Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of

English speaking countries/ ULIS – VNU

Week 12
Types of Clauses

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⚫ A clause is i
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a unit formed around a lexical verb, including
all optional and obligatory elements associated with the
verb.

⚫ Constituent structure: Subject (NP) + predicate (VP)

⚫ Sentence elements: S, V, O, C, A (They selected him

chairman yesterday)

Introduction to Linguistics 1/ Syntax 1

Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of
English speaking countries/ ULIS – VNU

Types of clauses
1. In terms of clause types
SV, SVC, SVA, SVO, SVOO, SVOC, SVOA
2. In terms of verb phrase
finite; non-finite & verbless clauses
3. In terms of clause connection
independent & dependent clauses
4. In terms of clause function
nominal, adverbial & adjectival clauses

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e of clause patterns
1. Types
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⚫ SV : She smiles.
⚫ SVC : He is a genius.
⚫ SVA : They were out of cash.
⚫ SVO : I lost my key.
⚫ SVOO : They gave him a black box.
⚫ SVOC : She found him crying.
⚫ SVOA : He put the vase on the table.

Introduction to Linguistics 1/ Syntax 2

Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of
English speaking countries/ ULIS – VNU

2. Types of clauses in terms of Verb

phrase

By verb phrase Finite clause

Nonfinite clause

Verbless clause
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Types
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By verb phrase Finite clause

Nonfinite clause
- contains a subject and a predicate
- verb phrase having tense, person & number concord, & mood
Verbless clause

Introduction to Linguistics 1/ Syntax 3

Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of
English speaking countries/ ULIS – VNU

Types of clauses

By verb phrase Finite clause

Nonfinite clause

Infinitive with to -ing participle

Infinitive without to -ed participle

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By verb phrase Finite clause

Nonfinite clause

Verbless clause

1. Ellipsis of the verb ‘be’

- Dozens of people died in the accident, many of them children.
- Whether right or wrong, he always dominates the arguments.

Introduction to Linguistics 1/ Syntax 4

Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of
English speaking countries/ ULIS – VNU

Types of clauses

By verb phrase Finite clause

Nonfinite clause

Verbless clause

2. Reduction of non-finite clauses

- Too nervous to reply, he stared at the book in front of him
and dared not look up.
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3. Types ofrclauses in terms of
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clause
1. Independent clause
⚫ A clause that can form a sentence itself.
⚫ Can be conjoined by means of a coordinating
conjunction.
2. Dependent/Subordinate clause
⚫ A clause that is part of another clause, which may be
introduced by a subordinating marker.
⚫ A subordinate clause can function as S, O, Cs, Co, A,
complement of NP or Adj.

Introduction to Linguistics 1/ Syntax 5

Faculty of Linguistics and Cultures of
English speaking countries/ ULIS – VNU

4. Types of clauses in terms of

clause function

By function Nominal clause

Adverbial clause

Adjectival clause

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Introduction to Linguistics 1/ Syntax 6