1 Reproduced by kind permission of Erik Smitterberg (PhD, Docent), Department of English, Uppsala...

1

Reproduced by kind permission of Erik Smitterberg (PhD, Docent), Department of English, Uppsala University

A-level Grammar7: Pronouns II; Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

The soldiers, who were tired, lay down

The soldiers /who/that/ were tired lay down

Nonrestrictive and Restrictive Relative Clauses

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• All of the soldiers were tired• All of the soldiers lay down• Nonrestrictive relative

clause: adds information about the antecedent

• That is not possible

• Some of the soldiers were tired• Only the tired soldiers lay down• Restrictive relative clause:

restricts the scope of the antecedent

• That is possible

Commas or pauses

The Relative Clause II: Who and Whom II

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The people to whom you spoke at the cinema | were | friendlyS PsV

to whom you spoke at the cinema

The people who(m) you spoke to at the cinema | were | friendlyS V Ps

who(m) you spoke to at the cinema

PP

preposition complement

PP prepositioncomplement

The Function of Prepositions

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The preposition typically relates its complement to another part of the clause or phrase:

We spent our vacation in London

prepositional phrase

We spent our vacation outside London


Prepositional Phrases I: Structure

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A prepositional phrase (PP) consists of a preposition and a prepositional complement

in the Netherlands

in front of my uncle’s house

for boiling eggs

about the Language Structure exam

Swedish Preposition + Infinitive I

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In Swedish, a dependent infinitive clause can be the complement of a preposition:

Jag är intresserad av att spela tennisHon är bra på att översätta texter till engelska

But in English, a dependent infinitive clause cannot be the complement of a preposition!

* I am interested in to play tennis

* She is good at to translate texts into English

Swedish Preposition + Infinitive II

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Solution: turn the infinitive clause into an -ing clause

I am interested in playing tennis

She is good at translating texts into English

Pay special attention to to: preposition or infinitive marker?

Digital cameras were used to take these pictures

He is used to taking pictures

Infinitive marker: followed by the infinitive

Preposition: followed by the -ing form

Swedish Preposition + att-Clause I

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In Swedish, a dependent att-clause can be the complement of a preposition:

Vi talade om att Susan måste flytta

But in English, a dependent that-clause cannot be the complement of a preposition!

* We talked about that Susan has to move

Han bad om ursäkt för att han kom för sentJag är medveten om att det här är svårt

* He apologized for that he was late

* I am aware of that this is difficult

Swedish Preposition + att-Clause II

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Solution 1: Skip the preposition (this is only possible in some cases: see UGE!)

I am aware Ø that this is difficult

adjective phrase

adjective adjective complement (that-clause)

Swedish Preposition + att-Clause III

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Solution 2: insert the + a suitable noun between the preposition and the that-clause (this is only possible in some cases: see UGE!)

We talked about the fact that Susan had to move

that-clause

postmodifierheaddet.

prepositional complement (noun phrase)

preposition


Swedish Preposition + att-Clause IV

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Solution 3: turn the that-clause into an -ing clause

He apologized for being late

preposition prepositional complement (-ing clause)


The -ing clause does not need a subject because the understood subject is the same as that of the

independent clause: “he” apologized and “he” was late

Swedish Preposition + att-Clause V

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If the subject of the -ing clause is not the same as the subject of the independent clause, the -ing clause needs an explicit subject

Pronoun subject in the -ing clause: use the object form (informal) or the possessive determiner form (formal)

We look forward to

Noun subject in the -ing clause: use the common-case form (normal) or the genitive form (formal)

We look forward to

them visiting us (informal)

their visiting us (formal)

your sister visiting us (normal)

your sister’s visiting us (formal)

Further Reading

• Compendium:– Unit 7, Pronouns II; Prepositions and Prepositional

Phrases

• A University Grammar of English (UGE):– Chapter 8, sections 8.6-8.9; Chapter 10

1 Reproduced by kind permission of Erik Smitterberg (PhD, Docent), Department of English, Uppsala...

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