Canonical and non-canonical clause structures

Szilágyi Szandra

Angol szintaxis tanároknak

Spring 2015

Canonical and non-canonical clausesTransform the sentences into the most basic and elementary structures.

Grammar isn’t the greatest joy in life.

Does tyranny begin with the laws of grammar?

They say that the English language is work in progress.

Grammarians make no new thoughts, but thoughts make new grammar.

The passive voice should never be used by us.

Canonical and non-canonical clauses

Grammar isn’t the greatest joy in life. Grammar is the greatest joy in life.

Does tyranny begins with the laws of grammar? Tyranny begins with the laws of grammar.

They say that the English language is work in progress. The English language is work in progress.

Grammarians make no new thoughts, but thoughts make new grammar. Thoughts make new grammar.

The passive voice should never be used by us. We should never use the passive voice.

Canonical and non-canonical clauses Grammar isn’t the greatest joy in life. Grammar is the greatest joy in life. POSITIVE

Does tyranny begin with the laws of grammar? Tyranny begins with the laws of grammar. DECLARATIVE

They say that the English language is a work in progress. The English language is a work in progress.MAIN CLAUSE

Grammarians make no new thoughts, but thoughts make new grammar. Thoughts make new grammar. NON-COORDINATE

The passive voice should never be used by us. We should never use the passive voice.

ACTIVE

Parts of speech, phrasesChoose the odd word/phrase out in each set – the one that does not belong to that particular category.(e.g.: built (V), door, garden, room, window)

1 could may should will want

2 are can has be was

3 me every ours someone they

4 after at during into upwards

5 and because or too when

6 college class grammar learn teacher

7 angry hungry lonely obviously silly

8 cause insist must persuade suggest

9 an how my no whose

10 afterwards badly friendly now soon

11 awful useful handful skilful wonderful

12 that if when whether and

13 the Red Cross last week both stars visible a lot of people in London

14 off the map just like me one of us out of the window upon arrival

Parts of speech, phrases

8 primary word classes/parts of speech:

Verb (built, learn, …) Noun (grammar, class, …) Adjective (angry, silly, …) Adverb (obviously, badly, …) Determinative (every, an, …)

Preposition (at, into, …) Coordinator (and, or, …) Subordinator (that, if, …)

Phrases:

Verb Phrase [write letters] Noun Phrase [new house] Adjective Phrase [rather

late] Adverb Phrase [too soon] Determinative Phrase [very

little] Preposition Phrase [in the

garden]

The structure of canonical clauses a canonical clause consists of a Subject followed by a

Predicate:Subject Predicate

One of his friends I called the doctor

Grammatical properties that help to identify the Subject:

POSITION: before the Predicate

FORMATION OF INTERROGATIVES: inverting with the 1st auxiliary/appropriate form of do

INTERROGATIVE TAGS: personal pronoun Subject relates back to the Subject

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT: verb’s person-number properties are determined by the Subject

The structure of canonical clauses

Predicator: the function filled by the verb

Complement: is licensed by the verb

verb permits/requires it

Adjunct: is not licensed by the verb

independent of the verb

Complement Adjunct

She mowed I the lawn I before it started to rain.

The structure of canonical clauses

Finish the following sentences using the phrases on the slips. Find as many solutions as you can.

1. Our cat is … 2. We made … 3. I consider … 4. They disappeared … 5. We put … 6. He became … 7. They bought … 8. Peter sent …

VERY STUPID

ON THE TABLE

ANGRY A HOUSE ECSTATIC

OUR BOSS A CAKE ME A MISTAKE SOME FLOWERS

Our cat is…

We made…

I consider…

They disappeared…

We put…

He became…

They bought…

Peter sent…

The structure of canonical clauses

On the basis of the presence or absence of the Complement types considered so far we can distinguish the following canonical clause structures:

Example Structure Name

i. They disappeared. S-V (Ordinary) intransitive

ii. They were ecstatic.They became angry.

S-V-Cs Complex-intransitive / Copular

iii. They bought a house. S-V-Od (Ordinary) monotransitive

iv. They considered him a charlatan.I put the books on the table.

S-V-Od-Co

S-V-Od-AdvComplex-transitive

v. They sent her some flowers. S-V-Oi-Od Ditransitive