English grammar - Roger Berry 2012
B9.1 Declaratives
B9 Clause types
Section B Development
After discussing sentences in A9 it may seem strange to revert to the lower unit, ’clause’, in this section. In fact, what we are referring to are major, simple sentences, as described in A9, i.e. those involving only one clause (though in one case below two clauses are involved). At the same time there is a relationship with the different clause patterns identified in A8, because clause types can be described partly in terms of clause elements (and partly in terms of other features described elsewhere in this book).
While this section focuses on the form of clause types, it is impossible to ignore their function. The typical function of these clause types is noted briefly in this section (though there is no one-to-one correspondence), while the reading in D9 gives a detailed account of their functions.
Basically there are four types of clause:
□ declaratives
□ interrogatives (already described partly in A7)
□ imperatives
□ exclamatives
All except the last can have a negative.
B9.1 Declaratives
Declaratives are the basic (and most frequent) clause type. We might call them the ’default’ clause type. Throughout this book they are the type that is focused on and exemplified, unless there is a reason to focus on other types.
Their formal characteristics are that
□ all clause elements are present, i.e. subject and verb, plus whatever further clause elements are required by the verb (see A8, B8)
□ they have the basic word order of English, namely, subject followed by verb followed by object, predicative or adverbial (commonly called ’SVO word order’)
The traditional function of declaratives is as statements, that is, conveying information, feelings, etc. For example:
It’s ten o’clock.
I like it.
But there is more to it than this. Take this example:
The door is open?
This has all the characteristics of a declarative and yet the question mark shows that it is a question; that is, rather than an assertion of information, it is an enquiry (or check) about information. This structure is called a declarative question. It is also possible with wh- words (see below) to give special emphasis, e.g. to express surprise or ask for repetition:
She said what? He sat where?