Outline of the lesson
Objectives
Required reading
Key terms
Introduction
Form and functions of:
Summary
Self study questions
By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1.explain the form of the wh-interrogative nominal clause.
2.discuss the functions of the wh– interrogative nominal clause.
3.explain the form of the yes-no interrogative nominal clause.
4.discuss the functions of the yes-no interrogative clause.
Required Readings
Quirk, R. & Greenbaum, S. (1973). A university grammar of English. Essex: Longman. (pp. 317-319)
Thompson, G. (2014). Introducing functional grammar (3rd ed.). New York & London: Routledge. (pp. 14-26)
wh-clause
Yes/No clause
Wh-interrogative nominal clause
Defining wh-int. nominal clause
The wh-interrogative nominal clause is introduced by a wh-word.
Wh-words include: ‘what, who, which, how, when, why, where, etc.’
Functions of the wh-int. nominal clause
Wh-interrogative nominal clause can function as:
Subject
direct Object
subject Complement
prepositional Complement
adjective Complement
a)What you say here will be an evidence against you in the courtroom.
b)Why Obed slapped his friend still baffles my mind.
c)How the commodity will sell depends on the packaging.
vdirect Object
i.I knew what was on your mind.
ii.Mercy confirmed why she took that decision
iii.The guys wondered how they would cope with the online class.
iv.The police questioned where Dede slept in the midst of the covid-19.
v.We can’t imagine what made him do it.
vsubject Complement
a)Harmattan season is when all trees shed their leaves.
b)Mount Calvary was where the Saviour was crucified.
c)That’s why most of you people are vulnerable.
d)My favourite past experience was when I swam in the sea for the first time.
e)This is what he said.
f)The problem is not who created the virus, but who will kill it.
i.I wrote about how Dela behaved towards me.
ii.Ansah responded to what the media asked him.
iii.The lifting of the lockdown depends on how we practice social distancing.
iv.The picnic took place at where the dog was killed.
v.No one was consulted on who should have the crown.
adjectival Complement
i.I wasn’t certain whose house I was in.
ii.It was unfortunate how Covid-19 swept through Accra.
iii.We were not sure what made Osei reveal the secret.
Yes-no interrogative nominal clause
The yes-no interrogative nominal clause is introduced by if or whether:
1.Do you know if/whether the banks are open
2.I wonder if/whether he doesn’t expect too much from her.
The yes-no interrogative clause can be in a form an alternative question with the structure if/whether … not:
1.I don’t know whether it will rain or be sunny.
2.I don’t care if your car breaks down or not.
Only whether can be directly followed by or not:
1.I don’t care whether or not your car breaks down. (correct)
2.*I don’t care if or not your car breaks down. (wrong).
If cannot introduce a clause functioning as Subject:
1.Whether it rains or not doesn’t concern me. (correct)
2.*If it rains or not doesn’t concern me. (wrong).
Functions of the yes-no int. nom. clause
Yes-no interrogative clauses function as:
Object
Complement
Examples are highlighted below:
1.Whether or not school reopens doesn’t change anything.
2.Whether she divorced me or not is not your concern.
Examples are highlighted below:
1.I don’t know if/whether he is in the room.
2.We discussed if/whether he should be allowed to run another term.
3.I wonder if/whether he reasons at all.
indirect Object
1.Efia asked me if/whether I would be coming to her birthday party.
2.The doctor questioned me if/whether I had fever.
i.The question is whether we will write our exams in school.
ii.The problem is whether I will be allowed to write the paper without my ID card.
i.I don’t care whether or not your car breaks down.
ii.I’m not sure if/whether he will accept your explanation.
SUMMARY
This lesson examined two types of nominal clauses:
1.Wh-interrogative nominal clause
2.Yes-no interrogative nominal clause.
The wh-interrogative nominal clause is introduced by a wh– word
The wh-nominal clause performs the following functions: Subject, direct Object, subject Complement, prepositional Complement, adjective Complement.
The yes-no interrogative, subject Complement, adjective Complement. nominal clause is introduced by if or
whether
The yes-no interrogative nominal clause performs the following functions: Subject, direct Object, indirect
Self Study Questions
Identify the wh-interrogative nominal clauses in the following sentences and state their functions:
1.What we saw that day was very amazing.
2.The scare of covid-19 is why all students are at home.
3.I believed what Nana Yaa told me last night.
4.We talked about how we could support the covid- 19 victims.
Provide your own examples to illustrate the following functions of the yes-no interrogative clause:
1.Subject
2.direct Object
3.indirect Object
4.subject Complement
5.adjective Complement
Outline of the lesson
Objectives
Required reading
Key terms
Introduction
Form and functions of:
Summary
Self study questions
Objectives
By the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:
1.explain the form of the wh-interrogative nominal clause.
2.discuss the functions of the wh– interrogative nominal clause.
3.explain the form of the yes-no interrogative nominal clause.
4.discuss the functions of the yes-no interrogative clause.
Required Readings
Quirk, R. & Greenbaum, S. (1973). A university grammar of English. Essex: Longman. (pp. 317-319)
Thompson, G. (2014). Introducing functional grammar (3rd ed.). New York & London: Routledge. (pp. 14-26)
Key terms
wh-clause
Yes/No clause
Wh-interrogative nominal clause
Defining wh-int. nominal clause
The wh-interrogative nominal clause is introduced by a wh-word.
Wh-words include: ‘what, who, which, how, when, why, where, etc.’
Functions of the wh-int. nominal clause
Wh-interrogative nominal clause can function as:
Subject
direct Object
subject Complement
prepositional Complement
adjective Complement
Subject
a)What you say here will be an evidence against you in the courtroom.
b)Why Obed slapped his friend still baffles my mind.
c)How the commodity will sell depends on the packaging.
vdirect Object
i.I knew what was on your mind.
ii.Mercy confirmed why she took that decision
iii.The guys wondered how they would cope with the online class.
iv.The police questioned where Dede slept in the midst of the covid-19.
v.We can’t imagine what made him do it.
vsubject Complement
a)Harmattan season is when all trees shed their leaves.
b)Mount Calvary was where the Saviour was crucified.
c)That’s why most of you people are vulnerable.
d)My favourite past experience was when I swam in the sea for the first time.
e)This is what he said.
f)The problem is not who created the virus, but who will kill it.
prepositional Complement
i.I wrote about how Dela behaved towards me.
ii.Ansah responded to what the media asked him.
iii.The lifting of the lockdown depends on how we practice social distancing.
iv.The picnic took place at where the dog was killed.
v.No one was consulted on who should have the crown.
adjectival Complement
i.I wasn’t certain whose house I was in.
ii.It was unfortunate how Covid-19 swept through Accra.
iii.We were not sure what made Osei reveal the secret.
Yes-no interrogative nominal clause
The yes-no interrogative nominal clause is introduced by if or whether:
1.Do you know if/whether the banks are open
2.I wonder if/whether he doesn’t expect too much from her.
The yes-no interrogative clause can be in a form an alternative question with the structure if/whether … not:
1.I don’t know whether it will rain or be sunny.
2.I don’t care if your car breaks down or not.
Only whether can be directly followed by or not:
1.I don’t care whether or not your car breaks down. (correct)
2.*I don’t care if or not your car breaks down. (wrong).
If cannot introduce a clause functioning as Subject:
1.Whether it rains or not doesn’t concern me. (correct)
2.*If it rains or not doesn’t concern me. (wrong).
Functions of the yes-no int. nom. clause
Yes-no interrogative clauses function as:
Subject
Object
Complement
adjective Complement
Subject
Examples are highlighted below:
1.Whether or not school reopens doesn’t change anything.
2.Whether she divorced me or not is not your concern.
Subject
If cannot introduce a clause functioning as Subject:
1.Whether it rains or not doesn’t concern me. (correct)
2.*If it rains or not doesn’t concern me. (wrong).
direct Object
Examples are highlighted below:
1.I don’t know if/whether he is in the room.
2.We discussed if/whether he should be allowed to run another term.
3.I wonder if/whether he reasons at all.
indirect Object
Examples are highlighted below:
1.Efia asked me if/whether I would be coming to her birthday party.
2.The doctor questioned me if/whether I had fever.
subject Complement
Examples are highlighted below:
i.The question is whether we will write our exams in school.
ii.The problem is whether I will be allowed to write the paper without my ID card.
adjective Complement
Examples are highlighted below:
i.I don’t care whether or not your car breaks down.
ii.I’m not sure if/whether he will accept your explanation.
adjective Complement
Examples are highlighted below:
i.I don’t care whether or not your car breaks down.
ii.I’m not sure if/whether he will accept your explanation.
SUMMARY
This lesson examined two types of nominal clauses:
1.Wh-interrogative nominal clause
2.Yes-no interrogative nominal clause.
The wh-interrogative nominal clause is introduced by a wh– word
The wh-nominal clause performs the following functions: Subject, direct Object, subject Complement, prepositional Complement, adjective Complement.
The yes-no interrogative, subject Complement, adjective Complement. nominal clause is introduced by if or
whether
The yes-no interrogative nominal clause performs the following functions: Subject, direct Object, indirect
Self Study Questions
Identify the wh-interrogative nominal clauses in the following sentences and state their functions:
1.What we saw that day was very amazing.
2.The scare of covid-19 is why all students are at home.
3.I believed what Nana Yaa told me last night.
4.We talked about how we could support the covid- 19 victims.
Provide your own examples to illustrate the following functions of the yes-no interrogative clause:
1.Subject
2.direct Object
3.indirect Object
4.subject Complement
5.adjective Complement
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