Understanding English Grammar: Complements, Adjuncts, Clauses, and More

Types of Complements

• Direct Object (DO)
• Indirect Object (IO)
• Demoted Object
• Subject Complement
• Object Complement
• Predicator Complement
• Prepositional Object (cannot be an object complement because it is introduced by a preposition)

Predicator complements do not admit a passive. Verbs taking obligatory directional complements include creep and slip. Relational verbs include have and possess. Verbs of measure include measure and cost. Verbs of equal reciprocity include marry and resemble.

Realization of Complements

• Noun Phrase: Smoke means fire.
• Prepositional Phrase: This job calls for great initiative.
• Finite Clause: To draw on whatever resources it can.
• Non-finite Clause: I can't help thinking he must be crazy.

Realization of the Adjunct

• Prepositional Phrase: She married him for his money.
• Closed-class Adverb: there, where, tomorrow, so.
• Open-class Adverbs: probably, annually, angrily.
• Adverbial Phrase: It has been raining very hard indeed.
• Finite Clause: He talks as if he owned the place.
• Non-finite Clause: In order to finish in time.
• Abbreviated Clause: When on holiday.
• Nominal: Last week.

Conjuncts

A conjunct is a link of two types: between a phrase or a clause.

Realization of Conjuncts

• Closed-class Adverbs: moreover, next.
• Open-class Adverbs: namely, consequently.
• Prepositional Phrase: In other words.
• Adjectival Phrase: Last of all.
• Finite Clause: That is to say. To sum up.

Types of Coordination

• Shared Subject
• Independent Subjects

Functions of Dependent Clauses

• Nominal Clause: Subject
• Nominal Clause: Object
• Adjectival Clause: Modifier (noun complement)
• Adjectival Clause: Modifier (adjective complement)
• Adjectival Clause: Modifier (relative clause)
• Adverbial Clause: Adverbial

Position of Nominal Clauses

• Clausal Subject
• Grammatical and Logical Subject
• Clausal Object
• Grammatical and Logical Object

Functions of Nominal Clauses

• Subject
• Direct Object
• Indirect Object
• Subject Complement
• Object Complement

Head Phrases that can be Reduced

• Noun Phrases
• Adjectival Phrases
• Adverbial Phrases

Modification in the Adjectival Phrase

• Adjectival Premodifier
• Postmodifier
• Adjectival Pre- and Postmodifier
• Double Adjectival Pre- and Postmodifier

Adverbs of place, time, interrogative, intensifying, degree, and conjuncts do not admit modification.

Affixes

The most frequent process is suffixation. Suffixes can be classified based on the branch of the category:

• Nominal Suffixes: -age, -al, -ence, -ant, -ion, -hood, -ship, -ivity.
• Adjectival Suffixes: -able (perishable), -al (federal), -ful, -ic (economic), -less (hope).
• Prefixes: a- (achromatic), anti-, de- (decolonize), dis-, in-, mis- (mistrial), non-, un-.
• Combinations: NN, NA, AA, AN, AV, NV, VN, VV.