[Grammar] Verb + Verb

[uniopp]

Hi,
Could someone please explain the grammar of the following sentence -

"All he does is speak English".

Is "All he does" the subject, "is" the be verb, "speak" a verb and "English" the noun?

I'm confused with "is speak". Is it ok to have verb + verb?

In fact "does is speak" is verb + verb + verb.

I only studied "to speak" like in "I want to learn to speak English" so "is speak" seems strange.

A break down of the subject/object/verb in the sentence and any explanation would be good.

Thanks

 

[corum]

Hi,
Could someone please explain the grammar of the following sentence -

"All he does is speak English".

Is "All he does" the subject, "is" the be verb, "speak" a verb and "English" the noun?

I'm confused with "is speak". Is it ok to have verb + verb?

In fact "does is speak" is verb + verb + verb.

I only studied "to speak" like in "I want to learn to speak English" so "is speak" seems strange.

A break down of the subject/object/verb in the sentence and any explanation would be good.

Thanks

Pseudo-cleft.

All (that) he does is (to) speak English.
What he does is (to) speak English.
To speak English is what he does. That is what he does.

(to) speak English = bare infinitive in form and predicate nominative in function.

 

[billmcd]

"All he does (noun clause, subject) is (verb) speak English (subject complement)".

 

[uniopp]

Thanks for your help.
As I understand it -

All he does = noun clause (subject)
is = be verb
speak = linking verb
English = noun (predicate nominative/subject complement)

Is that correct?