Clause patterns

Compound vs complex clauses

Compound clauses:

Two independent clauses are co-ordinated:

Clause1

BLY 749 [
There are no instant answers to this dilemma], but [
present themselves.]

common co-ordinators:

Clause2

two partial solutions

and, but, or, either/or, neither/nor,

Complex clauses:

Two clauses (one dependent, one independent) stand in a sub- and super-ordination relationship:
Clause1

CJ3 1824 [
Because aggression is ritualised in this way], [
individuals involved.]

Clause 1: Subclause

dependent (cannot stand on its own)

introduced by subordinator (normally conjunctions)

Clause 2: Main clause (or, matrix clause, superordinate clause)

independent (can stand on its own)

Clause2

it poses few threats to the

Complex clauses: three types

Relative clauses, nominal clauses, adverbial

clauses

Relative clauses

post-modify head nouns

do not represent clause constituent

EVH 1265 Others will speak of [NPBasil's gifts as an

artist, which were considerable].

But: Sentence relatives

ADX 1045 Canada looks as big or bigger than

Africa, which is not correct.

Complex clauses: three types

Nominal clauses

can represent S, Od (but not Oid), and C (normally instantiated by NPs,

hence nominal clauses)

to-infinitive clause

wh-clause

GV9 688
mean.

And now, many years later, I understand what they

that-clause

J10 2591
Mahmoud could hardly believe his ears, refused to
believe his ears.

FT8 1690

() I understand that most cartridges are refillable.

participle clause

FR5 2321
Then I lost all pride in my appearance: I stopped
changing my clothes, I stopped washing.

Complex clauses: three types

Adverbial clauses

function as circumstantial A

mostly introduced by subordinators (subordinating conjunctions)

when, if, because, although,

subordinators indicate meaning relations (temporal, causal,

concessive, conditional, etc.)

K1V 694 A thousand visitors are expected although sadly the

Princess won't be able to attend.

A03 1048 I am writing as I'm puzzled as to why you have

released Kim Hyun-hui who planted a bomb on a plane ()

A5Y 1501 He's been in trouble since he was six ()

A0J 534 However unless birth control methods are used,
sooner or later the woman is likely to get pregnant.

Clause patterns

Five major clause types:

Verb

intransitive
copular

Clause
pattern
SVCS
SVOd

di-transitive

SVOiOd

complex trans.

SVOdCO
SVOdAO

The sun is shining.

SV
SVAS

mono-transitive

Example

Your dinner seems ready.

My office is in the next building.
The lecture bored me.
I must send my parents an anniversary card.
Most students have found her reasonably helpful.
You can put the dish on the table.

Minor clause type:

bare existential:

There is no need to apologise.

(cf. Quirk et al. 1985:

721)

SthereVCS?

SthereVC?

thereVS?

Clause patterns

Clause patterns depend on V

normally, S,Od, Oid, A are obligatory constituents of clause

structure: required for the complementation of the verb

BUT:

1. multiple class-membership:

a given verb can belong, in its various senses, to a

number of different classes () and hence enter into a
number of different clause types (Quirk et al. 1985: 720)

KPH 1021

I'm going to the pub.

SVAS

ADY 35

My feet went numb ().

SVCS

KPG 2953

He goes, well, let me read it.

SVOd

Clause patterns

Clause patterns depend on V

normally, S,Od, Oid, A are obligatory constituents of clause structure:

required for the complementation of the verb

BUT:

1. cases of conversion (Quirk et al. 1985: 722):

omission of objects, hence: transitive V > intransitive V

A: Show me your essay. B: Ill show you later.

(object recoverable from preceding context)

Shake well before use.

(object recoverable from situational context)

Theyre dressing.

(object is a reflexive object)

Do you drink?

(object semantically entailed)

(all examples: Quirk et al. 1985: 722-3)

Clause patterns

Adverbials:

except for the obligatory adverbials in SVAS and SVOdAO,

adverbials are optional:

they may be added or removed from the clause without

affecting its acceptability (Quirk et al. 1985: 730)

HA1 2181
And [Aperhaps] lots of people were wondering why
they weren't having this good time.
ASVOd

BN4 82 [ABy taking six simple steps] you could make your
home snug [Afor half the price].
ASVOdCOA

GT5 216 Morrison went [Afrom his father's school] to Melbourne

University [Ain 1879] [Ato study medicine].
SVAASAA
SVOiOd

Sample analyses

Analyse the clause patterns in these sentences:

Clause pattern

Example

Shes teaching.
The hotline has given me just the motivation I needed to get moving.
The discovery has made new techniques for brain surgery possible.
She told him what she thought of him.
Damian considered her too inexperienced sexually.
In spite of everything, they had managed to reach home at their usual time.
Ronald is off cigarettes.
David saved me a seat.
The soldiers gave in.
Spread the mixture into a 6-inch sandwich tin or tart tin with a removable base.
And in that case the epistemological asymmetry which depends on it falls to the
ground.

Sample analyses

Suggested solutions:
Clause pattern

Example

SV

Shes teaching.

SVOiOd

The hotline has given me just the motivation I needed to get moving.

SVOdCS

The discovery has made new techniques for brain surgery possible.

SVOiOd

She told him what she thought of him.

SVOdCOA

Damian considered her too inexperienced sexually.

ASVOdA

In spite of everything, they had managed to reach home at their usual time.

SVCS

Ronald is off cigarettes.

SVOiOd

David saved me a seat.

SV

The soldiers gave in.

SVAS

Spread the mixture into a 6-inch sandwich tin or tart tin with a removable base.

ASVAS

And in that case the epistemological asymmetry which depends on it falls to the
ground.