Finite Clauses

Types of Sentences
• Simple
• Compound
• Complex
• Compound Complex
 Clauses
• Word --> Phrase --> Clause --> Sentence
• Clauses have a verb - one main verb per
clause
• Finite Clauses - Verb inflected for tense
• Non-Finite
– Infinitive
– Participial, including Gerunds
 Types of Embedded Sentences

• Subordinate Clauses (Adverbial)

– Indicate time, place, manner, cause, or
condition
– Usually preceded by a subordinator
• Relative Clauses (Adjectival)
– Relative Pronouns
– Restrictive vs. non-restrictive relative clauses
• Complement Clauses (Nominal)
 Complement Clauses

• Appear as an NP
• Can be the subject of the sentence
[That you like bananas] is surprising.
• Can be an object
I know [that you like bananas.]
• Can be replaced by a pronoun
(It is surprising; I know it.)
• That is a complementizer.
 Direct Discourse

• Direct discourse is when a person is quoted:

He said, “You took my cheese.”
• Indirect Discourse is when a person is
paraphrased. He said that you took my cheese.
• In direct discourse, time, place, and participants
are tied to the original utterance.
She said, “The treasure is buried here.”
He said, “Is your party tomorrow.”
Interrogative Complement Clauses

• One of the NPs in the complement clause is

replaced by an interrogative pronoun
• Examples:
– I know [who stole my cheese].
– I heard [what you said].
– I wonder [how they did that].
• Notice that the WH-word appears at the beginning
of the clause and that no question mark is used.
Non-Finite Clauses
 Non-Finite Clause: Infinitives

• Introduced by to or for to.

– I want [to buy the cheese].
– [To err] is human.
– [For him to err] is terrible.
• Can also appear without to:
– I heard him break the cookie jar.
– He made me eat my spinach.
• Can be nominal, adverbial (I bought it [to surprise you].),
or adjectival (He was the last person [to talk to me.]). See
page 357.
 S

NP VP

MVP NP

S
N MV
NP VP
MV NP
N

Chris wants (Chris) take my cheese

 take cheese

Chris wants
 S

NP VP

MVP NP

S
N MV
NP VP
MV NP
N

Chris wants Bill take my cheese

 Bill
take cheese
Chris wants
 To and For/To Infinitives
• Sentences with infinitive clauses as subject use
for if the subject is part of the clause
– For you to say that is shocking.
– To say that is shocking.
• Sentences with for/to clauses as direct objects are
less direct than those with to
– She sent him to buy supplies.
– She sent for him to buy supplies.
– She asked him to leave.
– She asked for him to leave.
 Bare vs. to Infinitives

• Tied to degree of likelihood that event took

place
• She made him shave
She let him shave
--> He shaved
• She asked him to shave.
She wanted him to shave.
--> He might not have shaved.
Types of Verbs Taking Complement
Clause
• Modality Verbs – want, try, begin, fixing to
• Manipulative Verbs – make, force, beg,
order, let, ask, tell
• Perception – see, hear, watch
• Cognition – know, understand, hope, think
• Utterance – say, reveal, announce
• P-C-U verbs tend to take that complements
 Reminder: Non-Finite Clauses

• Infinitives
– To-Infinitives
– For-To-Infinitives
– Bare Infinities
• Participles
– Present Participial Clauses
– Past Participial Clauses
Participial Clauses
 Present Participial Clauses
• Adverbial
– Walking to work, I spotted an eagle.
– While walking to work, I spotted an eagle. (elliptical
subordinate clause)
– Many people having seen the eagle, I am now satisfied.
• Adjectival
– The people standing on the street were watching the
eagle.
• Gerund (Nominal)
– Watching the eagle was fun.
 Usage: Dangling Modifiers
• Dangling Infinitives
– Eager to work, my tools lay before me.
– To feel rewarded, a job must be well-paying.
• Dangling Present Participle
– Flying high in the sky, I spotted an eagle.
– Standing on a cliff, the ocean inspired me.
• Dangling Past Participle
– Hard boiled, I took the eggs out of the water.
– Fed well, the entertainment began.
– Sauced and seasoned, I tasted the entrée.
 Nominative Absolutes
• Actually Adverbials, but still called “nominative”
• Tensed form of the verb or auxiliary BE is deleted
• Examples: (pp. 395-396)
– His mind on the test, Bill entered the classroom.
– The children fed and put to bed, Pat and Chris relaxed.
– My hair a mess, I wandered into the classroom.
– Eyes gleaming, they ran into the playground.
– They ran into the playground, their eyes ablaze.
Practice: Adverbial, Adjectival, or Gerund

1. The children playing in the street should be

warned.
2. Visiting professors can be boring. (trick
question)
3. Whistling loudly, I walked into the dark.
4. Educated as to the facts, the citizen voted.
5. My jumping into the lake amused my family.
6. The test given to the students was easy.
7. Pumped, the kids began the contest.
Adverbial Present Participle

I spotted eagle

ng
work
 S Adverbial Present
VP
Participle
NP
MVP NP ADVP

S
PRO MV DET N
NP VP
MV PREPP
PRO

I spotted an eagle (I) walking to work

Adjectival Present Participle

I spotted eagle

ng
street
 S Adjectival Present
VP
Participle
NP
MVP NP
ADJP
S
PRO MV DET N
NP VP
MV PREPP

I spotted an eagle (eagle) walking on the street

 song

We enjoyed
 S

NP VP

MVP NP

S
PRO MV
NP VP
MV NP
N

We enjoyed he singing that song

(his)