Clauses and sentences

Solving doubts about clauses

Introduction to sentences

Complement

Complement = complemento predicativo Complemento = object

C. diretto = direct object C. di specificazione = genitive case C. di termine = dative case C. indiretto = indirect object C. oggetto = direct object

(Picchi, Grande dizionario di inglese, Hoepli)

Complemento predicativo

C. predicativo del soggetto = un nome o un aggettivo riferito al soggetto che completa il significato del predicato. I verbi che lo richiedono obbligatoriamente si dicono copulativi.

C. predicativo dell’oggetto = un nome o un aggettivo riferito al c. oggetto che completa il significato del predicato.

(Serianni, Italiano, Garzanti)

Predicative

Subject complement = subject predicative Object complement = object predicative

You can use these terms if you wish to avoid confusion with the term ‘complement’

Complement element = the element of a clause which follows a copular verb such as be or seem

Ex. 7 p. 179 explained(try to do it before you read!)

John Terry has scored his first goal as England Captain

Clause elements: John Terry = subject (S) has scored = verb (V) his first goal as England Captain = object (O)as England Captain is NOT a complement

(predicative) > it doesn’t follow a copular verb and it doesn’t provide completeness to the clause. It simply postmodifies the NP which head word is “goal”

Ex. 7 p. 179 explained(try to do it before you read!)

Are you feeling better today

Clause elements: You = subject (S) Are feeling = verb (V) [are = verb operator] better = complement (Cs) (subject predicative

> feel is a copular verb) today = adverbial (A) (adv P > adverb of time)

Ex. 7 p. 179 explained(try to do it before you read!)

I think they’ve arrived by now

Clause elements: I = subject (S) think = verb (V) they’ve arrived by now = object (O)

they (S) have arrived (V) by now (A)

Ex. 7 p. 179 explained(try to do it before you read!)

The pyramids of Egypt are much bigger than I imagined (C)

Clause elements: The pyramids of Egypt = subject (S)

[of [Egypt NP] PP] are = verb (V)

much bigger than I imagined = complement (Cs)

[comparative clause] than I Imagined than-clause

Ex. 7 p. 179 explained(try to do it before you read!)

The woman who lives next door showed me her new computer

Clause elements: The woman who lives next door = subject (S)

who (S) lives (V) next door (A) required for the complementation of live

showed = verb (V) me = indirect object (Oi)

her new computer = direct object (Od)

Other examples

Mary is in the house

Mary (S) is (V) in the house (A place)

Mary is kind

Mary (S) is (V) kind (Cs) > subject predicative

Other examples

Somebody caught the ball

Somebody (S) caught (V) the ball (Od)

I put the plate on the table

I (S) put (V) the plate (Od) on the table (A place)

Other examples

We have proved him a fool

We (S) have proved (V) him (Od) a fool (Co) >

object predicative

She gives me expensive presents

She (S) gives (V) me (Oi) expensive presents (Od)

Optional adverbials

Sometimes she sings beautifully

Sometimes (A) she (S) sings (V) beautifully

(A) (optional adverbials in green)

In America most students are now on vacation

In America (A) most students (S) are (V) now (A) on vacation (A)

Other examples

She kindly sent us some photographs

She (S) kindly (A) sent (V) us (Oi) some

photographs (Od)

Transformational relations

Many critics disliked the play

Many critics (S) disliked (V) the play (Od)

The play was disliked (by many critics)

The play (S) was disliked (V) by many critics (A)

Transformational relations

Queen Victoria considered him a genius

Queen Victoria (S) considered (V) him (Od) a genius

(Co)

He was considered a genius by Queen Victoria

He (S) was considered (V) a genius (Cs) by Queen Victoria (A)

Transformational relations

My father gave me this watch My father(S) gave (V) me (Oi) this watch (Od) This watch was given me by my father This watch (S) was given (V) me (Oi) by my

father (A) I was given this watch by my father I (S) was given (V) this watch (Od) by my

father (A)

Homework

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/home.htm

Sentence

a sentence must consist of at least one clause (main clause)

When we talk about sentences we are talking about structural principles rather than written conventions I agreed to go with them. Although I wasn’t really happy

with the idea. It will be all right, I shan’t have to stay here, even now

Neither spoken nor written language will necessarily divide neatly into sentences

Sentence typesFORM FUNCTION

declarative > statement You’re wearing a new dress.

interrogative > question Are you wearing a new dress?

imperative > directive Buy yourself a new dress!

exclamative > exclamation What a lovely dress you’re wearing!

Form and function

● form and function do not always correspond● That coffee’s very hot

● statement (after touching the coffee pot)● exclamation (after having gulped down a

mouthful)● command (to prevent a child from touching it)

● It is important to maintain a clear distinction between the form and the function

Declarative sentences declarative sentences are normally used to

make a statement declarative sentences typically have an overt

subject, a verb element and any necessary verb complementation

declarative sentences may also have optional adverbials Philip will visit his dentist in London today

declarative sentences are the most common structures we use in language

Interrogative sentences

interrogative sentences are normally used to ask a question yes-no questions

Are you happy? wh-questions

Where do you live? interrogative sentences usually have an

interrogative structure which implies a subject-operator inversion

The first (or only) auxiliary which is used to make interrogative sentences is labeled operator > it is the one that carries tense

Wh-questions wh-questions require subject-operator inversion but

they also involve the substitution of a sentence element with a wh-word and the bringing of this element to the front The thief (S) took (V) my wallet (O)

What (O) did (Vop) the thief (S) take (V)?

when the subject (S) of a sentence is substituted with a wh-word, no inversion takes place Who married Jack?

Homework

Read Ballard’s book, pages 146 -152 (7.1 – 7.4)