Transcript clause

Sentence Structure
An Introduction to Clause Analysis
ENGLISH & LEARNING SKILLS
1
The Mechanics of
Paragraphs, Sentences & Punctuation
2
3 Elements of Sentences
1. Individual Words (Parts of Speech)
•
Nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns,
subordinators
2. Groups of Words
•
Clauses (main, dependent, relative), phrases
3. Punctuation
•
Commas, colons, hyphens, question marks,
full-stops
3
Text 1
Freud was born in 1856. He was born in
Austria. He attended the Sperl Gymnasium.
He graduated in 1873. He turned to medicine
as a career. At the University of Vienna he
worked with Ernst von Brucke. He trained
with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert. He
was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology
in 1885. In 1938 he was forced into exile.
4
Simple Sentences
He (subject) studied (verb) hard.
We (subject) went (verb) to the Skillzone.
5
Problems with Simple Sentences
•
BORING
•
REPETITIVE
•
RESTRICTIVE – BASED ON
FACTS
6
Uses of the Simple Sentence
• Instructions
• Reports: procedures / methods
BECAUSE:
• They are clear
• They are easy to understand
7
Text 2
Freud was born in 1856 and attended the
Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873
then turned to medicine as a career, so he
went to the University of Vienna and worked
with Ernst von Brucke and trained with the
psychiatrist
Theodor
Maynert
and
was
appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in
1885, but was forced into exile in 1938.
8
Compound Sentences
Simple sentences joined together by
coordinating conjunctions
and, or, but, and then.
• Simplistic
• Monotonous
9
Options
•
Use no more than one or two
co-ordinating conjunctions in a
compound sentence.
Freud was born in 1856 and attended the Sperl
Gymnasium.
•
Join compound
semi-colons.
sentences
using
Freud was an educated man; he studied medicine.
10
The “Complex” Solution
Use ‘COMPLEX’ SENTENCES
Compress several sentences into one.
•
WEIGHTY
•
CONSIDERED
•
SOPHISTICATED & INTERESTING
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Text 3: Example 1
He attended the Sperl Gymnasium and
graduated
in
1873,
subsequently
turning to medicine as a career.
12
Example 1 Examined
• Clause 1 – expresses main statement
He attended the Sperl Gymnasium and
graduated in 1873
• Clause 2 – adds information
subsequently turning to medicine as a career
13
Text 3: Example 2
After
he
began
training
with
the
psychiatrist Theodor Maynert, Freud
was
appointed
lecturer
in
neuro-
pathology in 1885.
14
Example 2 Examined
• Main clause – expresses main statement
Freud was appointed
pathology in 1885.
lecturer
in
neuro-
• Subordinate Clause – adds information
After he began training with the psychiatrist
Theodor Maynert,
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What is a Main Clause?
A group of words that conveys the main idea
of a sentence.
• always has a subject;
• always has a main verb.
Freud went to the University of Vienna.
He worked with Ernst von Brucke.
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Subordinate Clauses
• Also have a subject
• Also have a main verb
But
• Are always INTRODUCED by a word like:
‘although’, ‘because’, ‘when’
17
Note: Co-ordinate Clauses
Sometimes sentences have more than one
clause of equal importance:
Freud attended the Sperl Gymnasium and
graduated in 1873.
He was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology
in 1885, but was forced into exile in 1938.
Both parts of each sentence are of
equal importance.
18
Caution!
• Main clauses can stand
alone
as
fully
functioning sentences.
• Subordinate
clauses
depend for their sense
on the main clause.
They do not make
sense by themselves
because
they
are
incomplete.
19
Subordinate Conjunctions
although
since
while
which
despite
unless
even though
if
subsequently
because
where
until
21
Functions of Subordinate Clauses
• WHEN events happened
• WHY / REASON
• HOW
• WHAT concessions are
being made
• WHAT limits are being
set
• WHAT conditions are
being imposed
22
Punctuating Complex Sentences
The comma is the stop used
between main and independent
clauses – it’s not always needed,
but sometimes it’s crucial.
23
Examples
•
Freud had a daughter, who
psychotherapist.
(He only had ONE daughter.)
was
a
•
Freud had a daughter who was
psychotherapist.
(He had MORE than one daughter.)
a
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• All the students who were in the Great Hall at
the time were discussing Freud.
(ONLY the students in the Great Hall were
doing this, but there were other students.)
• All the students, who were in the Great Hall at
the time, were discussing Freud.
(There were no other students apart from
those in the Great Hall.)
25
• However we may feel, Freud’s a scientist
rather than a humanist.
(ie it doesn’t matter whether we feel he’s right
or wrong.)
• However, we may feel Freud’s a scientist
rather than a humanist.
(ie on the other hand.)
26
Relative Clauses
Defining Relative Clauses
The gales which swept across Britain
last night caused widespread damage.
The pipeline which carries the town’s
water supplies has been severed.
27
Relative Clauses
Non-Defining Relative Clauses
The gales, which swept across Britain
last night, caused widespread damage.
The pipeline, which carries the town’s
water supplies, has been severed.
28
Complex Complex Sentences
Complex sentences can consist of
a
main
clause
and
several
subordinate clauses which may cut
across each other.
30
Text 4
Even though he was a famous psychiatrist
and loved his children, Freud got cross with
Anna because she had eaten all the cakes
which Martha had made while he had been
busy writing The Interpretation of Dreams.
31
Analysing Text 4
• Freud was cross with Anna – Main Clause
• Even though he was a famous psychiatrist –
Sub Cl
• who loved his children – Sub Cl
• because she had eaten all the cakes – Sub Cl
• which Martha had made – Sub Cl
• while he had been busy writing
Interpretation of Dreams – Sub Cl
The
32
Shifting the Emphasis
Freud, who was a famous psychiatrist and
loved his children, was busy writing The
Interpretation of Dreams while Anna was
eating all the cakes which Martha had made
for him.
33
Foregrounding
Identifying the main clause in a
sentence helps you to understand a
writer’s personal view or slant on
what he or she has written.
34
The Phrase
Sentences may also contain PHRASES –
these are not clauses. They:
• can be a single word – ‘however’, ‘recently’;
• several words – ‘on the other hand’; ‘on a
good day’ . . .
• can include verbs, but only ending with:
-ing / -ed / -en / -nt
35