How other clause types are derived from the declarative clause since it is structured in accordance with the complementation principles.

Considering the form and structure of sentences, we can identify types of sentences as declarative, imperative, interrogative and exclamatory. Most clauses (or simple sentences) fall into four basic categories, which are treated according to the clausal grammatical structure. These clause types are: declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperative; the following treatment is based on syntactic forms of given clauses. Declarative clauses have the structure the subject + the verb, which is the signal of an unmarked word ordering. The subject is thus an obligatory clause element. The declarative clause is treated as the default, basic type or unmarked type of clause due to the absence of other special features that make other types of clauses as marked. Declarative sentences always have a subject and a predicate.  The subject can be simple with a noun phrase or it can be a compound subject.  Compound subjects are made of more than one simple subject combined with a conjunction such as and, or, and but. Here are examples:

My coat is red.

Simple Subject – “My coat”

Predicate – “is red”

Katie and I rode our bikes to school.

The word Katie and the word I are two simple subjects joined by the conjunction and to make a compound subject.

Declarative clause is structured in accordance with the complementation principle that the clause will serve as a point of departure in determine the other clausal types. In accordance to with the complementation principles, we have: s + v + (oi) + (od) + (oc) + (sc). Thus, the subject and the verb are obligatory and based on the sub-category of the verb; other elements can be added to the sentence. On that view, the declarative clause is considered default and all other types are derived from the declarative clause. Therefore this paper will highlight on how other clausal types are derived using the declarative clause structured in accordance with the complementation principle as a point of departure. Amongst the clausal types to be considered includes: interrogative clause, imperative clause and exclamatory clause.

To begin with, Interrogative clauses typically employ the inversion of the subject and the verb. Within these clauses, we usually distinguish between two types:  Closed interrogatives or yes/no questions: they are based on subject—auxiliary inversion and employ a do-support construction if it is not possible to use another auxiliary or inversion. The only answer is either an affirmation or rejection. The polar yes or no interrogative can be derived from the declarative by going through two processes. The first process is the by ‘do insertion’ of which ‘do’ is a dummy ‘do’. Below are examples to illustrate how a declarative clause can result in an interrogative clause by inserting ‘do’.

You love him.          (Declarative clause)

Do you love him?    (Interrogative clause)

You beat him.      (Declarative clause)

Do you beat him?    (Interrogative clause)

From the above examples, we realise that by the simple insertion of ‘do’ into the above declarative clause, it changes from making a statement to ask a question. This is to say that a declarative clause can be used to ask polar yes or no question when there is ‘do insertion’.

Open interrogatives or wh-questions: these interrogatives contain an interrogative element who, whom, whose, which, what, when, where or how etc. This interrogative word is the first element in the clause and is followed by the verb and thus signals the inversion. These questions are used to require information about one particular clause element in the clause. In deriving a –wh interrogative clause from the declarative clause, the first process is the –wh insertion which normally replaces the object of the sentence. An example is:

You ate something.      (Declarative clause)

You ate what?                (Interrogative clause.)

You threw something.          (Declarative clause)

You threw what?           (Interrogative clause)

The second process is the –wh fronting. This can be done simply by fronting the –wh element. Example can be seen below:

You said something.           (Declarative clause)

What you said?             (Interrogative clause)

From the above example given, -wh interrogative clause is derived from a declarative clause by fronting the –wh element. The third process can occur in two ways: one of the ways is by ‘do insertion’ which is only possible in sentences where there is no auxiliary verb. An example is:

You said something.         (Declarative clause)

What did you say?              (Interrogative clause)

The second way under the third process involves subject-auxiliary inversion. This process occurs in sentences that have an auxiliary verb in them. An example is:

My slippers are somewhere.        (Declarative clause)

Where are my slippers?             (Interrogative clause).

Also, imperative clause can be derived from the declarative clause. Imperatives clauses contain the finite imperative predicator, which is identical with the base/plain form of the verb and which is not marked for tense and person. These clauses are frequently used without a 2nd person subject, but it is important to realize that subjects in these clauses are not missing, but they are part of the special imperative form – we may talk of imperative mood. Examples are:

Tell me what you think I’m thinking.

Don’t be so greedy.

The imperative clause can be derived from the declarative clause by two processes. First among the two processes to talk about is the deletion of the second person subject. The second person subject in the sense can be singular or plural. An example to illustrate this is below:

You don’t be greedy.        (Declarative clause)

Don’t be greedy.           (Imperative clause)

It can be seen from the above example that in order to come by the imperative clause, there was a deletion of the subject ‘you’. The second process for deriving imperative clause from a declarative clause is the deletion of tense. The imperative clause has got nothing to do with present or past that is to make it certain that the verb is used in its bare infinitive form. Below is an example:

You told me what I was thinking.      (Declarative )

Tell me what I’m thinking.              (imperative)

Finally, exclamatory clause is no different when deriving other clausal types from the declarative clause type. Exclamatory clause can also be derived from the default clause type. these clauses begin with an initial exclamatory what or how but in contrast to interrogative clauses, in which the initial wh-phrase signals subject—auxiliary inversion, in exclamatory clauses there is no inversion – the order is subject—predicator; however, possibly subject may be postposed and inversion subject—auxiliary employed. In what-clauses the initial element is followed by a noun phrase while how is used with all remaining structures. Examples of exclamatory clause include:

What a depressingly stupid machine!

What a marvellous idea!

The exclamatory clause can be derived from the declarative clause through the following processes:

1.      Wh- insertion

Example include

He is a handsome boy.        (Declarative clause)

He is what a handsome boy!         (Exclamatory clause)

2.      Wh- fronting

Example include

He is a handsome boy.        (Declarative clause)

What a handsome boy he is!       (Exclamatory clause)

From the second process, it should be noted that that the wh- element takes part of the predicate along with it.

To conclude, this paper highlighted on how other clausal types is derived using the declarative clause structured in accordance with the complementation principle as a point of departure. Among the clausal types considered includes: interrogative clause, imperative clause and exclamatory clause. The paper gave examples to every point stated in the cause of its discussion.

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Huddleston, R., & Pullum, G. K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.