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Complement Clause

The Complement clauses ( abbreviated as COMP-clauses) are commonly defined as subordinate clauses functioning as an argument of a predicate. The Complement Clause functions as an NP in a sentence – can occur anywhere a regular NP occurs:

– as the subject, object, complement, object of the preposition, etc.
– in apposition to other NPs
– as adjective complements

Complement Clauses: Classification

A. Declarative Type
1. “That” type
2. Infinitival type (For-to- type)
3. Gerundial type (Poss-ing type)

B. Interrogative Type
1. Yes/No sub-type
2. Wh sub-type

Features of Complement Clauses

The Complement Clause functions as an NP in a sentence – can occur anywhere a regular NP occurs:

– as the subject, object, complement, object of the preposition, etc.
– in apposition to other NPs
– as adjective complements.

S-complements either include a that-complementizer, If-complements introduced by the complementizers if (or whether), which in contrast to that, qualify the meaning of the COMP-clause. Finally, wh-complements have a specific syntactic structure which sets them apart from both S-complements and if-complements: They are introduced by a wh-word serving as an argument or adjunct in the embedded clause; that is, while the complementizers of S- and if-complement clauses are grammatical operators, the wh-pronouns/adverbs of wh-complements serve a semantic role within the embedded clause.

Complementizer Placement

‘That’ Type
• John knew that Bill was a fool
DS: John past-know-[Bill-past-be a fool]
The insert sentence is transformed into a CC, through the addition of a complementizer, in this case, that.
Complementizer Placement (CP) -> John-past-know-that-Bill-past-be-a fool.
AS -> John know-past that Bill be-past a fool
SS -> John knew that Bill was a fool.

Infinitival (For-to- ) Type
• John wished to go
DS: John-past-wish-[John-t-go]
CP -> John-past-wish-[for-John-to-go]
For del -> John-past-wish-[John-to-go]
Equi-NP del -> John-past-wish-to go.
AS -> John wish-past to go.
SS: John wished to go.

Gerundial (Poss-ing) Type
• It is dangerous arguing with women.
DS: [Someone-t-argue with women]-pres-be dangerous.
CP -> [Someone’s arguing with women]-pres-be dangerous.
Unsp NP del -> Arguing with women pres-be dangerous.
Extraposition -> It-pres-be dangerous arguing with women.
AS -> It-be-pres dangerous arguing with women.
SS: It is dangerous arguing with women.

Interrogative Type Complement Clauses

A. Yes/No Interrogative Type Complement Clause
E.g., I asked him if/whether he wanted the book.
B. Wh-interrogative Type Complement Clause
E.g., I asked him why he wanted the book.

Yes/No Interrogative Type Complement Clause
• I asked him if he wanted the book.
In this type of CC, the complementizer is either an if or a whether.
The insert sentence, in its SS, is a Yes/No interrogative, which in turn was derived from a (Q)-declarative sentence DS.
I asked him-[Did he want the book?]

Wh-interrogative Type Complement Clause
• I asked him why he wanted the book.
Here, the complementizer is the very same wh-question word, which is found in the Wh-interrogative question that is the insert sentence.
DS: I asked him-[Why did he want the book?]
The auxiliary inversion of the insert sentence is simultaneously reversed, leaving the sequence of why he wanted the book.
SS: I asked him why he wanted the book.

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Devika Panikar
δάσκαλος (dáskalos) means the teacher in Greek. Devika Panikar has been teaching English Language and Literature since 2006. She is an Assistant Professor with the Directorate of Collegiate Education under the Government of Kerala. She teaches at the Government Colleges under this directorate and is now posted at the Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram. This website is a collection of lecture notes she prepared by referencing various sources for her students’ perusal. It has been compiled here for the sake of future generations.

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