English Syntax – Lecture 6

Applied Modern Languages II

Lect. dr. Diana Madroane
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 Outline

The adverbial clauses: manner, place, time,

concession, reason, result, purpose, condition
 Adverbial clauses of manner
• Adverbial clauses of manner (proper) “are the equivalent
on the plane of the complex sentence of what adverbial
modifiers of manner (proper) are on the level of the
simple extended sentence. They show the way in which
the subject performs the action.” (Bantas 1996: 218)

• Words that introduce them: as (conjunction), how

(relative adverb), in what manner (compound
conjunction):
 Adverbial clauses of manner
• Do as you are told.
• Do it how you can/ in the manner you can.
• They strove to do it in what manner they could/as (best)
they could.
 Adverbial Clauses of Comparison
• Adverbial clauses of comparison “may be considered a
peculiar case of the adverbial clauses of manner, as the
relation to the predicate which they express is a sort of
detail of the more general notion of manner/modality in
which the action is performed” (Bantaş 1996: 221).

• They are introduced by: as, so, than, more than

(conjunctions) and as + adverb/adjective + as + subject +
verb, no more than, no less than (comparative phrases):
 Adverbial Clauses of Comparison
• She was only a year older than he was.
• He missed her more than he could have believed.
• Do not eat more than you strictly need.
• He slept no less than I did.
 Adverbial Clauses of Place
• Adverbial clauses of place “show the place where the
action is performed, the direction of the action
performed by the verb, the location of the subject whose
state is indicated, etc – like the corresponding adverbial
modifiers on the plane of the simple extended sentence”
(Bantaş 1996: 218)

• Words that introduce them: where, wherever,

everywhere (possibly followed by that):
 Adverbial Clauses of Place
• I shall go where/wherever/wheresoever I like.
• You will find this phenomenon wherever/everywhere you
go.
• Everywhere I looked I saw the same smiling faces.
 Adverbial Clauses of Time
• Adverbial clauses of time “discharge the same functions
as the adverbial modifiers of time at the level of the
simple extended sentence” (Bantaş 1996: 218); they
“establish temporal relationships between two actions or
two events” – simultaneity, anteriority, posteriority
(Popa 2005: 221)

• They may be introduced by: when, whenever, while, as,

till, until, as soon as, as long as, before, after, directly
after, immediately after, since, now that etc.
 Adverbial Clauses of Time

• Please come to me when/whenever you like.

• He met his future wife while he was studying in Paris.

• Now that he has gone, we may resume our debate.

• After he (had) graduated, he worked as a teacher.

• They had left school before the exams started.

• They were not allowed to leave till/until they had finished
their task.
 Adverbial Clauses of Time
Adverbial clauses of time also involve the following pattern:

Hardly/Scarcely + past perfect and inversion +…when + past

tense +
No sooner + past perfect and inversion +…than + past tense +

• Hardly/Scarcely had he said that when the door flung open.

• No sooner had he entered the room than the telephone
rang.
 Adverbial Clauses of Time
Clauses of time are subject to sequence of tenses
constraints (Bantaş 1996: 220-221):

Simultaneity with the present tenses (present indefinite

etc.) in the main clause is shown by the present in the
temporal clause; with the past tenses (past indefinite,
past perfect etc.), it is shown by the past tense in the
temporal clause; with the future (indefinite), it is
expressed by the present indefinite in the temporal
clause:
 Adverbial Clauses of Time
• He comes here when(ever) he likes.
• He came here when(ever) he liked.
• He will come here when(ever) he thinks fit to do so.

Anteriority to the present tenses in the main clause is

shown by the present perfect in the temporal clause (or
the present itself in colloquial English); to the past
tenses, it is indicated by the past perfect in the temporal
clause; priority to the future is expressed by the present
perfect in the temporal clause:
 Adverbial Clauses of Time
• I usually go to the library after I have taken/after I take
my breakfast.
• After he had (already) spoken to me on the phone, we
met for lunch.
• I will give you my answer after I have thought it over.
 Adverbial Clauses of Concession
• Adverbial clauses of concession (concessive adverbial
clauses) “express a contradiction between them and the
main clause” (Bantaş 1996: 222).

They are introduced by the following words:

• conjunctions/prepositions: although, though, in spite of the

fact, despite the fact, notwithstanding (the fact) that;
• connective adverbs: however, however much, however long,
however little, no matter how (much/long), whether, much,
no matter whether;
• pronouns: whatever, whoever, whichever, no matter
what/who/whom/which.
 Adverbial Clauses of Concession
• Whatever you may do/No matter what you may
do/However you may act/Whatever you may think I will go.
• Although he is tired, he will stay with you until you finish.

The mood of the verb is the indicative if the action is

considered real or the subjunctive with may/might if it is
considered hypothetical.
 Adverbial Clauses of Concession
• “When the action in the subordinate clause is seen as
hypothetical, then the main verb is associated with
may/might:

No matter how hard he may work, he doesn’t make much

money.
However hard he might have worked, he didn’t make much
money.
With reference to the present time, in the subordinate clause
we use may/might + short infinitive of the main verb, while
with reference to past time we use might + have + -ed.”
(Popa 2005: 251-2)
 Adverbial Clauses of Concession
Interesting patterns:

Adjective + though/as + subject + predicate:

• Old though he was, he still worked.

• Old as he was, he still worked.

Adverbial modifier of manner in 1st position + as:

• Much as I admire her, I don’t like her.

 Adverbial Clauses of Comparison and
Concession
• Adverbial clauses of comparison and concession -
combinations between comparisons and ideas that
express something hypothetical in nature or that
contradict reality (this normally requires the use of the
subjunctive mood).

• They are introduced by as if, as though.

Hypothetical, but likely action (generally with the indicative

mood): It looks as if it’s going to rain.
 Adverbial Clauses of Comparison and
Concession
Unreal (the subjunctive mood):

• He behaves as if/as though he were my grandfather.

• His mind was so dizzy as if/as though he had not slept for
weeks.

• The past subjunctive in the subordinate clause indicates

simultaneous actions, while the past perfect subjunctive
expresses anteriority. In colloquial English, the indicative
mood may also appear in such situations.
 Adverbial Clauses of Reason
• Adverbial clauses of reason/cause “denote the first
element in the relation of determination or of cause to
effect” (Bantaş 1996: 228).

• They are introduced by because, since, as, considering

(that), seeing (that), now (that), for the reason that, in
view of the fact that etc.
 Adverbial Clauses of Reason

• Because/Since/As/Considering I had no money on me, I

couldn’t buy the book.
• Considering/Seeing/Now that/For the reason that/In
view of the fact that we are all here, we may/might as
well begin our discussion.
 Adverbial Clauses of Result
• Adverbial clauses of result or consequence “show the
same relation as that expressed by adverbial modifiers of
result/consequence in simple extended sentences, that is
the ultimate part of the relation cause to effect” (Bantaş
1996: 229); “the subordinate clause will follow as a
consequence to the situation expressed in the main
clause” (Popa 2005: 255).

• They are generally introduced by the conjunctional phrase

so that or so…that (generally with adjectives as subject
complements or with adverbs of manner modifying the
verb) or by the resultative patterns such that or such...
that:
 Adverbial Clauses of Result
• I was tired, so that I went to bed early.
• I was so tired that I went to bed early.
• She was so ill that she could hardly answer the
telephone.
• He ran so fast that they couldn’t catch him.

• The situation was/is such that we could not/cannot but

agree.
• He writes such good prose that his first book became a
best-seller.
 Adverbial Clauses of Result
“Sentences which contain adverbial clauses of result can be
made emphatic by placing the so + adjective/adverb
construction or the such + noun phrase construction in
initial position. This will be followed by inversion:

So tired was the old man that he sat down by the side of
the road.
Such marvellous music did he compose that he became
famous at once.” (Popa 2005: 256)
Such was/is the situation that we could not/cannot but
agree.
 Adverbial Clauses of Purpose
• Adverbial clauses of purpose/final clauses “discharge the
same function as adverbial modifiers of purpose in simple
extended sentences” (Bantaş 1996: 230); they “denote
the aim of the action in the main clause, which can refer
to a state or to another action” (Popa 2005: 229)

• They are introduced by:

– so that, in order that, for the purpose that;
– for fear that, lest (negative purpose).
 Adverbial Clauses of Purpose
Positive purpose:
• I am drawing nearer so that/ in order that I may get a clearer
view of the scene.
• We were drawing nearer so that/ in order that we might form a
better opinion of the situation.

Negative purpose:
• I did what I was told for fear that I might/should get in trouble.
• All the measures have been taken lest the epidemic should
spread.
• I locked the door so that the neighbours might not get in
uninvited.
 Adverbial Clauses of Purpose
• The adverbial clause of purpose usually contains a
subjunctive built with the auxiliaries may/might,
can/could, will/would, shall/should.

• May, can, will, shall are used after a present tense in the
main clause.
• Might, could, would, should are used after a past tense
in the main clause.

In the clauses introduced by lest the verb is usually built

with should. and by for fear that it is usually built with
should/might.
 Adverbial Clauses of Purpose
• If the subject of the two verbal actions (main clause and
subordinate) is the same, the verb of the final clause is
usually transformed into an infinitive:

• We left early in order to/so as to arrive before sunset.

• We left early in order not to be late/ so as not to be late.
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
“Conditional clauses are clauses in which the fulfilment of
the action expressed in the subordinate clause makes
possible the fulfilment of the action in the main clause. In
other words, they state the condition that must be
satisfied in order for something to happen or to become
true or not in the main clause.” (Popa 2005: 238)

• Classified according to “truth value” and

“degree of possibility according to which the action in the
main clause will be/ is/ was fulfilled or not” (Popa 2005:
239)
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
Popa (2005: 239 ff.):

Type 0 conditionals: “a general truth, a habitual action, a

logical deduction” / “factual conditionals”:

• If you heat butter, it melts.

• If I get up early, I always listen to the weather forecast.

If = when/whenever
The indicative mood is used in both the main and the
conditional clause.
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
Type 1 conditionals: “a situation which is not true for the
moment” (but may become true)/ “open conditionals”:

• If I need help, I’ll ask someone to help me.

• If you have finished, let’s go.
• If you want some coffee, I can make you some.

If clause: the indicative mood, present or present perfect

tense
Main clause: the indicative mood, future tense; the
imperative mood; modal verbs
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
The modal verbs should and will can be used in the if clause:

• Should with or without inversion – action is less likely:

If I should see him, I’ll let him know.

Should she come here, tell her I’ll be back soon.

• Will expressing willingness (it is not the future tense!!!):

If you will help me (= are willing to help me), I’ll be grateful.

 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
Type 2 conditionals: “the condition represents a hypothesis
or an imaginary action or situation with reference to a
present fact”/ “hypothetical improbable/ imaginary
conditionals”:

• If I won the lottery, I should/would/could buy a new car.

If clause: the subjunctive mood (past form – the 2nd form of

the verb; present meaning);
Main clause: the present conditional mood; the modals could
or might can also be used.
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
• It is not possible to use the conditional mood in the if
clause.
• The modal verb would, expressing willingness, may appear
in the if clause (do not mix it up with the conditional):

If you would be so kind to help me, I could finish by two

o’clock.

• The modal phrase were to can also be used in the if clause:

If he were to come, what would you tell him?

Were he to come, what would you tell him? (inversion)
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
Type 3 conditionals: “situations when the condition was not
fulfilled in the past, so the whole situation is viewed as unreal as
the action in the main clause did not happen”/ “conditionals of
unreal past”:
• If I had left earlier, I would have caught the train.
• If he had been a doctor, he could have helped you.
• Had he been a doctor, he could have helped you. (inversion)

If clause: the subjunctive mood (past perfect form, past meaning)

Main clause: the past conditional mood; modal verbs can also be
used – could, in particular; it is not possible to use the
conditional mood in the if clause.
 Adverbial Clauses of Condition
Mixed types conditionals:
• If I were rich, I wouldn’t have had to ask for money to buy my own
car. (Type 2 + Type 3)
• If you had planned your time carefully, you would be on top of
things now. (Type 3 + Type 2)

Other subordinators that may introduce if clauses: provided that, on

condition that, unless (for negative sentences), suppose/supposing,
as long as.

But for introduces an adverbial modifier of condition, which can be

expanded into an if clause:

But for my sister, I wouldn’t have finished.

If it hadn’t been for my sister, I wouldn’t have finished.
 The complex sentence
You may have the same link word introducing different types
of subordinate clause:

He did his work as his employer had instructed. (Manner)

He can’t speak English as well as he writes it. (Comparison)
He decided to spend his holiday in Austria, as he had never
been there before. (Reason)
As he was posting the letter, he suddenly realised that he
hadn’t put a stamp on the envelope. (Time)
(example from Graver 1995: 187)
 The sequence of tenses

Generally, if the verb in the main clause is in the past, the

verbs in the subordinate clauses are in the past simple
(simultaneity), past perfect (anteriority) and future-in-
the-past (posteriority). You have to be especially careful
with object clauses and time clauses (see explanations in
Lectures 5 and 6), but most clauses in English observe the
sequence of tenses most of the time (clause of purpose,
clause of result etc.).
 The sequence of tenses
There are also clauses and situations where the use of the
verb does not follow the sequence of tenses. For
example, the tenses of the verbs in the subordinate
clauses below are used according to the logical
relationship with the verbs in the main clauses:

• As he is away, we had to do it ourselves. (clause of

reason)
• Last night I read the book that you are reading now.
(relative clause)
Practice Time!
See handout.
 References
• Bantaş, A. 1996. Descriptive English Syntax. Iasi: Institutul
European.

• Graver, B.D. 1995. Advanced English Practice (3rd ed.).

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Popa, E. 2005. English Language Syntax. Ministerul

Educatiei si Cercetarii (Proiectul pentru invatamantul rural).

• Salapina, G., M. Popa and G. Schmidt. 1979. Limba engleză

contemporană. Timişoara: Tipografia Universităţii din
Timişoara. (for some of the examples on the slides)