Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

S

V 

C

She | is | a friend of mine.

S

V 

O

A

I | will post | the letter | today.

The basic types of clause are declarative, interrogative, imperative and

exclamative.

An embedded clause functions as a constituent phrase in a larger unit. For

example, it may be a relative clause (The points that I’m talking about are

similar.

), or a nominal clause (Building your own house is cheaper.). 

Û

Embedding

Cleft A cleft structure involves recasting a normal sentence pattern to give focus

to a particular topic. The pattern is it + be + focus + clause. Catherine plays

tennis 

can be recast into:

➛

It is tennis that Catherine plays.

(focus on the sport)

➛

It is Catherine who plays tennis.

(focus on the person)

Û

Pseudo-cleft

Clipping Denotes a type of abbreviation where a word is shortened with one or

more syllables omitted or ‘clipped’. Proper names for people are commonly

clipped (ad = advertisement, advert; lab = laboratory; medic = medical student,

doctor

; Liz = Elizabeth).

894 | Glossary

Cambridge Grammar of English

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Cluster Refers to unitary or fragmentary and grammatically incomplete

structures, usually in patterns of two, three or more words, that repeatedly

occur. Clusters are usually retrieved from memory as whole units and

contribute to fluency. They help to indicate relations of time and place (I’ll see

you 

in the morning.), perform interpersonal functions (I find French so hard,

you know what I mean?) and linking functions (Going by train’s okay but I

mean I’d prefer it if we could find a flight.), and mark turn-taking, etc. (A: I’ll

make some lunch

, shall I? B: Mm, yes, please.).

Coherence Refers to the relationships which link the meanings of utterances so

that they are perceived as a text rather than as a random, unconnected

sequence. The interpretation of coherence can be best derived from the

speakers’ shared knowledge and understanding of the speech acts being

performed:

Husband: The baby’s crying.

(husband requests wife to perform an action – attend to the baby)

Wife: I’m on the phone.

(wife states reason why she cannot comply with the request)

Husband: Okay. I’ll go.

(husband undertakes to perform action) 

Cohesion Refers to the grammatical and/or lexical links that mark relationships

between clauses or across larger units of text. Conjunction, ellipsis, reference,

repetition, substitution, etc. play a role in cohesion.

Collective noun A type of noun referring to a group of people, animals or things

(family, gang, committee, crowd, cattle, fleet).

Collocation Refers to how lexical words co-occur regularly and in a restricted

way.