2. BASIC CONCEPTS
• Clause: key unit of syntax capable of occurring independently
• Clause: complete description of an event/state of affairs
Ex.: Have you got an exam on Monday?/She smiled sweetly
• All clauses may be utterances but not all utterances are
clauses
– ex. (1): More sauce? vs. Would you like more sauce?
– ex. (2): Thirty pence please vs. It’s thirty pence please
3. Types of clauses
Independent & dependent
Finite (tensed VP) & non-finite (tenseless VP)
Minor clauses (= moodless→ NO subject + finite) :
- Wh-qs without a finite verb (Why not sell your car? How
about a nice glass of wine?)
- Adjuncts with the force of commands (Into the shelter!)
- Proverbs (Out of sight, out of mind)
Abreviated clauses (just mood element; rest of the clause
ellipted)
Has she?
5. Verb complementation
• The verb is the key element of a clause . There are 3 major
valency patterns (one-place, two-place & three-place verbs):
→ Intransitive: S+V: Sarah and Michael disappeared
→ Copular:
S+V+Cs : The Swiss cheese has gone bad
S+V+A: Marc was in the bathroom
→ Monotransitive (S+V+Od): She’s changed her dress
→ Ditransitive (S+V+Oi+Od): You gave her the wrong
answer
→ Complex transitive :
S+V+Od+Co: That makes me so mad
S+V+Od+C Loc: They’re sending us to Disneyland
6. Verb complementation
• The verb is the key element of a clause . There are 3 major
valency patterns (one-place, two-place & three-place verbs):
→ Intransitive: S+V: Sarah and Michael disappeared
→ Copular:
S+V+Cs : The Swiss cheese has gone bad
S+V+A: Marc was in the bathroom
→ Monotransitive (S+V+Od): She’s changed her dress
→ Ditransitive (S+V+Oi+Od): You gave her the wrong
answer
→ Complex transitive :
S+V+Od+Co: That makes me so mad
S+V+Od+C Loc: They’re sending us to Disneyland
