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    Comparative Clauses

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    Martabm29
    Comparative clauses are a type of subordinate clause that cannot function as sentence elements like subjects, objects, or adjectives. They are not a subtype of nominal or relative clauses because they cannot be replaced by noun or adjective phrases. They also do not express circumstances like adverbial clauses. Comparative clauses have two main structures - they can be finite clauses introduced by subordinators like "as" or "than", or nonfinite clauses using infinitives. They function as postmodifiers, usually modifying adjectives. The element they are modifying is called the comparative element, which can be a single word or phrase being compared between two items.

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    Comparative Clauses

    Uploaded by

    Martabm29
    1K views3 pages
    Comparative clauses are a type of subordinate clause that cannot function as sentence elements like subjects, objects, or adjectives. They are not a subtype of nominal or relative clauses because they cannot be replaced by noun or adjective phrases. They also do not express circumstances like adverbial clauses. Comparative clauses have two main structures - they can be finite clauses introduced by subordinators like "as" or "than", or nonfinite clauses using infinitives. They function as postmodifiers, usually modifying adjectives. The element they are modifying is called the comparative element, which can be a single word or phrase being compared between two items.

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    Comparative clauses

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    10. Comparative Clauses

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    Comparative clauses are a type of subordinate clause that cannot function as sentence elements like subjects, objects, or adjectives. They are not a subtype of nominal or relative clauses because they cannot be replaced by noun or adjective phrases. They also do not express circumstances like adverbial clauses. Comparative clauses have two main structures - they can be finite clauses introduced by subordinators like "as" or "than", or nonfinite clauses using infinitives. They function as postmodifiers, usually modifying adjectives. The element they are modifying is called the comparative element, which can be a single word or phrase being compared between two items.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    1K views3 pages

    Comparative Clauses

    Uploaded by

    Martabm29
    Comparative clauses are a type of subordinate clause that cannot function as sentence elements like subjects, objects, or adjectives. They are not a subtype of nominal or relative clauses because they cannot be replaced by noun or adjective phrases. They also do not express circumstances like adverbial clauses. Comparative clauses have two main structures - they can be finite clauses introduced by subordinators like "as" or "than", or nonfinite clauses using infinitives. They function as postmodifiers, usually modifying adjectives. The element they are modifying is called the comparative element, which can be a single word or phrase being compared between two items.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    At a glance
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    The key takeaways are that comparative clauses compare elements and can be finite or nonfinite. They function as postmodifiers, typically in adjective phrases.

    The two types of comparative clauses are finite clauses introduced by a subordinator (like 'as' or 'than') and nonfinite clauses using a to-infinitive, sometimes with an overt subject.

    Finite comparative clauses allow the omission of constituents like the subject. This can potentially cause ambiguity in some cases.

    Gramtica Inglesa II

    Grado en Estudios Ingleses

    COMPARATIVE CLAUSES
    a type of subordinate clauses

    SYNTAX

    [1] They cannot function as clause elements (S, O, A) since they are part
    of phrases.
    [2] They are not a subtype of nominal or relative clauses because they
    cannot be replaced by noun or adjective phrases in their sentences.
    [3] They are not a subtype of adverbial clauses because they do not
    express circumstances and cannot be replaced by prepositional or adverb
    phrases.
    Compare:
    ADVERBIAL SUBORDINATE CLAUSES OF SIMILARITY AND COMPARISON
    (Do you like my copy of the picture?)
    No, please paint it (exactly) AS I SAID.
    Please paint it according to my instructions.
    Please paint it faithfully.
    (How did she behave when you met at the airport?)
    She treated me AS IF I WERE A STRANGER.
    She treated me with suspicion.
    She treated me frostily.
    COMPARATIVE SUBORDINATE CLAUSES
    Jane is as healthy AS HER SISTER (IS).
    *Jane is as healthy in a sisterly comparison(!).
    Youve been working much harder THAN I (HAVE).
    *Youve been working much harder in contrast to me(!).
    Gramtica Inglesa II
    Grado en Estudios Ingleses

    STRUCTURE
    [1] A comparative clause may be:
    - a finite clause introduced by a subordinator (AS / THAN), or
    - a nonfinite clause (a to-infinitive clause, sometimes with overt for-
    subject).
    [2] Finite comparative clauses allow of constituent omission (ellipsis; note
    potential ambiguity in some cases):
    James and Susan often go to plays but
    James enjoys the theatre more.
    James enjoys the theatre more than Susan.
    James enjoys the theatre more than Susan does.
    James enjoys the theatre more than Susan enjoys it.
    James enjoys the theatre more than Susan enjoys the theatre.
    [3] Comparative clauses function as POSTMODIFIERS (usually
    adjectival complements, Cadj).
    [4] The phrase in which a comparative clause operates may be (in Head
    terms):
    - an adjective phrase (the usual type), or
    - an adverb phrase (less frequently) or a noun phrase.
    [5] The postmodified elements in the phrase are known as THE
    COMPARATIVE ELEMENT (the comp-element). The comp-element
    may include:
    - one word (more), or
    - several words (as healthy, healthier, more intelligent, sensitive
    enough, too polite, more jobs, much harder).
    [6] One-word comp-elements are phrase Heads:
    James enjoys the theatre more than Susan does.
    S V Od A
    adverb phrase
    Head postmodifier
    [7] Multi-word comp-elements consist of a premodified Head and an
    adverbial (as, enough, too, more, *-er, much more) premodifier (which
    includes false postmodifiers, e.g. enough) :
    Marilyn was too polite to say anything about my clothes.
    Subject complement
    pre Head post (Cadj)
    Gramtica Inglesa II
    Grado en Estudios Ingleses

    adverb adjective (nonfinite) clause = comparative clause


    Don is sensitive enough to understand your feelings.

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