COROLLARY THEOREMS - ENGLISH GRAMMAR: COMPLEX SENTENCE SYNTAX

Corollary Theorems: COMPLEX SENTENCE SYNTAX

English Grammar Notes #13:

COMPLEX SENTENCE SYNTAX

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Definitions (fragment from Definition S2.0.1 in LSEG)

"Complex sentence" is a superior logic form of lexical structure, in which "clauses" are the basic building blocks. In a complex sentence, all constituent clauses work together towards building the meaning. As a minimum, a complex sentence contains:
A. one "main clause" (plus)
B. one or more "subordinate clauses"

"Clause" is the name used to mark the component sentences in a complex sentence. A clause may or may not have total/perfect meaning; therefore, it needs other clauses to fulfill it.

"Main clause" is the sentence containing the main/principal verb in a complex sentence. Main clause may or may not have total/perfect meaning, and it needs subordinate clauses to fulfill it.

"Subordinate clause" is a secondary/dependant clause in a complex sentence. Subordinate clauses help building the meaning in main clause, or in other subordinate clauses.

"Complex sentence syntax" is a superior form of grammatical analysis performed on complex sentences. Complex sentence syntax studies relational functionality developed between constituent clauses using "analogy to morphology" and "analogy to sentence syntax".

Complex sentence syntax is summarily presented according to the following simplified structure:
1. Coordination and Subordination
2. Analogy to Morphology
3. Analogy to Sentence Syntax
4. Conditional Complex Sentence

ATTENTION
These Grammar Notes are far from being sufficient to understand the topics presented. For accurate and detailed information we recommend LOGICALLY STRUCTURED ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION

The component clauses in a complex sentence may develop between them two types of main relations:
1. of coordination (or equality), when the component clauses are of the same type;
2. of subordination (or inferiority), when the component clauses belong to different categories.

Assembling clauses in a complex sentence is achieved using:
1. juxtaposition
2. connecting words

Juxtaposition means joining two clauses together using the following orthographic marks: commas, semicolons, and colons. This method should be discouraged, because it forms elliptical meanings. In contrast, using connecting words helps clarifying the meaning of the complex sentence, and it helps identifying particular subordinating relations developed between clauses.

Connecting words are divided in two main groups, each marking the existing relation between clauses:
A. of coordination
B. of subordination

The words used to achieve the coordination and subordination relations are:
1. conjunctions
2. phrases working as conjunction equivalents
3. interrogative and relative pronouns and adjectives
4. relative adverbs
5. adverbs working as conjunctions

Fragment from LSEG: forming complex sentences.

ANALOGY TO MORPHOLOGY

Subordinate clauses exhibit few basic, primary functions, similar to the morphologic sentence elements. Complex sentence analogy to morphology is an introduction needed to understand the more complex topics presented in analogy to sentence syntax.

Complex sentence analogy to morphology structures the subordinate clauses into:
1. noun clauses
2. adjective clauses
3. adverb clauses

Fragment from LSEG: subordinate clauses analogy to morphology.

ANALOGY TO SENTENCE SYNTAX

In addition to analogy to morphology, the subordinate clauses in a complex sentence perform functions similar to syntactical elements. Therefore, subordinate clauses may also be categorized as being:
1. subjective
2. predicative (or complement)
3. attributive
4. object
5. prepositional
6. adverbial

Fragment from LSEG: subordinate clauses analogy to sentence syntax.

Relative clauses (attention: relative clauses include relative adverbial clauses) are introduced by relative adjectives, relative pronouns, or relative adverbs which could be either explicit or implicit. To summarize, the introductory words used to introduce relative clauses are:
1. relative adjectives
2. relative pronouns
3. relative adverbs

All relative clauses are categorized as being either:
1. restrictive
2. descriptive

The introductory words presented above are common to many different categories of subordinate clauses, and that aspect makes difficult the process of identifying relative clauses appropriately. Therefore, a new group of subordinate clauses was created, named simply "relative", which includes the following categories:
1. principal
2. adjectival or attributive
3. noun
4. adverbial

ATTENTION
Relative clauses is one of the most difficult topics in English grammar--if not THE most difficult one. For details, please consult LSEG.

Fragment from LSEG: relative subordinate clauses classification.

CONDITIONAL COMPLEX SENTENCE

Using correctly conditional complex sentences is a tough skill. In most grammar books this topic is presented fairly confusing or insufficiently detailed--though, not in LSEG.

Definition
In its complete form, conditional complex sentence has two clauses:

1. a main clause containing the determined predicate;
2. a conditional subordinate clause expressing the condition on which depends the action of the predicate in main clause.

Between the verb [predicate] in conditional close and the verb [predicate] in main clause there are specific tenses agreement relations, dependant on the action expressed (in meaning) by the verb in conditional clause. Therefore, the action of the verb in conditional clause can be:
A. real (or possible, if the condition is in present or future tense)
B. unreal (or impossible, if the condition is in the past--therefore, impossible to execute)

Each situation above is handled by specific rules. Fragment from LSEG: conditional complex sentence, real action verbs rules.

LSEG: conditional complex sentence, real action verbs rule

When the verb in conditional clause describes unreal action (non-existent, wished, or a utopian one) the rules are far more restrictive. However, there are numerous exceptions. Fragment from LSEG: conditional complex sentence, unreal action verbs.

LSEG: conditional complex sentence, unreal action verbs

LSEG: conditional complex sentence, unreal action verbs

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