Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos

Team: Nancy Coria Adame Jorge Agustín Suastegui Paredes Daniela Rivera Javier Andrea BalderramaSubject: Syntax

Semester: 2° Group: «I»

How can we identify clauses? Each clause contains a finite verb

Clauses and Sentences

Finite verb: Are traditionally marked for tense, person and number.

Tense: Has to do wheter the speaker or writer uses a tense.

Person:

Has to do with wheter an action is assigned to the speaker.

Number:

Has to do wheter the speaker or writer refers to one person or more than one person.

In each clause, the finite verb is accompained by its complements and adjuncts.

Each clause is marked for aspect, and the aspect canbe changed. Example: Compare Wickham was eloping with Lydia as opposed to Wickham eloped with Lydia.

Each clause has to do with mood. Has todo wth two sets of distinctions.

Distinctions between making statements, asking questions, issuing commands.

And distinctions wheter the speaker or writer presents an event as possible, or necessary, or as a fact.

These both distnctions allow certain changes of syntax to reflect changes of focus or emphasis.

Clauses descirbe situations the participants of them and the circunstances in which they take place.

Both can be the first contribution to a discourse, wheter spoken or written.

We can recognize clauses by which phrases modify which verb.

Clauses in real texts = Text clauses.

Clauses in our analysis = System clauses.

Main clauses are all the conjoined clauses.

Subordinate clauses could be:

Complement clauses: (Noun clauses) They occur in slots in the main clause that can be occupied by ordinary noun phrases. They modify verbs.

Relative clauses: (Adjective clauses) The relative clauses modify nouns. In English, relative clauses follows the noun.

Adverbial clauses: They modify verbs, but they only modify whole clauses and they are adjuncts. Adverbial clauses are classified according to their meaning, for example, adverbial clauses of reason, tiem concession, manner or condition.