Unit 3. Adjuncts, Disjuncts, Conjuncts

ADJUNCTS,
DISJUNCTS AND
CONJUNCTS
CONTENTS
I. Common features of adverbials
II. Adjuncts
1. Syntactic features of Adjuncts
2. Sub classification of Adjuncts
III. Disjuncts
1. Style disjuncts
2. Attitudinal disjuncts
IV. Conjuncts
I. COMMON FEATURES OF ADVERBIALS
Adverbials  either Adjuncts, Disjuncts or Conjuncts - share the following characteristic
features:
a. Expression (or realization):
- By an adverb: He went there yesterday. (adjuncts)
Frankly, I don’t like his manner. (disjunct)
- By a prepositional phrase:
Peter was playing with great skill. (adjunct)
On the contrary, he’s a man of few words. (conjuncts)
Like his brother, he’s an author. (disjunct)
- By a noun phrase (less common):
He went to London last week. (adjunct)
They praised Tom many times. (adjunct)
- By a non-finite verb clause:
To tell the truth, he failed the driving test. (disjunct)
Making a lot of noise, they praised Tom. (adjunct)
Caught red handed, they couldn’t deny their mistake. (adjunct)
- By a finite verb clause:
Peter was playing although he was very tired. (adjunct)
What’s more important, he won the decisive match. (conjunct)
- By a verbless clause:
When in London, he sent me a lot of letters. (adjunct)
Grateful for his help, they praised Tom. (adjunct)
b, Position: Most adverbials are mobile: they can be placed initially, medially or finally :
Like his brother he’s an author.
~ He is, like his brother, an author.
~ He’s an author, like his brother.
c, Identity: They are in most cases, optional in clause structure, except the cases where A stands
after an intensive verb (clause type SVA) or after O (clause type SVOA).
II. AD JUNC TS
1. Syntactic features of Adjuncts

a , Adjuncts can come within the scope of clause interrogation and can be the focus
of the question:
We didn’t go there on Monday but on Tuesday.
b, They can come within the scope of clause negation and can be the focus of the
negation.
c, They can come within the scope of predication pro-forms or predication ellipsis.
John greatly admires Bob, and so does Mary.
Peter will pay back the loan when he has money but George won’t.
d, They can be the focus of restrictive adverbial (e.g. only)
They only want the car for an hour.
Only afterwards did he explain why he did it.
e. They can be the focus additive adverbials (also) or, of a cleft sentence:
They will also meet if they have time.
It was when we were in Paris that we first saw John.
f, Besides, Adverbs as Adjuncts can have these additional features:
- Can be focus of clause comparison:
John writes as frequently as
more frequently than his brother does.
- Can be premodified by 'however' or 'how':
However strongly you feel about it, you should be careful what you say.
How cautiously he drives!
- Can be premodified by 'so':
So monotonously did he speak that everybody left.
2. Sub classification of Adjuncts
a, Place Adjuncts:
- Most place adjuncts are prepositional phrases or clauses:
He jumped over the fence and ran across the road.
Stay where you are. He’s nowhere to be seen.
- They may be used for both position and direction (like other place adjuncts):
He was upstairs. He went up stairs.
- A few NP can be used as place adjuncts (position or direction)
He lives a long way from here. He threw it (about) ten yards.
- Position and direction adjuncts can be used together in the same clause :
The children are running around upstairs.
He was thrown overboard near the shore.
b. Time Adjuncts:
Time adjuncts are often clauses (finite and non-finite) or prepositional phrases:
We’ll go there when we have time.
Having finished work they went home.
She’ll go there in December.
Adverbs as time adjuncts are a relatively closed, though, fairly large class. They can be
divided into 4 semantic classes:
- When:today, tomorrow, afterwards, again, eventually, formerly
- Duration: (not) very long, permanently, briefly, (ever) since, lately
- Frequency: frequently, rarely, monthly, annually, usually, ever, once
- Relationship: already, afterwards, before, subsequently, then, yet,...
They went to see him again yesterday at 8 o’clock (time when)
A few NPs can be used as time adjuncts :
Next Sunday, I’ll go there. (time when)
I shall be in my office every other day. (time frequency)
c, Process Adjuncts: Process adjuncts can be divided into 3 semantic sub classes
- Manner adjuncts:
She replied to questions with great courtesy.
He spoke in a way that reminded me of his father.
- Means adjuncts: He decided to treat the patient surgically.
We often go to school by bus.
- Instrument adjuncts: He examined the specimen microscopically.
He can cut the bread with that knife.
d, Focusing Adjuncts:
- Limited adjuncts (what is being communicated is limited to the part that is focused). These include: alone,
just, merely, only, simply, chiefly, especially, in particular.
John only phoned Mary to day.
You can get a B grade just/simply for that answer.
- Additive adjuncts (the focused part is an addition): also, either, even, neither, nor, too, as well, in addition.
We too/ as well will do what we can for you.
They won’t help him, but they won’t harm him either.
e, Intensifiers: There are three subclasses:
- Emphasizers: actually, certainly, definitely, indeed, really, literally, frankly, honestly, for
sure, of course.
I honestly don’t know what he wants.
They didn’t know what to do, of course.
- Amplifiers: absolutely, completely, entirely, quite, thoroughly, in all respects, by far, to
some extent.
We absolutely refuse to listen to your grumbling.
I entirely agree with you.
- Downtoners: kind of, sort of, quite, rather, partly, somewhat.
The incident somewhat influenced his actions in later life.
We didn’t enjoy it in the least/ at all.
+ Other adjuncts: purpose, cause/ reason, etc.
Purpose: We fought heroically for our own liberation.
Reason/ cause: He was absent because he was ill.
The figure below shows different classes of adjuncts
Place (1) Time (2) Process (3) Focusing (4) Intensifier(5) Others (6)
Position Point Manner Limited Emphasise Purpose
Destination Duration Means Additive Amplifier reason
Frequency Instrument Downtoner etc.
Relationship
III. DISJUNCTS
1. Style disjuncts
When using style disjuncts, the speaker/writer implies his own comment on
the speaking/writing style: seriously, personally...
Seriously, do you intend to resign?
Strictly speaking, nobody is allowed in here.
If I may say so, the dress doesn’t suit you.
2. Attitudinal disjuncts
These convey the speaker/ writer’s comment on the content of what he is
saying.
Obviously, nobody expected us to be here today.
They arrived, to our surprise, before we did.
Even more important, he has control over the party’s finances.
IV. CONJUNCTS
Most conjuncts are adverb phrases or prepositional phrases.
The most commonly used conjuncts are:
1. Enumerative: first(ly), second(ly), for one thing, for a start, to begin with, to start
with, in the second place
2. Reinforcing: also, furthermore, moreover, in addition, what is more
3. Equate: equally, likewise, in the same way
4. Transitional: incidentally, by the way
5. Apposition(al): namely, in other words, for example
Result(ative): consequently, hence, therefore, as a result
I’d like you to do two things for me. First, phone the office and tell him from me
that I’m going to tell him that myself. Secondly, post this letter.
Exercíse: 1, 2, 3, 4,

Unit 3. Adjuncts, Disjuncts, Conjuncts

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ADJUNCTS,

1. Syntactic features of Adjuncts

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