Coordination and subordination, syntactic functions of subordinate clauses and their functional classes, finite, non-finite, and verbless clauses

Coordination (parataxis)

Coordinative clause = two or more clauses of equal value that make up a sentence. A co-ordinate clause does not function as a subject, object, complement or adverbial in another clause. Coordinate clauses are connected by coordinators (coordinating junctions).

Copulative AND: They heard the explosion and she phoned the police.

Alternative OR can be:

      Exclusive: You can sleep on the couch, or you can go to a hotel, or you can go back to London tonight.

      Inclusive: You can boil an egg or you can make some cheese sandwiches or you can do both.

Adversative BUT: He tried hard, but he failed. (syndetic connection = spojení pomocí spojek). He tried hard, yet he failed. (asyndetic connection = bezspojkový)

Subordination (hypotaxix)

Subordinate clause = a clause which functions as a part of another clause (subject, object or adverbial to the main clause of a sentence). Subordinate clauses cannot stand alone, they are a part of a complex sentence = a sentence with a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses, linked by subordinate conjunctions or relative pronouns. When a subordinate clause begins a sentence, it is more often separated by coma, even if it is short.

Complex sentences with subordination can be formed in two ways:

1. By linking subordinate clause to the main clause with conjunctions (As soon as she opened the envelope, she knew something was wrong.)

2. By using infinitive or participle constructions – these are non-finite and are phrases rather than clauses but they also form part of complex sentences because they can be expressed as a clause which is subordinate to the main clause (To get to the university you have to pass a number of examinations. = If you want to get to university …).

Syntactic functions of subordinate clauses

Subordinate clauses perform the roles of clause elements. They currently function as subjects, objects, complements and adverbials.

Subject clause:                It is obvious that we need more equipment.

Subject complement clause: The point is that we are leaving.

Direct object clause: I know that she is pretty.

Indirect object clause: I gave whoever it was a cup of tea.

Object complement clause: I imagined him overcome with grief.

Adverbial clause

                When we meet, I shall explain everything                          (adjunct)

                To be honest, I´ve never liked him.                                       (disjunct)

                What is more, he had lost the friends he had.                 (conjunct)

Postmodifier in an a NP (relative clause): He is a friend who remains loyal.

Prepositional complement: It depends on what we decide.

Functional classes of subordinate clauses

Nominal clause is a subordinate clause that can function as subject, object or complement. A noun clause starts with words that, what, whatever, who, whom, whoever, whomever. Its role is comparable to those of noun phrases.

What he did made a problem for his family. = the clause “what he did” functions as a noun, hence it is a noun clause that function as a subject.

He knows that he will pass the test. = noun clause as an object

The idea is that things will improve. = subject complement.

The problem is who stay at the end. = subject complement.

Adverbial clauses like adverbs also tell how, why, when, where. 

Time: When you are finished, you can watch television.
Place: Put the letter where he will see it.
Manner: We cook our vegetables as Chinese people do.
Reason: They put their umbrellas up because it was starting to rain.
Concession (přípustkové): Although the weather was terrible, we still set out.
Condition: You can have some ice cream if you eat your vegetables.
Purpose: She went on tip toes so that she wouldn't wake the baby.

Relative clauses are introduced by relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, that, which). Wh-word points back to the head of the noun phrase (antecedent). There are restrictive and non-restrictive relative clauses.

He warned the public not to approach the men who are dangerous.

Comparative clauses contain an adjective or an adverb phrase with a gradable word as a head that are introduced by a conjunction than for unequal comparison and as for an equal comparison.

Maybe Henry would realize she was not as nice as she pretended to be. She fled these Sunday afternoons earlier than she should have.

Finite clause

Finite clause contains a finite verb that is a verb marked for tense, person and number. It can act as a main or a subordinate clause. Finite dependent clauses are linked one to another by subordinators.

He lives on his own. - present simple / What have you been doing? - past perfect continuous

Non-finite clauses

In a non-finite clause the verb is not marked for tense, person and number and in most cases, the subject is not expressed. They are normally only subordinate clauses combined with finite ones in sentences. Reference to time, person or number is usually interpreted from the context.

Infinitive clauses have many roles since they act for subject, object, complement or adverbial.

Subject: To have thought this made him more cheerful.

Subject complement: My goal is now to look to the future.

Direct object: Do you want me to send them today?

Adverbial: To succeed again they will have to improve their concentration.

ING participle clauses can also act for many roles.

Subject: Having a fever is not pleasantly spent time.

Subject complement: The real problem is getting something done about cheap imports.

Direct object: I started thinking about Christmas.

Prepositional object: No-one could rely on his going to bed early last night.

Adverbial: Having established the direction of the line, we now wish to find some point on the line.

Part of NP: Two men making the bogus collections were described as middle aged.

Part of ADJ phrase: It might be worth giving him a bell to let him know what’s happening.

Complement of preposition: Jo said he would get tough with the homeless by running identification checks on them.

ED participle clauses

Direct object: Tom will have his hair cut.

Adverbial: Taken in the order shown they provide propulsive jet increasing mass flow.

Part of NP: This, as we have seen, is a course chosen by a large minority of households.

Supplement clauses are loosely attached peripheral type of adverbial clause, usually marked off by a comma. It marks information as supplementary background in relation to the main clause.

She gazed down at the floor, bitting her lip, face clouded.

Verbless clauses

It is a special type that does not have a verb element. It can be seen as a special type of non-finite clause or adverbial.

Every day, if possible, look after  the dogs. She was taught, when in difficulty, to call the police. Whether right or wrong, he always comes off worst in argument. (= Whether he is right or wrong...)