Clause Elements and

Clause Patterns
The clause is the key element
of syntax, capable of occurring
independently (i.e. without
being part of any other unit)
It is useful to think of the
clause as a unit that can
stand alone as an expression
of a ‘complete thought’.
The clause is a complete
description of an event or state
of affairs. The key element of
the clause is the verb phrase.
 S (subject)
V (verb)
Clause O(object)
elements
C (complement)
A (adverbial)
 Example Pattern
 1. Sarah and Michael  1. Subject (S) + Verb (V)
disappeared.  2. Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Direct
These are  2. She changed her dress. Object (Od)

examples of  3. The Swiss cheese has gone

 3. Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Subject
Complement (Cs)
bad.
the basic  4. Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Adverbial
 4. Marc was in the bathroom. (A)
clause patterns  5. You gave her the wrong kind of  5. Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Indirect
egg. Oject (Oi) + Direct Object (Od)
 6. That makes me so mad.  6. Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Direct
Oject (Od) + Object Complement
 7. They’re sending us to (Co)
Disneyland.  7. Subject (S) + Verb (V) + Direct
Object (Od) + Ardervial (A)
 Five major valency
patterns
The valency of the
The verb verb controls the
phrase is the kinds of elemets that  Intransitive (SV)
central or follow it.  Monotransitive (SVO)
pivotal The valency refers to  Copular (SVC)
element in the pattern of clause  Ditransitive (SVOO)
elements that occur
each clause with a verb.  Complex transitive
(SVOC) or (SVOA)
  Intransitive means that a verb does not require any obligatory
complementation.
 Monotransitive means that the verb demands one direct object
(Od) as obligatory complementation.
 Copular means that the verb requires one complement (Cs) or
adverbial (A) as obligatory complementation.
Valency  Ditransitive means that the verb demands two objects as
Patterns obligatory complementation, one direct object (Od)and one
indirect object (Oi).
 Complex transitive means that the verb requires one direct object
(Od) and one object complement (Co) or one direct object (Od)
and one adverbial (A) as obligatory complementation.
  1. Sarah and Michael disappeared. (intransitive)
S V

 2. She changed her dress. (monotransitive)

S V Od

 3. The Swiss cheese has gone bad. (copular)

S V Cs

Valency  4. Marc was in the bathroom. (copular)

Patterns S V A

 5. You gave her the wrong kind of egg. (ditransitive)

S V Oi Od

 6. That makes me so mad. (complex transitive)

S V Od Co

 7. They’re sending us to Disneyland. (complex transitive)

S V Od A
Clause elements are
phrases that serve
syntactic roles in the
clause
  It is the central element of the clause.
 It expresses the action or state to which
The verb (V) other elemnts relate.
 It controls the kinds of elements and
meanings that can be in the clause.
  It is the second most important element.
 The subject is a noun phrase.
 It occurs with all types of verbs.
 Subject pronouns are in the subjective case.
 The subject precedes the verb.
 It determines the number of the verb (singular or plural)
The Subject (S)
 The subject of a transitive verb can be made the agent in a passive
construction.
 It denotes the most important participant in the action or state
denoted by the verb. With transitive verbs it is the ‘doer’ or agent
of the action.
 the subject generally represents, i.e. the entity that the clause is
about.
  An object is a noun phrase.
 It usually follows the verb.
 It only occurs with transitive verbs.
 An object pronoun is in the accusative case (him, her, me, etc.)
 The object noun phrase of a transitive verb can be moved to
become the subject of the corresponding passive clause.
The Object (O)  Three valency patterns contain objects: monotransitive,
ditransitive and complex transitive.
 The direct object denotes the entity affected by the action or
process of the verb.
 The indirect object usually comes before the direct object (*).
 The indirect object generally denotes people receiving something
or benefiting from the action of the verb.
  A complement can be an adjective phrase, a noun phrase, or
occasionally a prepositional phrase.
 It follows the verb phrase.

The  It has the semantic role of characterizing a preceding noun phrase.

 There are two types of complements: the Cs and the Co.
Complement
 Cs characterize or specify the subject noun phrase. The main verb
(C) has to be a copular verb.
 Co characterize or specify the direct object noun phrase. It
normally follows the Od. The main verb has to be a complex
transitive verb.
  Obligatory adverbials can occur with two patterns: the copular
patterns and the complex transitive pattern.
 Obligatory adverbials usually express place or direction (although
they can also express time or manner)
 Obligatory adverbials have to be ready in order to complete the
structure and meaning of the verb.
 Optional adverbials can be added to clauses with any type of verb.
The Adverbial  Optional A are usually adverb phrases, prepositional phrases, or
noun phrases.
(A)  Optional A can be placed in different positions in a single clause.
 More than one can occur in a single clause.
 Optional A are rather loosely attached to the rest of the clause.
 Optional A add additional information to the clause, covering a
wide variety of menaings (place, time, manner, instrument, agency,
concession, purpose, result, etc.)
  Copular: appear, be, feel, look, seem, smell, sound,
taste, become,get, go, grow, prove, turn, keep.

Syntactic  Intransitive: arrive, matter, smoke, read, drink, stop.

 Monotransitive: believe, need, make, take, use, win,
classes of close, do, enjoy, hear, love, lose, etc.

verbs  Ditransitive: give, teach, hand, pay, ask, tell, show,

remind, congratulate, accuse, inform, lend, promise, etc.
 Complex transitive: appoint, believe, call, choose,
consider, declare, elect, find, get, like, make, name,
prefer, think, want.