Unit 8: More About Phrases
8.2 Clauses
Clauses have two distinguishing features: (a) they are enclosed by [square brackets]; (b) they contain a PREDICATOR.
1.
[
( )
( )
]
BASIC CLAUSE STRUCTURE
2.
[
( )
( )
//
( )
( )
( )
]
OPTIONAL ELEMENTS
There are two basic types of clauses: MAIN CLAUSE (MCl) and SUBORDINATE CLAUSE (SCl). If a sentence contains only one clause, ie. it is a SIMPLE sentence, that clause will be a main clause. Sentence 3 below is a COMPOUND sentence consisting of two main clauses linked by the co-ordinating conjunction and. There is ellipsis of the subject (he) in the second clause.
3.
Se{
MCl [
NP
(He)
pn
VP
(ate)
V
NP
(a
d
lot)
N
PP
(at
pr
Christmas)
N
]
and
c
MCl [
VP
(felt)
V
AjP
(sick)
Aj
]
}
Sentences 4 and 5 below are COMPLEX sentences, each containing a main clause and a subordinate clause (subclause). The brackets of the subclause come within those of the main clause to indicate the dependent status of the subclause.
4.
Se{
MCl [
NP
(The
d
doctor)
N
VP
(said)
V
SCl [
NCl
that
c
NP
(she)
pn
VP
(would
a
call)
V
]
]
}
5.
Se{
MCl [
SCl [
ACl
when
c
NP
(he)
pn
VP
(got)
V
NP
(home)
N
]
NP
(he)
pn
VP
(phoned)
V
NP
(the
d
doctor)
N
]
}
The Adverbial Clause (ACl) in sentence (5) is an example of DIRECT SUBORDINATION, ie. of a clause subordinated within another clause: [ [ ] ].
The NCl in sentence (4) is also an example of direct subordination. Another term for subordination is EMBEDDING, which suggests how one element is included in another.
