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CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW
Theoretical Review in this study covers two main parts, Review of Related Theories, and Theoretical Framework. In the Review of Related Theories, the
writer will state four theories related to the study which are beneficial in analyzing data. Theoretical Framework explains the contribution of the theories in solving
the problems stated in the Problem Formulation.
A. Review of Related Theories
The first sub-chapter contains four relevant theories used in analyzing data. Those theories are Theories on Clauses and Sentences, Theories on Simple
Sentences, Theories on Compound Sentences, and Theories on Complex Sentences.
1. Theories on Clauses and Sentences
This sub-chapter is divided into four segments. They are Clauses versus Sentences, Basic Types of English Clauses, Elements of English Clauses, and
Classes of English Clauses.
a. Clauses versus Sentences
Efforts to understand the meaning of clauses and sentences may lead to confusion at a certain stage because they have a similar characteristic.
According to Quirk 1972: 342, a clause is “a unit that can be analyzed into elements” in which it is grammatical with a finite verb and “forming part of a
sentence” Burton, 1982: 140. For example in this utterance I paid the boy who delivered the newspapers
, there is one sentence which is formed from two clauses, I paid the boy
and who delivered the newspapers. The first clause is an independent utterance and the other is not and cannot stand by itself. So, “when
the subject and predicate express a complete idea, the clause is called a sentence” Carter and Skates, 1990: 50.
A sentence also means “the finite string of words which we communicate” Peters, 2004: 491. Many utterances in a conversation do not have full subject
and predicate but they are understood through the context.
b. Basic Types of English Clauses
According to Crystal 1995: 221 and Quirk 1972: 343, English clause can be divided into seven basic types.
Type 1: Subject + Verb, e.g. The children were sleeping. Type 2: Subject + Verb + Object, e.g. Somebody stole the key.
Type 3: Subject + Verb + Complement, e.g. They are starving. Type 4: Subject + Verb + Adverbial, e.g. We were there.
Type 5: Subject + Verb + Object + Object, e.g. I gave him a shirt.
Type 6: Subject + Verb + Object + Complement, e.g. We have proved him
wrong.
Type 7: Subject + Verb + Object + Adverbial, e.g. The director put the script in
his drawer.
c. Elements of an English Clause
In a clause, there are at least two elements present. Whenever these two elements absent, a clause cannot be called a clause. Those two elements are
subject and predicate. A subject is “the part that names the person or thing about which
something is said” Burton, 1982: 139. It has several functions. First, subject controls whether the verb is singular or plural in the third person of the present
tense. Second, subject controls the form of certain objects and complements. The second required element of English clause is a predicate. A predicate
contains a verb phrase VP generally referring to an action performed by the subject
Wilson, 1998
as cited
in http:www.uncp.eduhomecanadaworkmarkportlanguagegrammarspg2001sy
ntax.htm, accessed on August 20, 2007 and it “affirms something about the subject Ducrot and Todorov, 1981: 210”. The predicate itself can be analyzed
into four elements. They are verb, object, adverbial, and complement. A verb plays a central role in clause structure and it must be a verb phrase
VP. Verbs have four kinds of forms, the simple form, the simple past regular and irregular verbs, the past participle, and the present participle Azar, 1992:
