Linguistic and Stylistic Analysis of Texts - Clause and Phrase Analysis - Sample Answer

Clause Analysis 

Legend –

Verbs, Non-Finite Verbs  Conjunctions  Adverbs Prepositions Relative Pronouns

(The highlights have been used merely as a teaching tool and are NOT part of the answer)

Remember:

·         Number of verbs = Number of clauses

·         Relative pronouns often announce an RCl. RCls, mostly, immediately follow a Noun or Pronoun.

·         Adverbs generally announce an ACl 

·         Conjunctions generally join like clauses / phrases (i.e. the same type of clauses/phrases)- I have underlined the of in one of the sentences to tell you what the AND was joining therein. 

·         Non-Finite clauses are always SCls 

(S1) _MCl [Every Sunday, _ACl [ as soon as they were free ], the little soldiers would go for a walk ].

(S2) < _MCL [ They turned to the right _PCling [ on leaving the barracks] ], _MCl [ crossed Courbevoie with rapid strides, as though on a forced march ] ; _MCl [ then, _ACl [ as the houses grew scarcer ], they slowed down]  and _MCl [ followed the dusty road _RCl [  which leads to Bezons ] >.

Just to reiterate, the Main Clauses are:

They turned …… the barracks

(They – assumed subject) Crossed ….. forced march  

As the houses grew scarcer……… slowed down

(They – assumed subject) Followed …. Bezons

(S3) < _MCl [ They were small and thin ] , _MCl [ lost in their ill-fitting capes, too large and too long, _RCl [ whose sleeves covered their hands ] ] ; _MCl [ their ample red trousers fell in folds around their ankles ] >.

(S4) _MCl [ Under the high, stiff shako one could just barely perceive two thin, hollow-cheeked Breton faces, with their calm, naïve blue eyes ].

(S5) _MCl [ They never spoke during their journey , _ACling [ going straight before them ] , the same idea in each one's mind _RCling [ taking the place of conversation] ].

(S6) < _MCl [ For at the entrance of the little forest of Champioux they had found a spot _RCl [ which reminded them of home ] ] , and  _MCl [they did not feel happy anywhere else ] >.

(S7) < _MCl [At the crossing of the Colombes and Chatou roads, _ACl [ when they arrived under the trees ], they would take off their heavy, oppressive headgear ] and _MCl [ wipe their foreheads ] >.

(S8) < _MCl [ They always stopped for a while on the bridge at Bezons ], and _MCl [ looked at the Seine ] >.

(S9) _MCl [ They stood there several minutes, < _ACling  [ bending over the railing ]  ,  _ACling [ watching the white sails, _RCl [ which perhaps reminded them of their home  , and of the fishing smacks _RCling [ leaving for the open ] ] ] > ] .

(S10) _MCl [ _ACl [ As soon as they had crossed the Seine ], they would purchase provisions at the delicatessen, the baker's, and the wine merchant's ].

(S11) _MCl [ A piece of bologna, four cents' worth of bread, and a quart of wine, made up the luncheon < _RCl [ which they carried away ] , _RCl [ wrapped up in their handkerchiefs ] > ].

(S12) But < _MCl [ _ACl [  as soon as they were out of the village ]  their gait would slacken ]  and  _MCl [ they would begin _NCli [ to talk ] ] > .

(S13) _MCl [ Before them was a plain with a few clumps of trees, _RCl [ which led to the woods ], a little forest  _RCl [ which seemed  _NCli [ to remind them of that other forest at Kermarivan ] ]  ].

(S14) < _MCl [ The wheat and oat fields bordered on the narrow path ] , and  _MCl [ Jean Kerderen said each time to Luc Le Ganidec ] :

(S15) " _MCl [ It's just like home, just like Plounivon ]."
(S16) " _MCl [ Yes, it's just like home ]."

(S17) And  _MCl [ they went on, side by side, their minds full of dim memories of home ].

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Phrase Analysis

(S 2)

< _MCL [ _NP ^S (They) _VP ^P (turned) _PP ^A (to the right) _PCling ^A [ on ^P (leaving) ^Od (the barracks) ] ], _MCl [ _VP ^P (crossed) _NP ^Od (Courbevoie) _PP ^A (with rapid strides) , _AvP ^A (as though _PP ^m (on a forced march) ) ] ; _MCl [ _AvP ^A (then), _ACl [ _AvP ^A (as)  _NP ^S (the houses) _VP ^P (grew)  _AjP ^C (scarcer) ], _NP ^S (they) _VP ^P (slowed down) ]  and _MCl [ _VP ^P (followed) _NP ^Od (the dusty road _RCl ^m [  _NP ^S (which)  _VP ^P (leads) _PP ^A ( to Bezons) ] ) ] >.

(S 10)

_MCl [ _ACl ^A [ _AvP ^A (As soon as)  _NP ^S (they)  _VP ^P (had crossed) _NP ^Od (the Seine) ], _NP ^S (they)  _VP ^P ( would purchase) _NP ^Od (provisions) _PP ^A ( at < _NP (the delicatessen), _NP ( the _GP (baker's)) , and _NP (the _GP (wine merchant's)) > ) ].

Linguistic and Stylistic Analysis - Clauses - Types

Types of Clauses

Legend: 
Sentence indicated by                 {    } 
Clause indicated by                     [    ]
NOTE: 
Verbs in some of the sentences have been highlighted in Yellow  to make it easy for you to identify the clause. This is a learning strategy and is not part of the answer. In the exam you could use a pencil to lightly underline the verb. Remember: No. of verbs = no. of clauses. :) 

Compound Sentences: Main Clauses – coordination.

(Note: Clauses begin AFTER a conjunction )

1)     Se { <  _MCl [ Rachel went to the market ] but _MCl [ she did not buy anything ] > } .

2)    Se {<  MCl [ Meera was excited] and _MCl [so was her brother] > }.

3)    < _MCl [Her father had promised her a gift ] but _MCl [ would he remember ] >?

4)    < _MCl [ He fought hard ] and _MCl [so he won every time ] >

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No Clause

Se {A blackboard, some chalks, a duster, scattered and tattered textbooks, a few empty benches – a typical classroom scenario}.  

-          NO CLAUSE

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Noun Clauses 

- answer the questions - what, who, whom -  posed to the main verb

- Generally immediately precede or succeed the Main Verb

1)    _MCl [ _NCling [  Coming early ]  is not always desirable ] .

2)    _MCl [ I do not know _NCl [what he was up to ] ].

3)    _MCl [ He thought  _NCl [ he was smart ] ].

4)    MCl [ “ _NCl [ I am tired ],” said Ram ] .

5)    _MCl [ He claimed  _NCl [ he was the winner ] ] .

6)    _MCl [ < _NCli  [ To be ]  or _NCli [ not to be ] >  is the question ] .

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Relative Clauses –

Answer the question WHICH posed to the Noun or Pronoun

Generally immediately precede or succeed the noun/ pronoun they describe

1)    _MCl [ _NP (The boy  _RCl [ who is sitting on the last bench ] ) is sleeping ].

2)    _MCl [ The rains _RCl [ that lashed the city yesterday ] caused a lot of havoc ].

3)     _MCl [He went into the room _RCl [ where the files were stored ] ].

4)    _MCl [ The one _RCling [ beaming for no reason ] went ahead with his plans ].

5)    _MCl [ He reached  within the time _RCl [ stipulated by the committee ] ] .

6)    _MCl [ Gandhi Jayanti _RCl [that is a holiday for the rest of the country]  is a working day for us ] .

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Adverb Clauses

Answer the questions – When, Where, How, Why – posed to the verb, another adverb or an adjective

1)    Se { _MCl [ Hari came _ACling [ running ] ] }.

2)    _MCl [ Saachi was later than ever _ACl [ for she came by bus instead of the train ] ] .

3)    _MCl [ Kimberly went away _ACli [ to think upon her future ]].

4)    _MCl [ He arrived _ACl [ when the clock struck seven ] ].

5)    _MCl [ I parked the car _ACl [where the principal generally parks it]].

6)    _MCl [ _ACl [ If he had studied ] , he would have passed ].

7)    _MCl [ He went _ACli  [ to buy vegetables ] ].

8)    _MCl [ She danced _ACl  [ as if there were no tomorrow ] ].

9)    _MCl [ He could not succeed _ACl [ however much he tried ] ]

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Preposition Clauses – Begin with prepositions

1)    _MCl [ The marbles _PCl [ with which I played yesterday]  are missing ].

2)    _MCl [ I do not like movies _PCl [ in which there is too much action ] ] .

3)    _MCl [ Her father shouted at her _PCling [ for coming late ] ] .

NOTE:

_MCl [ He reached within the committee’s stipulated time limit ]

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Comparative Clauses

1)    _MCl [ He worked with more dedication than _CCl [ was expected of him ] ].

2)    _MCl [ Rajiv, faster than _CCl [ even a horse could be ], reached the gates ].

3)    _MCl [ He worked as hard as  _CCl [ he could ] ].

4)    _MCl [ His position now was superior to _CCl [ even what his father had dreamed ] ].

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Mixed Clauses and Types of Subordination and Coordination

Coordination in a sentence       –                      { < _MCl [  ] and  _MCL [  ] > }

Subordination in a sentence     –                      {   _MCl [     _PCl [ ]   ]   }

Coordination and Subordination                     { < _MCl  [   _ACl [ ]    ]   and  _MCL [  ] > }

Subordination within Subordination            { _MCl [     _ACl [     _PCl [   ] ]    ] }

Subordination within Coordination                { _MCl [    < _NCl [  ]  and  _NCl  [   ] >   ] }

Coordination within Subordination                { _MCl   [_NCl   < _RCl [ ] and _RCl [ ] >  ]    ] }

1)    {   _MCL [  _ACling [  Panting   _ACl [ as he reached the corner ] ] , he raced   _PCL [ to  where his brother lay face down ] ] }.   – IDEAL Answer

{   _MCL [  _ACl [  _ACling [  Panting ]  as he reached the corner  ] , he raced   _PCL [ to  where his brother lay face down ] ] }.   Option that may tempt

{  <  _MCL [  _ACling [  Panting ] as he reached the corner ] , _MCl [ he raced   _PCL [ to  where his brother lay face down ] ] >  } .  Option that is wrong

2)    _MCl [ More excited than _CCl [ he had a right _RCli [ to be  ] ], he approached the star _RCl [ he had (always ) admired  ]  _ACli [ to get the autograph  _RCl [ that would make him the target of his friends’ envy ] ]  ] .

3)    _MCl [ KitKat’s advertisements are displayed on TV,   _RClen [ also known as the Idiot Box ] , _ACl [ every time she switches on the channel _RCl [ she most likes   ] ] ] .

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One Sentence Idea – Different Clause Types:

1)    { _MCl [ The marbles  _RCl [ I played with yesterday ]  are missing  ] }.

2)    { < _MCl [ The marbles are missing today ] ; _MCl [ I played with them yesterday ] > }.

3)    { _MCl [ Yesterday, I played with the marbles  _RCl [ that are missing today ] ] } .

4)    { _MCl [ The marbles are missing now  _ACl [ though they were available for me _ACli [ to play with ] yesterday  ] ] }  .

5)    {_MCl [The missing marbles were played with yesterday by me ] } .

6)    { _MCl [ The marbles  _RCling[ missing today ] are  _NCl [ what I played with yesterday ] ] } .

7)    { _MCl [ The marbles  _PCl [ with which I played yesterday ] are missing today ] } .

Linguistic and Stylistic Analysis of Texts - Clauses and Phrases - Introduction

Sentence indicated with       {   }

Clause indicated with           [   ]       It contains a verb

Phrase indicated with           (   )      

Is a word or a chunk of words that functions as Noun, Verb, Adjective or Adverb.

It also may be a Preposition Phrase – chunk of words announced by a preposition

Or a Genitive Phrase – contains a possessive pronoun or a possessive Noun

Coordinating Phrases / Clauses indicated with      <   >

1)      { < _MCl [   ]  and  _MCl [  ] > }.  

2)      { _MCl [  < _NP (Ram ) and _NP (Shyam ) > _VP (arrived) ] } .

Types of Clauses:

Main Clause                            MCl

Subordinate  Clause                 SCl

            Types of Subordinate Clauses:        

                        Noun Clause                NCl

                        Relative Clause             RCl

                        Adverb Clause             ACl

                        Preposition Clause        PCl

                        Comparative Clause      CCl

Types of Verbs:

Finite Verbs –

Located in Past, Present or Future with the help of modals and auxiliary verbs if need be.

Finite Clauses [Cl] have finite verbs.
Examples: _MCl [I play daily]. 
                    _MCl [ I was playing ].  
                    _MCl [ I can play].

Non-finite Verbs – Their tense cannot be identified. They are always subordinate clauses.

            Infinitive                   – to be, to have, to dream, to play                             Cli

            Present Participle      – running, swimming, playing                                   Cling

            Past Participle           – been, eaten, spoken, swum, read, played                 Clen

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Phrase Analysis - Terms

Forms                                                      Functions                                       

Noun Phrase	NP	Closed Class			Subject	S
Adjective Phrase	AjP	Conjunction	cj		Predicate	P
Adverb Phrase	AvP	Interjection	ij		Object Direct	Od
Preposition Phrase	PP	Preposition	p		Object Indirect	Oi
Verb Phrase	VP	Determiner	d		Complement	C
Genitive Phrase	GP	Enumerator	e		Adverbial	A
		Pronoun	Pn
		Verb - Modals /
		Auxilliary	v
		Open Class			Modifier	m
		Noun	N		Headword	H
		Adjective	Aj
		Adverb	Av
		Verb	V