ENGLISH CLAUSE STRUCTURE

OBLIGATORY CLAUSE NUCLEUS						e.g.
S-V	Stative	Intensive			A place	1			A time
					Cs	2		A place
		Extensive /transitive/		Monotrans.	Od	3
				Ditrans.	Oi+Od	4
				Complex Transitive	Ocomplex	5
	Dynamic	Intensive			Cs	6	A manner /process/
		Extensive	Intrasitive			7
			Transitive	Monotrans.	Od	8
				Ditrans.	Oi+Od	9
				Complex Transitive	Ocomplex	10

EXAMPLES: 

2. CLAUSE STRUCTURE IN ENGLISH

One clause is one simple sentence, i.e. one S – P /Subject – Predicate/ group.

I. CLAUSAL CONSTITUENTS

The English clause is made up of five major constituents: S V O C A / Subject - Verb/ Predicate – Object – Complement – Adverbial modifier /. The main parts are the S and V /traditionally marked by V/. O and C are secondary sentence constituents closely associated with the V, while A is more peripheral.

Most current linguistic theories are verbo-centric, i.e. the V is taken as central hub/ pivot/ of the expression determining the whole pattern of the clause. Thus the type of V determines the type of clause pattern.

V. TYPES OF SENTENCES

Principles of classification: there are two principles used for the classification of sentences.

1. The first principle is according to TYPES OF COMMUNICATION. Applying that principle we obtain a classification into declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences.

1.1.Declarative sentences assert or deny something, E.g.: A wind had cleared the mist, the autumn leaves were rustling and the stars were shining.

1.2. Interrogative sentences ask a question: Do you like this?