Sentence Structure

Question

For many people, household labor remains demanding even if they can afford household appliances their grandparents would have found miraculous.

Guys,

I am not able to comprehend the structure of above sentence... Even though its a correct sentence according to ETS, I am having hard time believe ? It seems like INDEPENDENT CLAUSE + INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ......Furthermore, if they can afford household appliances (TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL) should be followed by will? But ....in sentence its would have ?

Please help me to understand ?

Thank you

Vsuresh · Accepted Answer

Hi Pokh

This is a complex- compound sentence.

..."their grandparents would have found miraculous." is an adjecive clause which modifies the household appliances. And it is would have found because the idea is if the grandparents had had these during their days they would have found it too hard to believe.

Pokh · Answer

Thanks vsuresh...

I understand its an adjectival clause... my question why no conjunction in between.... structure is Main CLAUSE + INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.... should not there be (Main CLAUSE )+ ,+ FANBOYS+ INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

Thank you

Vsuresh · Answer

Hi Pokh,

I have made a mistake. This is not a compound complex sentence. It is a complex sentence having two subordinate clauses and one main clause.

I am sorry for this error.

I'm afraid I do not know that the clauses in a sentence need to be in a particular order.

You have asked about the conjunctions. I have analysed the sentence below:

For many people, household labor remains demanding even if they can afford household appliances their grandparents would have found miraculous.

for many people- phrase

household labor remains demanding- main clause

even if (conjunction)they can afford household appliances- subordiante clause (adverb clause)

which (conjunction (understood)) their grandparents would have found miraculous- subordinate clause (adjective clause)

Hope this helps.

Suresh

Vsuresh · Answer

Hi Pokh,

I have made a mistake. This is not a compound complex sentence. It is a complex sentence having two subordinate clauses and one main clause.

I am sorry for this error.

I'm afraid I do not know that the clauses in a sentence need to be in a particular order.

You have asked about the conjunctions. I have analysed the sentence below:

For many people, household labor remains demanding even if they can afford household appliances their grandparents would have found miraculous.

for many people- phrase

household labor remains demanding- main clause

even if (conjunction)they can afford household appliances- subordiante clause (adverb clause)

which (conjunction (understood)) their grandparents would have found miraculous- subordinate clause (adjective clause)

Hope this helps.

Suresh

Vsuresh · Answer

Hi Pokh,

I have made a mistake. This is not a compound complex sentence. It is a complex sentence having two subordinate clauses and one main clause.

I am sorry for this error.

I'm afraid I do not know that the clauses in a sentence need to be in a particular order.

You have asked about the conjunctions. I have analysed the sentence below:

For many people, household labor remains demanding even if they can afford household appliances their grandparents would have found miraculous.

for many people- phrase

household labor remains demanding- main clause

even if (conjunction)they can afford household appliances- subordiante clause (adverb clause)

which (conjunction (understood)) their grandparents would have found miraculous- subordinate clause (adjective clause)

Hope this helps.

Suresh

Pokh · Answer

If we can assume which as elided then there would be no such concept called run on?

Experts please explain it?

Vsuresh · Answer

Hi Pokh

I would like to give an example of run on sentence and a sentence in which the conjunction is understood.

She brought home the shirts (which) her uncle bought her last Sunday.

She had a cup of strong coffee, arranged for her files and started for work.

The place where the run -on structure starts is highlighted.

Pokh · Answer

vsruesh, I dont think second one is a run-on , instead; its pretty awkward sentence in which the elements are not parallel?

For eg; I doubt If we can have a sentence as below:

I read a book --(WHICH)-- I BOUGHT YESTERDAY

if you remove which then it becomes I read a book i bought yesterday... which clearly becomes run-on...

Forgive me for my ignorance... Can you please elaborate a bit more?

Thank you

Checkers123 · Answer

pokh, I can't go technical on it but from what I've understood. It becomes a run-on sentence when you chain together 'complete & independant' sentences, like in the example given by vsuresh.... if you look closely, each of those sentences can be used alone.

"She had a cup of strong coffee, arranged for her files and started for work."

=

She had a cup of strong coffee. She arranged for her files. She started for work.

Your line on the other hand is a single sentence with a connector(I think that's what it's called) 'which'.

"I read a book which I bought yesterday."

If you split it

1) I read a book (ok)

2) I bought yesterday (not ok, doesn't make sense)

Vsuresh · Answer

Hi Pokh

This is the defintion of run-on sentence, which I have got from wikipedia:

A run-on sentence is a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence_%28linguistics%29 in which two or more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_clauses (i.e., complete sentences) are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction. It is generally considered to be a grammatical error though it is occasionally used in literature and may be used as a rhetorical device.

I read the book (WHICH) I BOUGHT YESTERDAY.

This is a complex sentence. And it sounds ok even if you remove which.

Here is an example of a run -on sentence

We have failed the test we need special classes to pass.

'and so' is missing here between 'test' and 'we'

Please let me know if this helsps.

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