Nominal Clauses (A Summary)

NOMINAL CLAUSES there are several types of nominal clauses: 1. that -clauses -clauses 2. wh-interrogative -interrogative clauses 3.  yes-no and alternative interrogative interrogative clauses 4. excl exclam amat ativ ive e clau clause ses s 5. nomina nominall rela relativ tive e clau clauses ses 6. to-innitive clauses . -ing clauses !. "are "are inn inniti itive ve clause clauses s #. ver" ver"le less ss clau clause ses s

that - clauses $ may function as: a%   subject &That he killed his aunt is unclear to me. %  it mostly functions as tree .% a su"'ect postponed & It is known that apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. "%   object &I told you that he isn’t going to come .% c%   subject complement  &My assumption is that interest rates will soon fall. % d%   appositive &He presented an idea that was supposed to save the company .% e%   adjectival complementation  &I’m glad that you came .% $ that  can  can "e omitted (ithout changing the meaning ) a *ero- that  clause  clause &+,that  clause%  clause% ) its particularly common (hen the clause is "rief and uncomplicated $ the retention of that  is  is necessary in some cases: a% to clarify clarify (hethe (hetherr an adver"ial adver"ial "elongs "elongs to the matrix matrix or the the that -clause -clause  the situation was serious. /They told us that &They told us once again that  the once again the situation was serious. % "% to preve prevent nt a coor coordin dinate ated d that -clause -clause "eing misinterpreted as a coordinated  everybody accepts my main clause &I realize that I’m in charge and that  everybody leadership. / I realize that I’m in charge and everybody accepts my leadership%  she ever said such a thing I c% (hen (hen the the o"' o"'ec ectt that -clause -clause is fronted & That  she simply don’t believe.% d% (hen (hen a clause or long phrase phrase interv intervenes enes "t( "t( the ver" ver" and that -clause -clause &e decided! in view of his special circumstances! that  we  we would admit him for  a probationary period.% 

wh-interrogative wh-interrogative clause $ may function as: a%   subject &hat I don’t understand is why she left you. % on .% "%   direct object  &I don’t know what’s going on. you .% c%   subject complement  &hat I don’t understand is why she left you. it .% d%   appositives &"he gave me an idea what to do about it. prefers .% e%   adjectival complementation  &I’m not sure which she prefers. f%   prepositional complement  &They didn’t consult us on whose names should be put forward. forward.%

$ prepositions are often omitted "efore wh-clauses &e’ve solved the problem &of % (ho (as at fault.%

yes-no and alternative interrogative clauses $ occur in a (hole range of functions availa"le to su"ordinate clauses0 and may include indenite clauses $ yes-no clauses are introduced "y the su"ordinators whether  and if  &#o you know whether ,if  the banks are open.% $ alternative clauses are formed (ith the correlatives whether$ or  or if$ or  the su"ordinator is repeated only if the second unit is a full clause0 and may sometimes "e repeated (ith to-innitive clauses $ it can’t introduce a su"'ect clause0 a to-innitive clause and it cant "e follo(ed directly "y or not  &"ut it can "e postponed% 

eclamative clauses ! may function as: a%   etraposed subject  &It’s incredible how fast she can run. % "%   direct object  &I remember what a good time I had at your party. % c%   prepositional complement  &I read an account of what an impression you had made.% $ theyre formed (ith what  as a predeterminer in a  and how as an intensier of an ad'ective0 adver" or clause $ a su"ordinate clause may "e am"iguous "et(een exclamatory and interrogative interpretations &%ou can’t imagine what di&culties I have with my children  the great diculties or the inds of diculty / I told her how late she was  she (as very late or the extent to (hich she (as late 

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nominal relative clause $ introduced "y a wh-element0 (hich can "e a pronoun0 such as whoever  and what 0 a determiner0 such as what 0 or an adver"0 such as where $ it may function as: a%   subject &hoever you called last night is none of my business. % "%   direct object  &I don’t know where I put my book .% c%   indirect object  &He gave whoever asked for it a copy of his book. % d%  subject complement  &This place is where I want to live. % e%   object complement  &%ou can call me what&ever% you like.% f%   appositive &I’ll pay you the whole dept' what I originally borrowed and what I owe you in interest. % g%   prepositional complement  &%ou should vote for which &ever% candidate  you think best.% $ they reuire prepositions in ad'ective complementation & He’s aware of what I write.% $ to-innitive can also "e nominal relative clauses0 "ut only in the function of su"'ect and prepositional complement

$ the sux ) ever indicates (hether something is nonspecic &(hoever0 (hatever% $ a su"ordinate clause can "e am"iguous "t( a nominal relative and an interrogative interpretation & They asked me what I knew .  the things 7 ne( or 89hat do you no( / hat she wrote was a mystery.  ;
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to-innitive clause $ may function as: a%   subject &To be neutral in this con(ict is out of the )uestion. %  also as a su"'ect postponed "%   direct object  &I want to go somewhere. % c%   subject complement  &The best e*cuse is to say you’re sick. % d%   appositive &%our ambition! to become a farmer ! re)uires a lot of energy.% e%   adjectival complementation  &I’m very happy to have met you.% $ the presence of a su"'ect in a to-innitive clause reuires the presence of a preceding for 0 except (hen the clause is a direct o"'ect0 then for is generally a"sent "efore the su"'ect $ this form mostly indicates a proposition or possi"ility and is semantically closest to a that -clause (ith putative should &It’s natural for them to be together. + It’s natural that they should be together. % 

-ing clauses $ may function as: a%   subject &atching television is rela*ing.% "%   direct object  &I en,oy helping other people. % c%   subject complement  &He’s doing something good for the nation. % d%   appositive &His current research! investigating attitudes to racial stereotypes! takes up most of his time. % e%   adjectival complementation  &They’re busy preparing a barbecue.% $ if the ing clause has a su"'ect0 the su"'ect can "e in genitive or o"'ective case &I ob,ect to his,Mario’s receiving an invitation  ) genitive / I ob,ect to him,Mario receiving an invitation. - o"'ective% $ the genitive is preferred if the su"'ect is initial in the sentence & My forgetting her name is odd.% $ the genitive is avoided (hen the  is lengthy and reuires a group genitive &#o you remember the students and teachers protesting against the new rule % $ a formal )ing clause may refer to a fact or an action &=: %our driving a car to /% in your condition disturbs me greatly . / >: %our driving a car to /% took longer than I e*pected. %

bare in"nitive clauses $ mostly as su"'ect or su"'ect complement in a pseudo-cleft sentence & Turn o0 the tap was all I did.1

2 it can also function as an o"'ect complement (ith fe( superordinate ver"s &They made her pay for the damage. % and it can follo( prepositions of exception &"he did everything but make her bed. %

verbless clauses To be a friend $ a more de"ata"le category & 3 friend in need is a friend indeed. in need is to be a friend indeed. / 3re bicycles wise in heavy tra&c Is it wise to have bicycles in heavy tra&c / all-to-wall carpets in every room is their dream. Having wall-to-wall carpets in every room is their dream .% 

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