Sentence and clause elements

Sentence is a basic building block of written language, marked by a capital letter at the beginning and a full-stop at the end. In speech, the term utterance is used. because it is difficult to define sentences in spoken language.

Simple sentence

Simple sentence (jednoduchá věta) is a sentence structure that is made of only one independent. It is a complete unit of meaning which contains a subject and predicate, followed, if necessary, by other phrases which make up the meaning. (The dog barked.)

Simple sentence can be complete of incomplete. Made in Germany is correct English but it is not a sentence because it doesn’t have a subject. My car was made in Germany. = a complete sentence with a subject and verb. The subject may be hidden: Open the door. = really means "You open the door."

Compound sentence

Compound sentence (souvětí souřadné) is composed of at least two independent clauses but no dependent clauses. Since the individual clauses are of equal importance, they are joined by a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon.

Two simple sentences (Tom called. He left you a message.) can create a compound sentence (Tom called and left you a message.) Semicolon: (Mary understands math; she has studied it for years.)

When the subject of a compound sentence is same in its all parts, it is usually mentioned only in the first sentence. (Tom called and (he) left you a message.) When the subject is different in first sentence than in another one, both are used. (Tom called and Frank left.)

Complex sentence

Complex sentence (souvětí podřadné) is a sentence with an independent clause (it can stand by itself) and at least one dependent clause (subordinating clause - cannot stand by itself). A sentence with two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a compound-complex sentence. The dependent clause is introduced by either a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun.

The term clause it used when there are two or more clauses inside a complex sentences. A dependent subordinate clause can be finite, non-finite, verbless, adverbial, nominal or relative.

Clause elements

Subject

Subject (S) is an agent of action. It denotes the primary participant from whose perspective the situation is viewed. Together with predicate, it is of one the two main elements of a clause.

The subject is a noun, pronoun or subordinate clause. (The dog was sick. = noun / Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. = noun phrase / They are jealous. = pronoun / What she said is untrue. = subordinate clause. It rained = dummy pronoun subject.).

Subject precedes verb phrase (except for interrogative clauses) and subject pronoun must be in the nominative case. The subject controls singular-plural verb concord (You go; she goes) and agreement of reflexive pronoun objects (I injured myself). The subject is usually present in a clause but it may be omitted in non-standard structures, non-defining clauses or imperatives (Listen to this. = you).

Predicative

Predicative (P) is the central and obligatory element and a clause must contain at least one verb phrase. The choice of verb will largely determine what other elements are in the clause as there are transitive and non-transitive verbs.

Object

Object (O) is a sufferer of the action and is not compulsory. It follows the verb phrase and occurs with transitive verbs. Objects may be nouns, pronouns in accusative case or subordinate clauses. The object can be moved to become a subject of the corresponding passive clause. (Everyone loves her. -> She is loved (by everyone).

Direct object (OD) is the most usual, an answer for Who? What? (We parked the car over there.) It generally follows immediately after the verb, except when an indirect object intervenes. Basically, the subject does something (expressed be predicative) and that something is the direct object. (He bought biscuits.) Sometimes English verbs require a direct object even though it has no meaning. (Take it easy! = relax)

Indirect object (IO) comes between the predicate and the direct object and is normally optional, expressing an answer for To who/to what? (Komu/čemu?). It occurs after ditransitive verbs such as give and tell and generally denotes people receiving something.

[^S(Tom) ^P(showed) _NP^Oi(me) ^Od(his toys)].

Indirect object can be replaced by an adverbial: [^S(Tom) ^P(showed) ^Od(his toys) _PP^A(to me)].

Complement

Subject complement (Cs) characterises the subject and follows the predicate that must be copular (be, become, seem, appear, feel, grow, look, smell, taste and sound).

^S(Tolkien) ^P(was) ^Cs(a great writer). Peter is a very good student.

Object complement (Co) characterises and follows a direct object. The main verb has to be transitive (make, find, consider, name).

 ^S(Everyone) ^P(considered) ^O(Tolkien) ^Co(a great writer). I find your garden very tidy.

Adverbial

Adverbial (A) tells us something more about whole the sentence or the verb. Sometimes we must use it to complete the meaning – obligatory adverbials, making the sentence meaningless when removed (John put flowers in a vase.).

If there is more than one adverb in a sentence, the order is manner, place and time. (She waited nervously at the airport for five hours.)