Survey of English Grammar Wiki: Week 3

Clause Structure, complements and adjuncts

A clause usually contains at least a subject and a predicator and might also include other elements such as object, complement and adverbial or adjunct as well. All of them are present in the following sentence:
All linguists -- considered -- the book on emergent grammar -- a masterpiece -- last year.

1. The subject in sentence initial position is the main person or thing that the clause is about All linguists. It performs the ‘action’ that is described, so it usually comes before the verb phrase. The subject is an obligatory unit in English declarative sentences (i.e. declarative sentences make statements)
2. The verb considered is the second element and typically expresses actions kill, kiss, mental states and processes know, think, consider, acts of communication speak, say, tell, existence remain, live, be or occurrence happen, change, occur.
3. The object the book on emergent grammar normally follows the verb and usually provides an answer to the question ‘Who or what has something been done to?’ Objects can be obligatory or optional in English declarative sentences, depending on the verb.
4. The predicative complement a masterpiece in this case gives more information about the object the book on emergent grammar. The complement is an obligatory unit in English declarative sentences, depending on the verb.
5. The adjunct last year is usually a kind of optional extra in a sentence. It normally provides information on time last year, on place in the English Department or on manner softly, quietly, surreptitiously. Adjuncts can occupy different positions in a sentence.

Moreover, the units that make up clauses can be combined in eight different ways:

1. subject+verb: She+snores.

2. subject+verb+direct object: She+killed+the linguist.

3. subject+verb+indirect object+direct object: Mary+sent+Bob+a love letter.

4. subject+verb+direct object+complement: Mary+sent+a love letter+to Bob. (note: the prepositional phrase does not function as an indirect object)

5. subject+verb+predicative complement: Linguists+are+shy.

6. subject+verb+direct object+ predicative complement: The linguist+called+the project+rubbish.

7. subject+verb+adjunct: The baby+slept+peacefully.

8. subject+verb+direct object+adjunct: I+prepared+my lecture+last week.

More on syntactic functions

Exercises on syntactic functions

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