UNIT 3: Syntactic functions of clause elements
1. The two basic constituents of a sentence.
The most basic constituents of a sentence are the subject and the predicate.
2. Other constituents of a sentence, which of them are compulsory and which are
optional?
Within the predicate, the predicator, the object and the complement are compulsory.
The adjuncts are optional.
3. What is the difference between Objects and Complements?
Objects encode the key participants in the event other than the subject; meanwhile
complements encode constituents that are not participants but are normally required
both syntactically and semantically.
4. What is the difference between Objects and Adjuncts?
Objects are required in order for the sentence to be grammatically correct. Adujnts,
on the other hand, do not complete the meaning of the verb and are not required
elements.
5. What is the difference between Complements and Adjuncts?
Complements are required and cannot be omitted; adjuncts can be omitted and the
sentence is still grammatically correct.
6. Define the subject in syntactic terms. In which type of structure/s is the subject
absent in English? Give an example.
The subject is the part of the sentence that usually comes first and of which the rest
of the sentence is predicated. The subject is obligatory in English but tends to be
absent in imperative clauses, e.g. Call me!
7. With regard to the subject, what is the difference between English and
Spanish?
In Spanish, the subject is not an obligatory element whereas in English it is.
8. What do we mean by “dummy subjects”? Define and give examples.
Dummy subjects consist of using it or there to fill the subject slot. They have no
semantic meaning. There is no food in the fridge. It is Friday already.
9. Two prototypical realisations of the subject. Give examples of each one.
- The subject pronoun it and demonstratives.
- Initial it
10. Which is the most informative part in a sentence?
The most informative part in a sentence is the predicate.
11. List the basic grammatical components of the predicate.
The predicate consists of the verb, objects, complements and adjuncts; being the first
one the most important.
12. Predicate: definition from a discourse perspective.
From a discourse perspective, the predicate is analysed into elements of information
structure such as new or comment. The predicate fulfils three discourse factors:
- to present given information before new information;
- to place ‘heavier’ elements at the end of the clause;
- to mark the first element of the clause as the topic of the discourse.
13. What kind of information do Objects give to the sentences?
Objects allude to the other participants in the communicative situation in hand.
