Verbless clauses.
Verbless clauses are clauses which contain no verb element, and often also no subject. They are regarded as clauses because they function in ways which make them equivalent to https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-a-finite-verb-1690860 and https://www.thoughtco.com/nonfinite-verb-term-1691435 clauses and because they can be analysed in terms of one or more clause elements."
What would be an example of a verbless clause with no verb element or subject and how do these differ from phrases and clauses with implied verbs?
How can a finite clause contain no subject or verb as described here? (function in ways is vague)
Top answer
[1] While working in Boston I lived with my aunt. [non-finite] [2] While in Boston I lived with my aunt. [verbless] Both examples have a verbless clause as complement of the preposition "while".
- [1] While working in Boston I lived with my aunt.
- [non-finite] [2] While in Boston I lived with my aunt.
- [verbless] Both examples have a verbless clause as complement of the preposition "while".
- But in [2] the subject as well as the predicator is missing; nevertheless, there is a predicational relation understood.
- The adjunct can be expanded to while I was in Boston .
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[1] While working in Boston I lived with my aunt. [non-finite]
[2] While in Boston I lived with my aunt. [verbless]
Both examples have a verbless clause as complement of the preposition "while".
But in [2] the subject as well as the predicator is missing; nevertheless, there is a predicational relation understood. The adjunct can be expande
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