Answers for sentences and clauses

1. That’s correct. The verb to be (was) almost always needs to be completed, with a complement
   1. No. In fact it is quite excessively fond of cats. The verb to be (was) almost always needs to be completed, with a complement.
2. Yes that’s right it’s a relative clause. It’s adjectival, modifying the noun phrase an extremely rich merchant and it begins with the relative pronoun who.
   1. No, it’s actually a relative clause. It’s adjectival, modifying the noun phrase an extremely rich merchant and it begins with the relative pronoun who.
3. Yes, whenever is a subordinating conjunction. It signals the subordinate clause he went to his shops in the city.
   1. No, In fact whenever is the subordinating conjunction. It signals the subordinate clause whenever he went to his shops in the city.
4. That’s right. It’s a main clause linked to the previous main clause by the co-ordinating conjunction and.
   1. No, it’s a declarative main clause. It’s linked to the previous main clause by the co-ordinating conjunction and.
5. That’s right. The subject stands before the verb.
   1. No He is the subject. The subject stands before the verb.
6. Correct, could be seen is passive. We are not told who is seeing the portrait, although this could be added – his favourite cat’s portrait could be seen on the signboard above each of his shops by anyone who looked up as they went past.
   1. No, it’s a passive clause signalled by the auxiliary be and the past participle seen. We are not told who is seeing the portrait, although this could be added – his favourite cat’s portrait could be seen on the signboard above each of his shops by anyone who looked up as they went past.
7. Yes. If the clause was active (Someone could see his favourite cat’s portrait), then his favourite cat’s portrait would be the verb’s object. But in the passive clause it is the subject of the passive verb. The subject comes before the verb.
   1. No, in fact his cat’s name is the subject of the passive verb. If the clause was active (Someone could see his favourite cat’s portrait), then his favourite cat’s portrait would be the verb’s object. But in the passive clause it is the subject of the passive verb. The subject comes before the verb.
8. Yes – well done.
9. Yes, well done.
10. Yes, well done.
11. Yes, well done.
12. That’s correct: that is a relative pronoun, a subordinating word that signals the long subordinate clause.
    1. No, the long clause is signalled by the subordinating word that, which is a relative pronoun.
13. That’s right. The long clause modifies the subject of the main clause, poem.
    1. No, in fact the long clause modifies the subject of the main clause, poem.
14. That’s right. This clause modifies the verb handed (down).
    1. No, this clause modifies the verb handed (down).
15. Yes – this clause acts as the object of the verb know – which makes it a noun clause. It tells us what his descendants would know.
    1. No, this clause acts as the object of the verb know – which makes it a noun clause. It tells us what his descendants would know.
16. That’s correct. This tells us what he thought: (that) his grandfather was (a wonderful person) – (what) a wonderful person has been moved to a position earlier in the sentence.
    1. Actually it’s the object of the verb thought. It tells us what he thought: (that) his grandfather was (a wonderful person) – (what) a wonderful person has been moved to a position earlier in the sentence.
17. That’s right, they are all adverbial. They modify a verb.
    1. No these all modify verbs. They are adverbial clauses.
18. Quite right, it’s relative. This clause tells you more about the old castle, answering the question “where is it?”. The clause modifies the noun.
    1. No, that’s a relative clause. It tells you more about the old castle, answering the question “where is it?”. The clause modifies the noun phrase.
19. That’s right, it’s a noun clause. This clause is the object of the verb see. As it fulfills the role of a noun, it is a noun phrase.
    1. In fact this is a noun clause. This clause is the object of the verb see. As it fulfills the role of a noun, it is a noun phrase.
20. Yes, it’s non-finite. The verb moving is a present participle, which is a non-finite verb.
    1. Bad luck, it’s non-finite. The verb moving is a present participle, which is a non-finite verb. Take a look at the section on finite and non-finite verbs in the Word Classes unit.
21. Yes, there are indeed three subordinate clauses here.
    1. No, actually there are three subordinate clauses here.