Clause type of a sentence

Question

Hello all,I am trying to understand English grammar (I am from Denmark).This one sentence is bugging me, as I cannot find out what the clause type of the sentence is?"We warrant each Espresso Coffee Machine to be free from defects in material and workmanship"Could anybody please tell me what the clause type is?Thank you so much!- Jakob

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

Hi Jacob,

This is how I approach this sentence. Green is the main clause. Orange is the infinitive noun phrase (which in my opinion is adverbial in nature, but others call it adjectival ) modifying "We warrant each Espresso Coffee Machine".

"We warrant each Espresso Coffee Machine to be free from defects in material and workmanship"

[ ---------main clause------------------------] [------------infinitive nohn phrase -----------------]

If it helps you, you can call the orange part adjectival as many people would by textbooks. But to me, the "infinitive phrase" describes "how" the COFFEE MACHINE is warranted; so the phrase is adverbial in nature.

I am just giving you both sides of the argument so that you can decide for yourself.

James do · Answer

I think the verb "warrant" should be followe by gerunds. I mean, the sentence shuld be

"We warrant each Espresso Coffee Machine being free from defects in material and workmanship"

I don't understant what you mean very much. There is only one indipendent clause in your sentence. It is also a complete sentence. There is no subordinate clause in it.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

James,

I didn't say is was a subordinate clause. I said it was an "infinitive phrase"; a phrase by nature has no base form of a verb or subject in its structure and is not a complete clause.

"Being" as you used it is incorrect. Please review the present participle form of "be".

james doI think the verb "warrant" should be followe by gerunds. I mean, the sentence shuld be

"We warrant each Espresso Coffee Machine being free from defects in material and workmanship"

I don't understant what you mean very much. There is only one indipendent clause in your sentence. It is also a complete sentence. There is no subordinate clause in it.

Skarp · Answer

Thank you so far.

I must admit that I was quite sure about that:

"We warrant each espresso coffee machine" = main clause and that "to be free from defects in material and workmanship" = subordinate clause, because to be is a non-finite verb, but I guess I am wrong.

So there's only one clause, namely a main clause consisting of the entire sentence and the type is - a noun clause?

Sorry to ask all these questions...

Clive · Answer

Hi,

So there's only one clause, namely a main clause consisting of the entire sentence and the type is - a noun clause?

Yes, there's only one clause. It's just called 'a main clause'.

A 'noun clause' is defined as one of the various types of dependent clause.

eg I know what you did. 'What you did' is a noun clause.

Clive

Skarp · Answer

Thanks to you both - you've been very helpful!

James do · Answer

dimsumexpressJames,

I didn't say is was a subordinate clause. I said it was an "infinitive phrase"; a phrase by nature has no base form of a verb or subject in its structure and is not a complete clause.

"Being" as you used it is incorrect. Please review the present participle form of "be".

Hi dimsumexpress,

I think you misunderstood me. I wrote that reply before reading your reply. I didn't mean you're wrong at all. I believe your english is better than mine, so could you explain to me how I should use "being" in that sentence. Thank you very much.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

James,

I can't think of a way to fit "being" in that sentence. But the following examples may help shed some light on the usage.

It's similiar to saying: 'I want to be a successful doctor'. It's not correct to say 'I want being a successful doctor'. But you can say: 'Being a successful dortor, he made a lot of money'. Being a happy person that she is, she is always smiling. Hope that helps.

James do · Answer

dimsumexpressJames,

I can't think of a way to fit "being" in that sentence. But the following examples may help shed some light on the usage.

It's similiar to saying: 'I want to be a successful doctor'. It's not correct to say 'I want being a successful doctor'. But you can say: 'Being a successful dortor, he made a lot of money'. Being a happy person that she is, she is always smiling. Hope that helps.

Hi dimsumexpress,

In your example "I want to be a successful doctor". The verb used after the verb "want" must be in infinitive form, not gerund. So, we can't say "I want being...".

I know the verb "warrant" has two meaning. I this case, it mean "guarantee". I don't know what form of verb used after it when having this meaning. But when having the meaning "justify", the verb "warrant" is followed by a gerund, not infinitive. (I'm not sure about that, but I looked up it in dictionaries and I found that it should be followed by a gerund.)

Here are some examples I found.

The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns.

The situation scarcely warrants them being dismissed.

My native language is not english, so I just base on dictionaries. Please explain more to me.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

In north America, 'warrant' is rarely used to mean 'guarantee'. Some auto manufacturers advertised a 100,000 mile power train warannty. That's about the extent "warrant' is used.

With all the advertising claims I came across, almost all of them used the word 'guarantee' to offer the public some confidence on their products.

james do
The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns.

The situation scarcely warrants them being dismissed.

I don't believe 'warrant' was used in these two sentences having anything in common with "guarantee' in my opinion. You are correct about its similiar meaning to 'justify' though. About the gerund use as you described, I am not able to provide you with more explanations. But from the idiomatic point of view, I can give you some more examples:

In finitive case: This new drug is proven to be effective against skin rash.

Ferund case: This new drug is proven as being effective.

Other verbs that have the above variances: determine, inspect, analyze, and expect etc.

Depending how the author intends to express his view, the construction should warrant the apprpriate verb form accordingly. I don't have an academic credential in English so I can't answer all your question as would a professional. I hope what I posted at least helps at a slight degree.

Clause type of a sentence

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