Nonfinite Clauses

Clause Overview
A clause is another name for a sentence. A simple sentence is also called an independent clause. Other clause types are used as parts of sentences. A dependent or subordinate clause is a sentence that has been changed to make it into a unit that can be combined with another sentence--to make a longer and more complex sentence. In the following example, an adverbial clause is added. The adverbial clause has the internal structure of a sentence--it has a subject and a predicate. She will major in sociology because she wants to learn more about social structures.

The Longman Student Grammar calls this type of clause a finite clause. The terms finite and nonfinite are widely used in linguistics and grammar studies to label important differences between clauses like the one in our example--with a full verb phrase that has "tense"--and other clauses that have the internal structure of sentences without having a full complete verb phrase.

Nonfinite Defined Finite refers to time. We're more accustomed to the term infinitive. The in- means "not." That is, infinitive means "nonfinite." An infinitive is a verb without tense. That's all that is involved. Verb phrases with tense are called "finite" while verbs without tense are called "nonfinite." Grammarians talk about finite and nonfinite verb phrases and finite and nonfinite clauses.

Nonfinite verb phrases do not carry tense. Their main verb is either a to-infinitive [3], a bare infinitive [4], an -ed form [5], or an -ing form [6]: [3] David loves [to play the piano] [4] We made [David play the piano] [5] [Written in 1864], it soon became a classic [6] [Leaving home] can be very traumatic Matrix clauses are always finite, as in [1] and [2]. However, they may contain nonfinite subordinate clauses within them. For example: [MC David loves [SubC to play the piano]]

Here we have a finite matrix clause -- its main verb loves has the present tense form. Within it, there is a nonfinite subordinate clause to play the piano -- its main verb play has the to-infinitive form. On the other hand, subordinate clauses can be either finite or nonfinite: Finite: He said [SubC that they stayed at a lovely hotel] -- past tense Nonfinite: I was advised [SubC to sell my old car] -- to-infinitive

CLAUSES Sentences can be complex and include a main clause, what we call main sentence, or a subordinate clause, what we call clause. There are 3 types of clauses: noun clauses, adjectival clauses and adverbial clauses. Noun clauses: A clause which acts as the subject or object (O) or as the complement (C) Adjectival or Relative clauses: They refer to nouns (generally) and therefore perform the same syntactic function as the preceding noun or antecedent, this means they are PART of whatever syntactic function that noun performs in the sentence. For instance, The girl who is eating prawns is Russian who is eating prawns is the relative clause which is modifying girl, so the subject of is Russian is the whole idea The girl who is eating prawns. Likewise, I dont like the film we saw last night has the relative clause we saw last night modifying film, so the object of the main sentence (I dont like) is the film we saw last night, and not the film only. Adverbial clauses Nonfinite clauses can be used as adverbials. Infinitives are often used to give meanings in "reason" or "purpose" subcategories of the larger "process" category. In this example, the reason for the action is given with an infinitive: John came to GSU to get a master's degree in TESL/TEFL. Participle clauses come in two types: those with -ing participles and those with -ed participles. They, too, have meanings in the process or manner category: Tired from studying all afternoon, she went for a walk.

Opening the book slowly and tentatively, she began to read. Again, these clauses are called "nonfinite" because the verb phrases do not have tense. They are recognizably verb phrases (and actually predicates since they combine verb phrase with objects and even adverbials) but they have been changed to make them usable as sentence elements that we call "nonfinite clauses." There are different types: time clauses, (CCT), place (CCL), manner (CCM), comparison, reason or cause (CCC), purpose (CCF), result (consecutivas), conditional, concession.

Clauses can be finite or non-finite In other words, they may have a finite verb (a verb with a subject in a tense) or a non-finite verb (an infinitive, a present participle [-ing] or a past participle, no subject).

NOTE: Square brackets indicate the clause, underlined word(s) indicate the link in finite clauses and the non-finite verb in non-finite.

Type of CLAUSE Noun clauses

FINITE CLAUSES [What you said] was great > subject

NON-FINITE CLAUSES

(Infinitive, Present participle) [To give up at this stage] would be a pity > non-finite noun clause, infinitive, subject [Closing the factory] would mean unemployment for all > non-finite noun clause, gerund, subject

Adjectival Clauses or Relative Clauses

We bought the house [which you had rented] > object, part of the object!

(Infinitive, Present and Past Participles) I have something [to tell you] > non-finite adjectival clause; infinitive The thieves took two bags [containing $2,000] > present participle I couldn't read the instructions [given in the manual] > past participle

Adverbial Clauses*

I shall see you [when we return] > time adverbial

(Infinitive, Present and Past Participles, Perfect Participle) [To speed up the process] she bought a computer > non-finite adverbial clause, infinitive of purpose

[While travelling by air], she was taken sick [Given time], she'll do the job extremely well [Having finished their task], they went out for a drink

*TYPES OF ADVERBIAL CLAUSES [link example] TIME Ill show it to you [when you come back]; or [When you come back], Ill We could do it [whenever you like]

CONNECTORS when, whenever, while, as, since / ever since, after, before, until/till, as soon as, then, during, the sooner, no sooner...than, hardly... when, immediately, the moment, the minute

PLACE I am always meeting her [where I least expect her] MANNER He solved the problem [as one might have expected] COMPARISON He writes [as incoherently as he speaks] Her stepmum treated her more kindly [than any real mum would have done] REASON OR CAUSE He stole the money [because he was out of work] [Since we haven't seen him], we must assume he isn't coming [Having heard nothing from her], we assumed she wasn't coming (reversible + ,) PURPOSE She spent most of her time studying [so that she might later

where, wherever

as, as if, as though

as (as...as, not so...as, as much...as), more/-er....than..., less...than

because, as, since, for (sometimes: if), seeing that

Alternative linkers: so, therefore

so that, in order that, for fear that, in case, lest,

get a better job] [To speed up the job], she bought a computer (it can be reversed) RESULT The boy was so exhausted [that he fell asleep on the bus] Weapon production is now increasing so much [as to constitute a major problem] CONDITION** [If I were rich], I would go on a world cruise (It can be reversed) We could leave now [provided we called her first] CONCESSION [Although she is over eighty], she's still very active (reversed; ,) Alternative link: in spite of the fact that

Non-finite purpose: to-infinitive (specific), for + -ing (general), in order to, so as to, for +noun/pron+ to-inf so so+ adj/adv + that such + (adjective+) noun + that

if, unless, whether whether...or not, as/so long as, provided that, supposing, on condition that

although/though, even though, even if, while, no matter, however + adj/adv, whatever, wherever, whenever, as + "be"

**CONDITIONAL SENTENCES can be: General (pres.+pres.), Real/Likely or Reales/Probables (pres + will), Hypothetical/Unlikely or Hipotticas/ Improbables (past+would), or Impossible (Plusc.+would have V-ed). Notes by michelle@mujerpalabra.net, in http://www.mujerpalabra.net/clasesytalleres/english/english.htm

Participles as Adjectives vs. Participles as Adverbials

Consider these sets of made-up examples: 1a. The noise made by the car suggested an engine problem. 1b. Tired from the trip, we went to bed right after dinner. 2a. The tall women standing in the corner are from Brazil. 2b. Standing in the corner, the tall women watched the other people in the classroom closely. 1a and 2a show participle clauses that have adjectival function; they come after the noun and are attached to it and have become part of it. They can be analyzed as reduced relative clauses: 1a. The noise that was made by the car suggested an engine problem. 2a. The tall women who are standing in the corner are from Brazil.

While the other clauses have the same types of words and the same organization, they have different functions--and are analyzed as coming from different sourses. 1b and 2b are actually adverbial in function and meaning. 1b. Because we were tired from the trip, we went to bed right after dinner. 2b. While they were standing in the corner, the tall women watched the other people in the classroom closely. Here's are authentic sentences from my sociology source. They're from a chapter opener that tells the story of an anthropologist's encounters with another culture. Anthropologist Napolean Chagnon was nearing the end of a three-day journey to the home territory of the Yanomamo, one of the most technologically primitive societies remaining on earth. The anthropologist's clothes were soaked with perspiration, and his face and hands were swollenfrom the bites of innumerable gnats swarming around him. He and his guide climbed from the boat and walked toward the village, stooping as they pushed their way through the dense undergrowth. Entering the world of Yanomamo, Chagnon experienced a severe case of culture shock, personal disorientation that accompanies exposure to an unfamiliar way of life. Some twelve thousand Yanomamo live in villages scattered along the border of Venezuala and Brazil. Reassured that he would survive at least the afternoon, he was still horrified by his inablility to make any sense of the people surrounding him.

Structure of English Language

Nonfinite Clauses
y y y Noun Clause Adverbial Clause Adjectival Clause

Submitted to: Prof. Estrellita C. Talag Submitted by: Malonzo, Andrea Claire C. ED41