Declarative Content Clauses Flashcards
(25 cards)
Types of Declarative Content clauses
Bare Content Clauses and That Content Clauses
declarative content clause are also known as
“complement clause” or “noun clause”
the category:function of ‘that’
It serves as ‘marker:subordinator’ of the subordinated content.
Every that-content clause
has a bare content clause inside it
EG: I think that I know.
Examples to show the difference between bare and that content clauses
Bare content clause that content clause
I think I know. I think that I know.
Examples of Noun phrase as subject versus That-clause as subject
(to help understand order of information)
The lack of preparation concerns us. (Noun Phrase as Subject)
That we are not prepared for the future concerns us. (that-clause as subject
Functions of content clauses
It can serve as (complement in VP) (complement in PP) (complement in AdjP) (complement in NP) (subject) (delayed subject) (adjunct) (head of that content clause)
Examples of Content clauses as Complements
I heard he speaks Japanese. (complement in VP)
I laughed when I heard that joke. (complement in PP)
I was happy that you were there. (complement in AdjP)
The idea that we might miss you worried me. (complement in NP)
Examples of Content Clauses (other functions)
That he speaks Japanese is obvious. (subject)
It is unlikely that she missed the train. (delayed subject)
What happened that you left so soon? (adjunct)
It’s good that you came. (head of that content clause)
Most common verbs taking that-content-clause complements
be , think , know, believe, feel, realize, see, hope, find, understand, agree, say, suspect, learn
Most common Adj taking that-content-clause complements
sure, glad, surprised, afraid, aware, confident, certain, proud, sorry, happy, adamant, grateful,
most common nouns taking that-content-clause complements
thought, idea, feeling, hope, belief, suggestion, knowledge, likelihood, chance, danger, fact, news
Identify the function of the content clause in: She thought (that) it was there.
(complement in VP)
Identify the function of the content clause in:
That he bragged about it stinks.
(subject)
Identify the function of the content clause in:
We were impressed (that) you were there.
(complement in AdjP)
Identify the function of the content clause in:
Who won that everyone’s so happy?
(adjunct)
Identify the function of the content clause in:
It is good (that) we found out.
(delayed subject)
Identify the function of the content clause in:
They stopped after the siren sounded.
(complement in PP)
Identify the function of the content clause in: The thought (that) she might see changed things.
(complement in NP)
What is recursion?
One constituent inside another constituent of the same kind, this is called recursion.
Clause recursion Example
[I heard [that you told Maria [that Ahmed thought [that Jie would be there]]]].
Properties:
a declarative content clause as a complement of a verb
can be either ‘bare’ or ‘that’
Properties:
a declarative content clause as a complement of a preposition (after, before, if)
can have only bare content clauses
Eg: They stopped after the siren sounded.
Properties:
a declarative content clause as a subject
cannot be bare (must have a ‘that’)
Eg: That he bragged about it stinks.
