Finites non-finites clauses

Question

HiI am doing a course in English grammar and the topic we are dealing with now is finite and non finite clauses.I am still a bit confused about it. I was wondering if you could help me to identify the finite and non finite clauses and their types of the following sentences. Please correct me if I am wrong.1- A single wall separated their lives but if he placed his ear to it he could hear her move about.  A single wall separated their lives - finite clause (don't know the type)but if he placed his ear to it - finite clause (don't know the type)he could hear - finite clause (don't know the type)her move about - non finite clause (infinitive?)2- I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for very much longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired. I do not think, comrades - finite clause (don't know the type)That I shall be with you for very much longer - finite clause (don't know the type)and before I die - non finite (infinitive?)I feel it my duty - finite (don't know the type)to pass on to you such wisdom - non finite (infinitive)as I have acquried - finite (don't know the type)Please give me your opinion about it.I appreciate

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Hello Susan-- and welcome to English Forums.

1- A single wall separated their lives but if he placed his ear to it he could hear her move about.

A single wall separated their lives - finite clause (don't know the type)-- Yes, an independent clause
if he placed his ear to it - finite clause (don't know the type-- dependent conditional)
but...he could hear her move about - finite clause (independent)
move about - non-finite clause (infinitive, object complement)

2- I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for very much longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired.

I do not think, comrades...much longer - finite clause (don't know the type-- independent)
That I shall be with you for very much longer - finite clause (don't know the type-- relative, object of verb)
before I die - finite (dependent subordinate)
and...I feel it my duty - finite (independent)
to pass on to you such wisdom...acquired - non-finite (infinitive)
as I have acquired - finite (don't know the type-- Nor I, offhand)

Susanagomes · Answer

Hi

Thank you for ur help but I am still very confused about it. As your classification differs from mine. Can you please use the classification of finite or non-finite clauses and their types? rather then independent or relative, because every non-finite clause must not be indenpendent. Also, do you know the differente types of finite clauses? as non-finite clauses are gerund, infinitive and participle.

Thank you

Cool Breeze · Answer

susanagomes2- I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for very much longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired.

I am not familiar with the classification of clauses used in the Anglo-Saxon world by many natives, but one thing is crystal-clear: ... that I shall be with you for very much longer is not a relative clause. That is a conjunction. If it were a relative, it would need an antecedent in the main clause.

The only way to have a relative clause after I do not think would be to make the entire main clause the antecedent, which would require which: I do not think, which is a sign of stupidity.

CB

Mister Micawber · Answer

Yes, sorry CB-- I always get that one wrong, don't I.

Susan, I have left your finite/non-finite classifications, only correcting the one that was wrong (in bold).

Susanagomes · Answer

Hi guys,

Thank you for ur comments. Once again I need your help.

I was given the following sentence and I have to divide it into finite and non finite clauses also indicating which is main clause and which is subordinate clause. More I have to say whelther the clauses after division are adverbial, complement or relative clause. I have done it, but please correct me if I am wrong.

"A single wall separated their lives but if he placed his ear to it he could hear her move about".

Mister Micawber · Answer

Let me just start again. This is how I would look at it.

This is a compound-complex sentence:

"A single wall separated their lives but if he placed his ear to it he could hear her move about".

1-- A single wall separated their lives-- independent finite simple clause

2-- if he placed his ear to it he could hear her move about-- independent finite complex clause with an imbedded subordinate clause

Those are both 'main' clauses: those coordinate clauses are joined by the coordinate conjunction 'but'.

3-- he could hear her move about -- finite simple independent clause
4-- if he placed his ear to it -- finite subordinate clause-- I'll let CB tell you its function (I'd call it a conditional clause)

5-- he could hear her-- finite simple independent clause

6-- move about-- nonfinite clause that I would call an object complement; CB may have other ideas.

English 1b3 · Answer

Not that my opinion counts for much, but I agree with CB. 'that' is a complementizer (a subset of subordinating conjunctions) that heads noun clauses.

And 'move about' is a verbal object of the catenative verb (subset--verb of the senses) 'hear'

Susanagomes · Answer

Thanks again guys, for ur knowledge and patience.

So, the clause "if he placed his ear to it" is a finite subordinate clause, is it an adverbial clause? since the "if" can function as a condition. is there any subordinate adverbial clause, which in this case "if he placed his ear to it" would fit.

Another question, pleasce correct me if I am wrong.

Rewrite the 2 sentences as one, with the underlined passage as a finite wh-clause.

Sarah plays poker very well. It is surpising that Sarah plays poker well.

It is surprising how well Sarah plays poker.

Thank you so much!

Cool Breeze · Answer

Mister Micawber4-- if he placed his ear to it -- finite subordinate clause-- I'll let CB tell you its function (I'd call it a conditional clause)

Hi Mr M

So would I![Y]

On the whole, I think many members dig much deeper into the nature of clauses etc. than I do. I have never used such exact classification as I encounter here - and I have managed just fine, at least in my own humble opinion.

I'm not even particularly interested in what to call something as I am in how to say it. I find theory for the sake of theory somewhat repellent. Of course I do understand that if a student is assigned such tasks, he must try to do his homework. I just don't understand whyany teacher would require his students to be liable to headaches all in vain.

CB

Susanagomes · Answer

Hi guys,

I totally agree with you! whats the point of getting all these nominations and classifications right...anyway, they make people to do it, otherwise you get 0 in grammar assingment even though you pretty much know how these things work.

Anyway, I got another one done, just please have a look...please

I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for very much longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired.

I do not think, comrades, = finite clause (matrix)

That I shall be with you for very much longer = Finiteclause, complement clause (subordinate)

before I die = finite clause, subordinate clause, adverbial clause

I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired= main clause (don't know if I should call it finite here because there are other non-finite)

To pass on to you such wisdom = non-finite clause, infinitive clause, subordinate clause, complement clause to "i feel it my duty"

As I have acquired = finite clause, adverbial clause???

Thanks again!

Finites non-finites clauses

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