4. Composite sentence analysis

Composite sentences may be of four structural types:

(1) complex sentences, clauses in which are in relations of dependence;

(2) compound sentences, clauses in which are in relations of independence;

(3) compound-complex sentences, which consist of two or more co-ordinate clauses at least one of which has one or more subordinate clauses);

(4) complex-compound sentences which consist of one principal and two or more homogenous subordinate clauses, joined with each other by co­ordination.

Below an example of syntactic analysis of a composite sentence is suggested:

1	2
It was said | that you could always find a mug in the city to write
			4
a fat cheque for the production of a play || but | when you came down to business |
3	5		6
you discovered | that the main condition was | that the leading part should be
		7
played by some pretty lady | in whom he was interested. (Maugharn)

This is a composite sentence because it contains more than one unit of finite predication. This sentence consists of seven clauses. It is a compound-complex sentence because the clauses stand in relations of independence and those of dependence.

It was said (1) is the first principal (co-ordinate) clause;

that yon could always find a mug in the citv to write a fat cheque for the production of a play (2) is a subject clause connected by means of the conjunction that;

you discovered (3) is the second principal (co-ordinate) clause. Both principal clauses are joined by means of the adversative²¹ conjunction but;

when you came down to business (4) is an adverbial clause of time. It refers to the verb to discover (discovered) in the second principal clause and is connected by means of the conjunction .when;

that the main condition was (5) is an object clause. It refers to the verb to discover (discovered) in the second principal clause and is connected by means of the conjunction that;

that the leading part should he played by some pretty lady (6) is a predicative clause. It is connected by means of the conjunction that;

in whom he was interested (7) is an attributive clause (relative restrictive). It refers to the noun lady (the antecedent) and is connected by means of the relative pronoun (in) whom.

The scheme of the sentence:

5. The subjunctive mood

5.1. The category of mood

Mood is a grammatical category of the verb that shows the relation of the action denoted by the predicate-verb to reality from the speaker's point of view.

It is believed that English verbs have three moods: (1) The indicative mood; (2) The imperative mood, (3) The subjunctive mood.

The indicative mood²² represents an action as a fact of reality. It is used for statements and questions. E.g.:

The sun rises in the East.

I don't know her address.

What is your name?

The imperative mood is used to express requests and orders. E.g.:

Come up here, please!

Stop talking!

The subjunctive mood is used to express unreal or hypothetical actions or states. It shows something formed in the mind of the speaker as contradicting reality, as a supposition, desire, volition, possibility, necessity, imagination, etc. E.g.:

I wish it were summer now! If it were summer, we should have a swim in the river.

She looked at me as if I were a stranger.