Analysis of Complex Sentences

ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX SENTENCES (Clause Analysis)

Usually when a complex or compound sentence is given for analysing, detailed-analysis is not required; the student is asked to give clause analysis, that is, he is asked to break up a given- sentence into its several clauses and show their relation to one another.

In analysing a Complex sentence, the first step is to find out the Principal or Main Clause.

The next step is to find out the Subordinate Clause or Clauses, showing the relation which each Clause bears to the Principal Clause.

Now study carefully the following example of the analysis of a Complex sentence:-Whenever he heard the question, the old man who lived in that house, answered that the earth is flat.

Complex sentence containing three Subordinate clauses:

The old man --- answered (Principal clause).

Whenever he heard the question. (Adverb clause of time, modifying answered in 1.)

Who lived in that house. (Adjective clause, qualifying man in 1.)

That the earth is flat. (Noun clause, object of answered in 1.)

Sometimes a Subordinate clause has another Subordinate clause within it; that is, a Subordinate clause has another Subordinate clause dependent on it e.g.,

I think that he destroyed the letter which you sent there.

1. I think -- (Principal clause.)

2. That he destroyed the letter -- (Noun Clause, object of think in 1.)

3. Which you sent there -- (Adjective clause, subordinate to 2, qualifying letter.)

He replied that he worked whenever he liked.

He replied -- (Principal clause.)

That he worked -- (Noun clause, object of replied in 1.)

Whenever he liked -- (Adverb clause, subordinate to 2, modifying worked.)

I know the man who said that this would happen.

1. I know the man -- (Principal clause).

2. Who said -- (Adjective clause, qualifying man in 1.)

That this would happen. (Noun clause, subordinate to 2, object of said.)

One afternoon, as in that sultry clime

It is the custom in the summer-time.,

With bolted doors and window-shutters closed,

The inhabitants of Atri slept or dozed.

When, suddenly upon their senses fell

The loud alarm of the accusing bell!

Complex sentence, containing two subordinate clauses:

One afternoon, with bolted doors and window shutters closed, the inhabitants of Atri slept or dozed. (Principal clause).

As in that sultry clime it is the custom in the summer-time. (Adverb clause of manner, modifying slept or dozed in 1.)

When, suddenly, upon their senses fell the loud alarm of the accusing bell. (Adverb clause of time, modifying slept or dozed in 1)

    Below are further examples:

Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said,

'This is my own, my native land'? Complex sentence, containing two subordinate clauses:

Breathes there the man with soul so dead -- (Principal clause).

Who never to himself hath said -- (Adjective clause, qualifying man in 1.)

“This is my own, my native land”? (Noun clause, subordinate to 2, object of hath said.)

Everyone who knows you, acknowledges, when he considers the case calmly, that you have been wronged.

Complex sentence, containing three subordinate clauses:-1. Everyone acknowledges...(Principal clause)

2. Who knows you. (Adjective clause, qualifying one in 1.)

3. When he considers the case calmly, (Adverb clause, modifying acknowledges in 1.)

4. That you have been wronged. (Noun clause, object of acknowledges in 1.)

Do the work that's nearest,

Tho' it's dull at whiles

Helping when you meet them.

Lame dogs over stiles.

Complex sentence, containing three subordinate clauses:-

[You] do the work, helping lame dogs over stiles. (Principal clause.)

That's nearest. (Adjective clause, qualifying work in 1.)

Tho' it's dull at whiles. (Adverb clause of concession, modifying helping in 1.)

When you meet them. (Adverb clause of time, modifying helping in 1.)

I knew a man who believed that, if a man were permitted to make the ballads, he need not care who made the laws of a nation.

Complex sentence, containing four subordinate clauses:

I knew a man...(Principal clause)

Who believed....(Adjective clause, qualifying a man in I.)

That he need not care. (Noun clause, subordinate to 2, object of believed)

Who made the laws of a nation. (Noun clause, subordinate to 2, object of care.)

If a man were permitted to make the ballads. Adverb clause of condition, subordinate to 3, modifying need not care.

The man who can play most heartily when he has the chance of playing, is generally the man who can work most heartily when he must work.

Complex sentence, containing four subordinate clauses:

The man is generally the man...(Principal clause.)

Who can play most heartily. [Adjective clause, qualifying man (subject) in 1.]

When he has the chance of playing. [Adverb clause, subordinate to 2. modifying play. )

Who can work most heartily. (Adjective clause, qualifying man (complement) in l.]

When he must work. (Adverb clause, subordinate to 4, modifying work).

Should you be so unfortunate as to suppose that you are a genius, and that things will come to you, it would be well to undeceive yourself as soon as it is possible.

Complex sentence, containing four subordinate Clauses:

It would be well to undeceive yourself. (Principal clause).

As soon as it is possible. (Adverb clause of time, subordinate to ].)

Should you be so unfortunate as to suppose...(Adverb clause of condition, subordinate to 1.)

That you are a genius. (Noun clause. Subordinate to 3, object of to sup pose.)

And that things will come to you. (Noun clause, co-ordinate with 4, and subordinate to 3, object of to suppose.)

Exercise

Analyse the following sentences:-

As my eldest son was bred a scholar. I determined to send him to town, where his abilities might contribute to our support and his own.

Clive had been only a few months in the army, when intelligence arrived that peace had been concluded between Great Britain and France.

I had a partial father, who gave me a better education than his broken fortune would have allowed.

He told us that he had read Milton, in a prose translation, when he was fourteen.

With whatever luxuries a bachelor may be surrounded, he will always find his happiness incomplete, unless he has a wife and children.

Among the many reasons which make me glad to have been born in England, one of the first is that E read Shakespeare in my mother tongue.

He [Pope] professed to have learned his poetry from Dryden. whom, whenever an opportunity was presented, he praised through his whole life with unvaried liberality.

We who are fortunate enough to live in this enlightened century hardly realize

how our ancestors suffered from their belief in the existence of mysterious and malevolent beings.

We cannot justly interpret the religion of any people, unless we are prepared to admit that we ourselves are liable to error in matters of faith.

Milton said that he did not educate his daughters in the languages, because one tongue was enough for a woman.

The man who does not sec that the good of every living creature is his good, is a fool.

Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which 1 felt when 1 sank into the water.

We had in this village, some twenty years ago, a boy whom I well remember, who from his childhood showed a strong liking for bees.

Considering that the world is so intricate, we are not to be surprised that science has progressed slowly.

You lake my house when you do take the prop

I heard a thousand blended notes While in a grove I sat reclined.

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

Much as we like Shakespeare's comedies, we cannot agree with Dr. Johnson that they are better than his tragedies.

Those who look into practical life will find that fortune is usually on the side of the industrious, as the winds and waves are on the side of the best navigators.

He who sits from day to day.

History says that Socrates, when he was given the cup of hemlock, continued to talk to the friends who were standing around him as he drank it.

1 have no sympathy with the poor man I knew, who, when suicides abounded, told me he dared not look at his razor.