Week 3

Question 1

Main clause

Answer 1

When a clause is not part of a larger clause.

Question 2

Subordinate clause

Answer 2

When a clause is part of a larger clause.

Question 3

Each clause contains…

Answer 3

One lexical verb (the head of the VP predicate).

Question 4

How do you find the number of subclauses in a sentence?

Answer 4

The number of lexical verbs minus one, since the main clause also contains one lexical verb.

Question 5

Complement (in the form of/as) a subclause: “They alleged that the press misled readers.”

Answer 5

1. They alleged
2. They alleged what?
   That the press misled readers.
   Allege has a complement in the form of a subclause.

Question 6

Classification concerning form: what do the lexical verbs make of a part of the sentence?

Answer 6

1. Finite subclause
2. Non-finite subclause

Question 7

Subclauses that are complements or subjects can only be…

Answer 7

1. Declarative subclause
2. Interrogative subclause

Question 8

Which complementiser is not obligatory in English?

Answer 8

That

[I think [Ø Sue has left]].

Question 9

What are complementisers good for in sentences?

Answer 9

They “introduce” subordinate clauses and encode the clause-type of a subordinate clause.

[John believes [that Sue has left]]
• That encodes declarative clause-type, indicates that s2 is a statement.

[John asked [whether Sue has left]]
• Whether encodes interrogative clause-type, indicates that s2 is a question.

Question 10

What do we use S’ for?

Answer 10

To distinguish between complementation and S-level modification.

Question 11

The syntactic relationship of complementisers

Answer 11

Complementisers (COMPs) enter into a head-complement relation with sentences.

COMP and S are dominated by S’.

Question 12

How can subordinate clauses occupy positions like the subject and the direct object?

Answer 12

Subject:
[Whether John will be fired] is currently unknown.
! Called a subject subordinate clause.

Direct object of transitive verb:
Lucy denied [that John will be fired].

Direct object of ditransitive verb:
Lucy told Sue [that John will be fired].

Question 13

What is subject extraposition and what are the steps?

Answer 13

A transformation that sentences with clausal subjects can undergo.

Step 1: move the clausal subject to an “extra position” at the end of the sentence.
Step 2: fill in the empty subject position with the expletive pronoun it.

Question 14

What happens to the sentence Whether John will be fired is currently unknown if it undergoes subject extraposition?

Answer 14

It is currently unknown whether John will be fired.

Question 15

In a tree, what is the position that the “extra position” occupies?

Answer 15

The “extra position” is sister to S and daughter to S.

Question 16

Extrapolated subjects do not…

Answer 16

Occupy a nominal position.

Question 17

How do you mark a subject subordinate clause in a tree?

Answer 17

S’

Question 18

Complex transitive verbs

Answer 18

Verbs with two complements.

Question 19

What must happen if a subordinate clause is used as a direct object of a complex transitive verb?

Answer 19

It must undergo obligatory object extraposition.

Otherwise the sentence would go from “John made himself known” to: John made that he objects to the proposal known.

Question 20

Subordinate clauses can also occur as complements (in positions after other heads), in which environments?

Answer 20

1. As the complement of N: only declarative subclauses.
2. As the complement of A: only declarative subclauses.
3. As the complement of P: only interrogative subclauses.

Question 21

A sentence where S’ is complement to V

Answer 21

His absence [VP: indicates that he approves].

Question 22

A sentence where S’ is complement to A

Answer 22

His absence is [AP: indicative that he approves].

Question 23

A sentence where S’ is complement to N

Answer 23

His absence is [NP: an indication that he approves].

Question 24

Proposition

Answer 24

Something that can be true or false.

Question 25

Declarative subordinate clauses can be…

Answer 25

They can be complements to nouns that suggest/denote propositions.

[NP: The claim that the Earth is flat] is false.

s23.

Question 26

What are the steps to identify the functions of subclauses?

Answer 26

1. How many finite verbs are in the main clause?
2. Is there a that-clause with unrealised ‘that’ (Ø)?
3. Does a subclause function as a direct object? Sister to…?
4. Does a subclause function as an adverbial (e.g. when you get older,).
5. Does a subclause function as a subject complement (sister to…)?
6. Coordination?
7. Does a subclause function as a relative clause (e.g. where they tell you).
8. Subject extraposition

Question 27

Subclauses that are modifiers:

Answer 27

Subclauses that are modifiers:
1. Relative clauses
2. Adverbial clauses

Question 28

[John believes [that Sue has left]]

That encodes…

Answer 28

…a declarative clause-type, indicates that s2 is a statement.

Question 29

‘Whether’ encodes…

[John doesn’t know [whether Sue has left]].

Answer 29

…an interrogative clause, indicating that s2 is a question.

Question 30

A sentence with a DO of a transitive verb

Answer 30

Lucy denied [that John will be fired].

Question 31

A sentence with a DO of a ditransitive verb

Answer 31

Lucy told Sue [that John will be fired].