Clause

- A phrase that contains a verb (phrase) with the subject

- A finite clause standing on its own (not dependent/subordinate is a (simple)
sentence
- Mono-clausal sentences are simple sentences.

o I am happy.
o You are studying English Syntax

- A construction consisting of more than one clause and joined by a conjunction

(and, but, or) makes a coordinate sentence. The clauses are not dependent
(they can stand on their own if the conjunction is dropped/deleted).

o I am here and he is still missing.

o You can go there but you may not see him.
o You can go there. You may not see him.

- A construction consisting of more than one clause including

dependent/subordinate clauses make a complex sentence.
o I know that you are smart
 I know (main clause), that you are smart
(dependent/subordinate/complement clause)

Clause Types: Finite clause vs Non-finite clause

o Finite clause: a clause with the verb with tense and agreement
o Finite clause can stand on its own (independently)
o Only a finite clause can be the main/principal clause
o I am happy. You are happy. He is happy. They are happy.
o They were happy.
o We will do it.
o [I know [that we will do it]]. (complex sentence)

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I want [to go [to buy foods]] to quench my hunger to stay healthy and to live a
long life and (to) prepare a healthy meal for the family so that we all will be
happy.

I wanted to go to buy foods.

I will like/want to go to buy foods.
He wants to go to buy foods.
They want to go to buy foods.

They eat [rice] [every day] [in the morning] [for the last many years].

They eat [rice] [to keep healthy].

He knows [that he will not go to the class tomorrow]. CP: (a main clause plus
a subordinate clause)

CP complement clause:
He knows (that) it will rain tomorrow. CP
He knows how to sing (a song). CP
He knows how to do it. CP
*He knows to do it. *TP
He knows it/me/you. NP
He knows about it/me/you. PP

TP complement clause:

*He wants how to sing (a song). CP

*He wants how to do it. CP
He wants to do it. TP
He wants it/me/you. NP
?He wants about it/me/you. PP

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[To-Head the market- NP]. PP
Comp of PP is NP.
Like: TP, NP
He likes [to go].
He likes the weather.

Inquire: PP, *NP, CP, *TP

He inquires [about the crime].
*He inquires the crime.
He inquires from the man about the plane.
He inquires whether/if the plane is on time.
*He inquires to go there.

Wonder: CP, *NP, PP, *TP

We wonder whether/if it will rain tomorrow.
We wonder why he said that. CP
*We wonder him/it/this.
He wonders about the situation. PP
She wondered about why her friend acted like that. PP
*She wonders to go there.

Look: PP, AP, *TP, NP,

He looks into the matter.
He looks nice.
*He looks to go there.
He looks the same as he did ten years ago.

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He knows everyone in the class for many years.

The verb in English sentence: agrees with the subject in number and person:
Agreement

He (3p.sg) eat-s (sg.present) rice. He ate(sg.past) rice. He will eat(sg.future)

rice.
They (3p.pl) eat-(pl) rice.
I (1p.sg) am(1p.sg) eating rice.
We (1p.pl) are(1/2/3.p.pl) eating rice.

English Verb Form:

Verb + tense(present-past-future) + Agreement (person-number of the
subject)

I want that you should go to the market.

I know/knew/will know that you can go to the market.

[I want/wanted/will want] [you to go to the market].

Finite Non-finite
He wants him

[I want/wanted] [to go].: I want/wanted: Finite clause, to go: Non-finite clause

[I like/liked] [to sing].
[He wants/wanted] [to go/sing].

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 Finite clause: verb (with tense-agreement)
Non-finite clause: verb (without tense-agreement)

- Non-finite clause: a clause with the verb without tense and

agreement
o A non-finite clause cannot stand on its own.
o It is always a dependent/subordinate/embedded clause.

o [She wants] [to sing a song].

o She wanted to sing a song.
o She will like to sing a song
o They do not like me [for doing this].

In spite of my coming here, I could not meet him.

After going there I saw him.

I saw him.
After going there

To go there
To see, to go, to write
To-Verb
Verb-ing

I am going there.
He is going there.
He was going there.
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 They were going there.

Non-finite:
To-Verb: to go, to come, to write, to, see, to send, to
ask, etc

Verb-ing: eating is healthy, burn-ing train

Ing: verb-ing: he is com-ing

Walking is healthy

He knows that he will do it. [he will do it is finite

complement clause]

He wants to do it. [to do it is non-finite complement clause]

I will go so that I will buy fruits. [I will buy fruits is finite

adjunct clause]

I will go to buy fruits. [to buy fruits is non-finite adjunct

clause]

Finite complement clause:

I have decided that I will study today.

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I think that I have nothing in my mind right now.

My mother ordered /said to/told/asked me that I

cannot/should not go to the movie.

Non-finite complement clause:

My mother ordered /said to/told/asked/wanted me not to go

to the movie.

Finite adjunct clause:

I went to market [so that I can buy some books].

I have booked tickets [so that I can visit my parents.]

Non-Finite adjunct clause:

I went to market [to buy some books].

I have booked tickets [to visit my parents].

Complement clause vs adjunct clause

Complement clause: Finite clause as well as non-finite

clause

Adjunct clause: Finite clause as well as non-finite clause

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Clause Types: Main clause vs Subordinate clause

- Main clause: also called independent or principal clause

o Main clause is always a finite clause
o When a sentence contains more than one clause, one of the clause is
(and acts) as a main clause, in relation to the other clause which is a
subordinate clause

o [I trust] that the students are sincere.

- Subordinate clause: also called dependent or embedded clause

o Subordinate clause can be either a finite clause or a non-finite clause
o When a sentence contains more than one clause, one of the clauses is
(and acts) as a main clause and all the other clause(s) is/are
subordinate clause(s).

o I trust [that the students are sincere]. (finite)

o I trust [the students to be sincere]. (non-finite)

Clause Types: Complement clause vs Adjunct clause

- Complement clause: the object of the verb is a complement clause
o Obligatory part of the verb phrase
 I like [sweets]. (Object is an NP)
 I like [to smile]. (object is a clause): non-finite complement
clause
o Certain verbs take an object only in the form of a clause
 I wonder [whether it will rain today]. Finite complement clause
o Complement clause can be either a finite clause or a non-finite clause
 I want [you to buy a book]. (non-finite complement clause)
 I want [that you should buy a book]. (finite complement clause)
- Adjunct clause: the non-object part of the verb phrase

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 o Non-obligatory (additional) part of a verb phrase

 I went to market [to buy fruits].

 Go: went: I go now,
 Buy: I buy fruits from the market.
o Adjunct clause can be either a finite clause or a non-finite clause
 I went to market [so that I could buy some fruits]. (finite adjunct
clause)
 I walk to keep myself healthy. (non-finite adjunct clause)

Clause and Phrase

- Clause is also a phrase, a big(ger) phrase, an extended/expanded phrase

- Clause is a phrase that contain necessarily a verb phrase including its subject
- Clause is a bigger phrase containing more than one phrase
- A clause is always finally (upper-most) headed by a functional head (functional
phrase)

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