Overview

of clause structure
English grammar
Contents

1
Grammatical hierarchy

2
Basic clause patterns

3
Exercise
A grammatical Hierarchy

How is a sentence formed?

Grammar of English language basically consists
of five ranks.

Turn the following words into a sentence.

is Careless she
not go to school like
in the morning
A grammatical Hierarchy
Morphemes : free & bound
(simple work) ( affixation: ‘s –ed, ness)
Words: classification

Phrases: a group of words with a head

Clauses: phrases logically constructed

Sentences: highest rank

A grammatical Hierarchy
1. Morphemes : 语素
smallest grammatical unit
free （自由） & bound （黏附）
Free: simple word E.g
boy, girl, book, see.
Bound: can not stand alone.
affixation:
1. –s, es, ed,
2. Anti-, in-, -ness
A grammatical Hierarchy
2. Words: classifications
1.Simple word +Derivative+ Compound
( 简单词 ) （派生词） ( 合成词 )
morpheme morpheme + affixes 2 & more
Mother, love, loveless, looked sunglasses
Look statement nickname, something
carelessness notebook, laptop
Affixes: prefixes and suffixes
Page 3
A grammatical Hierarchy
2. Words: classifications

Closed class + open class

Function word content word

功能词 实意词
Prep, pronoun, de Noun ， adjectiv
terminer e
Conjunction, auxil adverb, verb
iary
A grammatical Hierarchy
3. Phrases 词组 : Formed from words
Head + dependents
determines the class of the phrase
Noun Phrase 1. The tall boy sitting in the corner
(NP) 2. Honesty is the best policy.
Verb Phrase 1. Looks pale
(VP) 2. May need to use it
Adj phrase 1. Pretty difficult
(AdjP) 2. Glad to help you to fix the radio
Adv phrase 1. Loudly
(AdvP) 2. Very clearly
Prep Phrase 1. From your mother
（ PP ） 2. From behind the tree
A grammatical Hierarchy
4. Clauses : simple sentences
Independent clause Dependent clause

He knows everything about I do not think he knows everything

it. about it.
Main clause Subordinate clause

He complained that what you said was not true.

Finite clause ( 限定分句 ) Non-finite clause

The man, wearing a kilt, is him. （ Who is wearing a kilt ）
Verbless clause: clause without a verb
Hungry and exhausted, he fell asleep.
A grammatical Hierarchy
 More examples
1. I signed the paper to get the license.
2. It is forbidden to smoke in this room.
3. The discussion completed, the chairman ma
de a speech for 30mins. ----- nominative ab
solute construction( 独立主格结构 )
4. Christmas then only days away, the family w
as pent up with excitement.
A grammatical Hierarchy
5. Sentences: one or more clauses
 Simple sentence
1. I need a cup of tea.
2. The students I taught have grown up.
 Compound sentence (conjunctions)
1. He came to me, sat down, and began to cry.
2. I want to leave, but he does not.
 Complex sentence
1. I will agree if you tell me why (and then we c
ould discuss.)
 A grammatical Hierarchy
Units: Example:
Clause: || the effects of the accident are very
serious || and || fortunately no casualty
is reported||.
phrase: |the effects of the accident | are | very
serious |
Word: the effects of the accident are very
serious
•Looking downwards, each unit consists
of one or more units of the rank below it.
•Looking upwards, each unit fulfils a funct
ion in the unit above it E.g: Wait!
Clause Structure

 Structurally, a simple clause divides into

subject and predicate ( 谓语 ).
Sentence
Clause

Subject predicate
All the men have done their best
……
Clause Structure

 Subject ：
 Topic of sentence
 Tells what the sentence is about
 Realized by noun phrase or equivalent of
noun phrase
Clause structur
 Predicate: 谓语
 Consists of a predicate verb and verb and other
elements (object, complement, adverbial)

Henry Is the most studious in

the class.

All the men Have done their best.

Simple Clause Structure
Guo Jingjing won another gold medal yesterday.
subject + predicate
( VP+ adv P……)

predicator object complement adverbial Verb

Guo won another gold medal 0 yesterday

That girl is 0 my best friend.
Simple Clause Structure

Complements
Subjective Objective
complement Complement
e.g. John is e.g. She
happy. considered him
a genius.

Other
complement
e.g. I wonder if
he can come.
Clause Structure

 The soup smells wonderful.

 She seemed unhappy.
 He is not in a good health.

 I made him happy.

 They appointed him the manager.
Simple Clause Structure
-complements
A: Subjective complement
Features:
 Provide information about the subject.
 Usually follows a copular (link) verb: be,
turn, get, become, remain etc.
John is happy. The leaf turns green.
Realization of S Complement:
 Typically AdjP or NP.
John is happy./ John is a dentist.
 Can be a PP.
 The exam is on Tuesday.
 Simple Clause Structure
-complement
B: Objective complement
features:
 Provide information about the object.
 Usually follows direct object.
Realization of O Complement: Most common
 Adj Ph They considered him mad.
 N Ph They elected him president.
 Finite clauseThey made him what he is today.
 PP He took her for a goddess.
 infinitive she wanted me to do her a favor.
 participles found my bag stolen
 Saw him stealing
Simple Clause Structure
-complements
C: other complements
1. Infinitive and gerund
I want to dance.
We prefer dancing here .

Object or complement?
I bought him a book.
Tom made me a cake.
My foreign friend sent me a postcard.

They dressed her a queen.

The made him the leader.
Simple Clause Structure
Basic clause patterns p20
1. SVC subject + verb + complement 主 + 动词 + 补
That car is mine. (copular or link verb)
My sister has turned a woman.
2. SV subject + Verb 主语 + 动词
Everybody agreed. (intransitive verb)
The children are sleeping.
3. SVO or 4 SVoO subject+ verb + (o) object
Nobody could recognize him.
He give me a gift. (mono or ditransive verb )
5. SVOC 主 + 动词 + 宾 + 宾补 (complex transitive)
We elected him our president.
They painted the wall creamy white.
Simple Clause Structure

Extension:
1. Transformation (based on the basic patte
rns)
Affirmative ( 肯定 ) Negative
Statement （陈述） question
Active （主动） passi
ve

For instance:
Simple Clause Structure

 The tourists have arrived.

 Negative: the tourists have not arrived.

 Question: have the tourists arrived?
 Passive: the tourists have been given
some money.
Simple Clause Structure

 Expansion, modification

 Everyone knew perfectly well that he

did not like us, but no one admitted.

 Adding more sub clauses, modifiers .

Simple Clause Structure
1. That the globe is getting warmer. X
2. That tigers do not make good pets. X
1 or 2 is known to all. Nouns could make a
subject.
Scientist claim that the globe is getting
warm.

Believe, promise, explain, show,

imply, know, expect, claim,
believe,
Simple Clause Structure
We all thought it that we had to leave now.
1. A sorry
2. Was a pity
3. Very pity
4. A pity
Adj or adv? Don’t fill her pan too full.
Hold it straight.
Complement O or predicator?
I found that the house had been broken into an
d a lot of things stolen.
I found a lot of things stolen.
exercise
 Identify the pattern of the following
sentences.
1. My sister has become an artist.
2. The training is speeding up.
3. My grandma left me this.
4. We elected him our monitor.
5. I don’t know that he loves volleyball.