NOMINAL CLAUSES
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 566.
What, which, who, whose, whom, whoever, whatever
I know who will fail the exam.
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NOMINAL CLAUSESDate: 2015-10-07; view: 566. What, which, who, whose, whom, whoever, whatever I know who will fail the exam. | CONJUNC-TIVE ADVERBS where, when, whence, how, why, wherever, whenever, whoever This is wherehe lives. | RELATIVE PRONOUNS that, which, who, whose, whose, whom, as This is the student who failed the exam. | RELATIVE ADVERBS where, when, whence It's the place where he lives. |
Subordinate clauses may follow, precede or interrupt the principal clause.
Subordinate clauses perform the same syntactic functions as single words: subject, predicative, object, attribute, adverbial modifier.
Traditionally these numerous types of clauses are arranged in three groups: nominal clauses, attributive clauses, and adverbial clauses.
NOMINAL CLAUSES perform syntactic functions typical of a noun: subject, object and predicative.
1. SUBJECT CLAUSES
A SUBJECT CLAUSE may be introduced by conjunctions (that, if, whether, because, the way), conjunctive pronouns (who, whoever, what, whatever, which) conjunctive adverbs (where, wherever, when, whenever, how, why) and asyndetically.
What I need is a piece of good advice.
Because I ask too many questionsdoesn't mean I am curious.
It's a pity you were absent.
A subject clause can be introduced by the anticipatory (introductory, dummy) pronoun “it”.
It is strange that I am here.
(In this case we can change the word order and do without “it”: That I am here is strange.)
NOTE: Subject clauses are not separated by a comma.
2. OBJECT CLAUSES
AN OBJECT CLAUSE may be introduced by conjunctions (that, if, whether, lest), conjunctive pronouns (who, whoever, what, whatever, which), conjunctive adverbs (where, when, whenever, why, how) and asyndetically.
I wonder what you are doing here.
They were delighted with what they saw.
I knew you would come.
I could say nothing but that I was sorry.
I know when I am wasting time.
An object clause can refer to the anticipatory “it”.
I found it strange that she could speak so calmly.
NOTE: Object clauses are not separated by a comma.
3. PREDICATIVE CLAUSES
A PREDICATIVE CLAUSE performs the function of a predicative (i.e. the nominal part of the compound nominal predicate) and always follows link verbs (to be, to feel, to seem, to appear, to remain, to become, to sound).
A predicative clause may be introduced by conjunctions (that, if, whether, as, as if, as though, because, lest, the way), conjunctive pronouns (who, whoever, what, whatever, which), conjunctive adverbs (where, wherever, when, whenever, how, why) and asyndetically.
The fact is that I have forgotten everything.
The only reason for my coming is because I hoped to see you again.
You look as if you were happy.
The problem is you don't attend the classes.
The question is notwho will come, but who will stay.
It appears he hasn't been here.
A predicative clause may follow he main clause in which the subject is expressed by the impersonal pronoun “it”.
It appears as if the spring began by the act of Parliament.
Care should be taken not to confuse this last type of sentence with a sentence with a subject clause which begins with anticipatory pronoun “it”. With a subject clause “it” can be removed. Compare:
It seems that there is no cure. (predicative)
It seems evident that there is no cure. (=That there is no cureseems evident.) (subject)
NOTE: Predicative clauses are not separated by a comma.
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