to connect ideas and maintain coherence in the text.