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Basic Clause Patterns, Structures and Fuctions

The document discusses different types of clauses including independent clauses, dependent clauses, finite clauses, non-finite clauses, and verbless clauses. It also covers how clauses can be classified by their elements, verb structure, and semantic function.

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48 views38 pages

Basic Clause Patterns, Structures and Fuctions

The document discusses different types of clauses including independent clauses, dependent clauses, finite clauses, non-finite clauses, and verbless clauses. It also covers how clauses can be classified by their elements, verb structure, and semantic function.

Uploaded by

archer70
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic Clause Patterns, Structures

and Fuctions
Core of the presentation
• 1. Independent and dependent clauses
• 1a Finite, Non-finite and verbless clauses
• 1b Clauses classified by their semantic function
• 2. Clauses classified by clause elements (the basic
clause patterns – structures)
• 2a – variations on clause patterns
• 3 Sentence (simple, compound, complex and
compound-complex sentences)
• 3a Major types of independent clauses (simple
sentences)
What is a clause?

• The whole sentence


• A part of a sentence
• Subject and Verb
• Other sentence elements:
• Object, complement or adverbial
• Clause – independent or dependent
Independent clause (Main clause)
• Complete in itself
• Does not depend on another clause
• The main idea of a sentence
• Independent clause – simple sentence
• Subject and Predicate
• Can be linked to another independent or
dependent clause
• Compound sentences
• Coordinating conjunctions:
• And, or, but, yet, for, nor, so
An example of a compound sentence
• Jack did not mean to do it, but he did it
anyway
• What clauses and conjunctions does the
sentence consist of?
• Two independent clauses (Jack did not mean
to do it/he did it anyway)
• One coordinating conjunction (but)
An independent clause can be introduced
by:
• The subject (Marianne studied hard for the
test)
• Coordinating conjunction (But the teacher
gave her a difficult task)
• Conjunctive adverb (conjunct) (She did not
study. Therefore, she failed)
Conjuncts (linking adverbials or conjunctive
adverbs)
• Connectors of structure
• Mobile, often separated from the rest of the
clause
• Examples: above all, consequently, firstly,
further, in conclusion, nevertheless, therefore,
finally, moreover, on the contrary, incidentally,
namely, to conclude, to sum up
• Try to translate them into Slovak
Translation of particular conjuncts
• above all (predovšetkým), consequently
(následne, preto, v dôsledku), firstly (za prvé),
further (okrem toho), in conclusion (na záver),
nevertheless (avšak, napriek tomu), therefore
(preto, z toho dôvodu, a tak), finally
(nakoniec), moreover (ďalej, navyše), on the
contrary (naopak), incidentally (náhodou,
mimochodom), namely (menovite, totiž, a to),
to conclude, to sum up
Dependent clause (subordinate clause)
• The subordinate idea of the sentence
• Subordinated to another clause
• Dependent on another clause for meaning and
context
• Cannot stand on its own
• Necessarily related to an independent clause
• Subject and Predicate (but related to the
independent clause – main clause)
• Dependent clauses
• Connected to independent clause (s)
• By means of subordination
• Subordinating conjunctions or subordinators
Subordinators
• Simple (after, although, as, because, since,
where, whoever, etc.)
• Complex – most of them ending in as or that
(as far as, as soon as, inasmuch as, as long as,
considering that, supposing that, except that,
so that, as if, as though, even if, even though,
in case...)
• Correlative (as...so, although...yet, even if...yet,
while...yet, if...then, once...then)
Translation of subordinates
• as far as (pokiaľ, čo sa týka, pokiaľ ide o), as
soon as (hneď ako, len čo), inasmuch as
(vzhľadom k tomu, pokiaľ), as long as (pokiaľ),
considering that (s ohľadom na to), supposing
that (za predpokladu, dajme tomu), except
that (okrem toho, že), so that (a tak), as if
(akoby), as though (akoby), even if (aj keď),
even though (napriek tomu), in case (v
prípade)...
Example of subordinate clause
• She was late for the meeting because her car
would not start
• Her car would not start – dependent clause
• Because – conjunction
• Depedent on the rest of the sentence for
meaning
• Subordinate clauses should not be evaluated
outside of the sentence
A dependent clause may be introduced by:

• Subordinating conjunction (after, while,


because, if, although, as, since...)
• Wh-word (who, which, where, when, whose,
how...)
• That
• A non-finite verb (-ing, -ed, to-inf)
• By inversion (Had I been there...)
Classification of Clauses
• 1. In terms of clause elements (7 basic clause
patterns types, SV, SVO...)
• 2. In terms of verb phrase structure (finite,
non-finite, verbless)
• 3. In terms of clause function (nominal (vedľ.
v. podmetová), relative (vzťažná ), adverbial
(príslovková v.) clauses)
1. Classification of Clauses In terms of
clause elements
• Subject and a Verb Phrase
• Subject – invisible in imperatives and some
dependent clauses
• Other major clause elements – depending on
the potential of the individual verb (adverbials
can be freely added to all patterns)
• Verbs (transitive, intransitive, copular)
• Intransitive verbs (combine only with a subject)
7 basic types (clause patterns, structures)

• SV
• SVA
• SVC
• SVO
• SVOO
• SVOC
• SVOA
1. S + V
• SV – Subject-verb phrase
• S+V
• The boy cried.
• Intransitive verb
2. S + V + A
• Subject, verb phrase, obligatory adverbial
• Henry is in Paris.
• Adverbial – less mobile in this case, cannot be
left out
3. S + V + C
• Subject, verb phrase, subject complement
• Ellen is a teacher/pretty.
• Subject and copular verb
Two patterns
• The characterising pattern (What is/was X
like? How did X change/has changed?)
• She remained scared
• Tom became a scientist
• The identifying pattern
• Which one is/was X?
• The use of copular be
• Mr Miller is the president of the society.
4. S + V + 0
• Subject, verb phrase, direct object
• Subject, monotransitive verb, a direct object
• She wrote a letter.
5. S + V + O + O
• Subject, verb phrase, indirect object, direct
object
• We gave him a nice present.
• ditransitive verb
6. S + V + O + C
• Subject, verb phrase, direct object,
complement
• They found it difficult.
• Complex transitive verb
7. S + V + O + A
• Subject, verb phrase, direct object, obligatory
adverbial
• I took the book from the shelf.
• Adverbial – location
• Adverbial cannot be moved in this case
The same verb may enter into different
patterns:
• SV: I was singing.
• SVO: I was singing an English song.
• SVOC: She has made me fool.
• SVO: She made coffee.
Variations on clause patterns
• Inversion of the subject and the verb phrase
(Had I been there, I would not have said a
word)
• Fronting of objects or other elements (Her
character I do not like)
• The passive (The window was broken)
• Existential ´there´ (There is a stranger
standing in front of the house)
• Extraposition – anticipatory (introductory) it
(It was obvious that she took it)
• Clefting – clause can be divided into two parts,
each with its own verb (It was his dog that ate
the sandwich)
• Ellipsis – omission of elements which are
recoverable from the context (She thanked
him but (she) did not hear any response)
• Postponement of objects (Mr Hunter has
repeatedly made clear his strong opposition
to changing the rules)
• All variations – reordering the information
• Communicative dynamism achieved
• Grammar of English allows us to do that!
Examples for Inversion
• "I am hungry", said Bill. - Subject-verb inversion
• Has Sam read the paper? - Yes–no question
formed using inversion (S-O inversion)
• At no time will Jessica say that. - Subject-
auxiliary inversion with a fronted negative
expression.
• Had I been there, I would have told them.
(Inversion in conditional sentences)
Other cases for inversion
• So tired (Such tiredness) did we feel that we
fell asleep. (so, such)
• Never has Jim tried that. (negative inversion)
Inversion with:
• hardly / scarcely / barely ... when
• no sooner ... than
Meaning: sotva
• Hardly had I arrived home when my phone
rang.
• Scarcely had she finished reading when she
fell asleep.
• Barely had they won the match when the
coach had a heart attack.
• No sooner had the company launched its new
product than it went bankrupt.
Clauses classified by verb structure
• Finite clause (verb phrase – tense and
modality)
• Finite verb (tense, person, number) – reads,
spoke, has gone...
• I do not like people who talk too much
• Non-finite clause (dependent cl.) – does not
express tense, person or number
• ing, ed, infitive clauses
Examples for non-finite clauses
• - ing clause: Coming in for landing, the place
was contacted by the tower.
• - ed clause: Broken in many pieces, the antic
vase was lying on the floor.
• Infinitive clauses: He did not want to go there
(to – infinitive), Rather than go there by car, I
´d prefer to take the train (bare infinitive)
Verbless clause
• No verb element
• Often also no subject
• Possible to recover the missing form of the
verb be and subject from the context
• Though eighty this year, my grandpa is very
active.
Clauses classified by semantic function
• Nominal clauses – may function as subject, object,
comeplement, adjective, prepositional complement...
• I did not ask her what she had done with the money.
(Od)
• Relative (adjective clauses)
• His uncle, who is already 62, likes to play golf.
• Adverbial clauses (providing infos about what is going
on)
• Susan won´t join us because she is too busy with
HW.

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