Clauses and Sentences

Task :

Are these sentences?

◦ Don’t let the sun go down on me

◦ Mambo No. 5

◦ Oops I did it again

◦ Need you tonight

◦ Help!

◦ Are you sure?

Are they also

clauses?

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN A CLAUSE AND A

SENTENCE?

Clause v Sentence

Clause

A group of words that expresses a

whole event containing a subject

& a predicate

Oops, Nik did it again.

Sentence

Expresses at least one complete whole event or situation with a subject & a

predicate

Subject

Predicate

C1

Miriam said that

she loved

Zahier . C2

CLAUSE?

1. The test will be held next month

2. Mariah Carey stole the spotlight from Santa

Claus while pre-taping her performances at the

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting in

NYC on Tuesday.

One

sentence and

one clause

One

sentence and

two clauses

Clause

A group of words that expresses a

whole event containing a subject

& a predicate

Nik did it again.

Clause v Phrase

Clause

A group of words that expresses a

whole event containing a subject

& a predicate

Nik did it again

Phrase

Function as a constituent of a

sentence, of a clause or of another phrase

Aishah is the Thinkler

Constituent = a string of words that belongs

together

Types of clause

Dependant Main Expresses a whole

event or situation

Contains a subject

and a predicate

•Can stand by itself

as a sentence

Cannot stand on its

own

Acts as a phrase or

clause constituent

I know that the earth is round

Independent clause

See Tash’s, Nadi’s and Miriam’s video

Dependent clauses

1. Finite dependent clause

2. Non-finite dependent clause

Finite: He said that it was absurd

Non-finite:

1.

2.

To argue with your wife is a big mistake

Being a model student, Tash reads HEK215 lecture notes ten times everyday

3. Yee Wen enjoys swimming in the paddy

field

Finite Non finite

Expresses a whole event

or situation

Contains a subject and

predicate

Must have a finite verb

Starts with a

subordinator

Cannot stand on its own,

but function as a clause

or a phrase constituent

Expresses a whole event

or situation

Contains a predicate

(the subject may be

understood)

Does not have a finite

verb

May not start with a

subordinator

Cannot stand on its own,

but function as a clause

or a phrase constituent

FINITE A N D NON-FINITEVERBS

Finite verb: Refers to the verb form that is limited in tense, person and

numbers

We went to Juru

He caught so many fish there

Non-finite verb:

Does not make distinction of tense, person or number.

E.g. I saw a deer gazing at me

I saw two deers gazing at me

TYPES OF NON-FINITE CLAUSES

To infinitive form

To argue with your wife is a big mistake

Plain infinitive form

The test made some of them cry

Ing form

Being a model student, Tash reads the book ten times everyday.

Yee Wen enjoys swimming in the paddy field

Ed-participle clause: When told by the police how badly injured his victims

were, he said “Good, I hope they die”

Verbless clause: Although not a classic, this video is worth watching.

Every day, if possible, allot time at your desk to sorting and filing.

Read Verspoor &Sauter , chapter 7

Identify the type of clause below

1. Main or dependent?

2. If dependent, finite or non-finite?

If non-finite, what type?

Take my hand

Take my whole life too

I can't help

Falling in love with you

Sometimes a clause may appear as a

constituent of a phrase

AdjP

Deg word Adj Clause

So obnoxious that he had to be expelled

?

Her refusal to show any kind of

emotion is puzzling

The ‘man’ who came from

Hollywood is a woman

NP

Det N Clause

Her refusal to show any kind of emotion

FINITE DEPENDENT CLAUSES

Complement clauses

Adverbial clauses

Relative clauses

Comparative clauses

Peripheral clauses

Examples

1. That this was a tactical decision quickly

became apparent.

2. Be very careful what you tell me.

Complement clauses

1. If you go to a bank, they’ll rip you off

2. Most students are very attentive, though

some may look confused.

Adverbial clauses

1. He warned the public not to approach

the men, who are armed and dangerous.

2. The Meows, who made the video

presentation, are crazy about cats.

Relative clauses

Also known as clausal post-

modifier

What’s the difference between

complement clauses, adverbial

clauses and relative clauses?

Verspoor and Sauter,2002)