English clause elements are the minimum set of units needed to describe the linear structure of a clause.
Traditionally, they are partly identified by terms such as subject and object. Their distribution in a clause is partly indicated by traditional terms defining verbs as transitive or intransitive.
Modern English reference grammars are in broad agreement as to a full inventory, but are not unanimous in their terminology or their classification. Clause elements may be identified by unique terms. However, they may be identified by more general terms and further classified according to the type of verb.
This grammar by Randolph Quirk, Sidney Greenbaum, Geoffrey Leech, and Jan Svartvik[1] recognises seven types of clause structure and seven positions where elements may be identified.[2]: 62 The elements of the clause structures are labelled with these terms and abbreviations:[2]: 49
Subject (S) | Verb (V) | Object (O) | Complement (C) | Adverbial (A) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indirect | Direct | Subject | Object | |||||
S
t r u c t u r e s |
a. | Someone | was laughing. | |||||
b. | My mother | enjoys | parties. | |||||
c. | The country | became | totally independent. | |||||
d. | I | have been | in the garden. | |||||
e. | Mary | gave | the visitor | a glass of milk. | ||||
f. | Most people | consider | these books | rather expensive. | ||||
g. | You | must put | all the toys | upstairs. |
These patterns correspond to a classification of the verb:[2]: 53–54
Clause type | Verb type | |
---|---|---|
a. | SV | INTRANSITIVE |
b. | SVO | TRANSITIVE (MONOTRANSITIVE) |
c. | SVC | COPULAR |
d. | SVA | COPULAR |
e. | SVOO | TRANSITIVE (DITRANSITIVE) |
f. | SVOC | TRANSITIVE (COMPLEX TRANSITIVE) |
g. | SVOA | TRANSITIVE (COMPLEX TRANSITIVE) |
The example sentences contain only obligatory clause elements. The same seven patterns are recognised for longer sentences with added optional adverbials.[2]: 49
This grammar recognises the seven patterns as above, but using partly different terms and abbreviations.[3]: 122 In addition, it recognises a clause type with a different verb type: a prepositional verb such as rely on which is followed by a prepositional object.[3]: 129
It also recognises two further types of adverbial. In i, to put it mildly is loosely attached to the clause It would be unfortunate. It expresses the attitude of the speaker/writer. The grammar uses the term and abbreviation stance adverbial (As).[3]: 131 In j, nevertheless functions as a connection between the clause and a preceding clause. The grammar uses the term and abbreviation linking adverbial (Al).[3]: 133
Subject (S) | Verb
Phrase (V) |
Indirect (Oi) | Direct (Od) | Prepositional (Op) | Subject (Ps) | Object (PO) | Circumstance (Ac) | Stance (As) | Linking (Al) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Object | Predicative | Adverbial | ||||||||
a. | Someone | was laughing. | ||||||||
b. | My mother | enjoys | parties. | |||||||
c. | The country | became | totally independent. | |||||||
d. | I | have been | in the garden. | |||||||
e. | Mary | gave | the visitor | a glass of milk. | ||||||
f. | Most people | consider | these books | rather expensive. | ||||||
g. | You | must put | all the toys | upstairs. | ||||||
h. | One | relied on | other people. | |||||||
i. | It | would be | unfortunate, | to put it mildly. | ||||||
j. | It | moves, | nevertheless. |
Thus the grammar recognises the patterns:[3]: 141–152
In clauses of types a-h the order of elements is normally fixed. However, stance adverbials and linking adverbials are more mobile. For example,
Subject (S) | Verb (V) | Object (O) | Complement (C) | Adverbial (A) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indirect | Direct | Subject | Object | ||||
a. | Someone | was laughing. | |||||
b. | My mother | enjoys | parties. | ||||
c. | The country | became | totally independent. | ||||
d. | I | have been | in the garden. | ||||
e. | Mary | gave | the visitor | a glass of milk. | |||
f. | Most people | consider | these books | rather expensive. | |||
g. | You | must put | all the toys | upstairs. |
This grammar recognises a basic distinction between predicator, complement and adjunct.[4]: 215
At this basic level, it recognises the elements numbered above with the following terms and abbreviations:[4]: 216
The term Adjunct (A) is reserved for elements which are not obligatory.[4]: 232
This produces the analyses:
At a more detailed level, the grammar distinguishes the complements between subject and predicative complement
Predicative complements are distinguished according to the verb type.[4]: 216 This produces the following analyses:
Verb type | Example clause | |
---|---|---|
Intransitive | a. | Someone [S] was laughing [P]. |
Transitive | b. | My mother [S] enjoys [P] parties [Od]. |
Complex-Intransitive | c. | The country [S] became [P] totally independent [PC].[4]: 263 |
Complex-Intransitive | d. | I [S] have been [P] in the garden [LC]. |
Ditransitive | e. | Mary [S] gave [P] the visitor [Oi] a glass of milk [Od]. |
Complex-Transitive | f. | Most people [S] consider [P] these books [Od] rather expensive [PC].[4]: 264 |
Complex-Transitive | g. | You [S] must put [P] all the toys [Od] upstairs [LC]. |