Theoretical Grammar of English

Complex Sentences

Linguists explain the complex sentences as units of unequal rank, one being categorically dominated by the other. In terms of the positional structure of the sentence it means that by subordination one of the clauses (subor- dinate) is placed in a dependent position of the other (principal). This latter characteristic has an essential semantic implication clarifying the difference between the two types, of polypredication in question. As a matter of fact, a subordinate clause, however important the information rendered by it might be for the whole communication, presents it as naturally supplementing the information of the principal clause, i.e. as something completely premedi- tated and prepared even before its explicit expression in the utterance (5), (6), (7).

The Types of Complex Sentences

The subordinate clauses are classified according to the two criteria: meaning and combinability. The clauses of a complex sentence form the unity, a simple sentence in which some part is replaced by a clause.
The subject clauses are used in the function of a primary part of the sentence. The peculiarity of the subject clause is its inseparability from the principal clause. It is synsemantic; it can't be cut off from the rest of the sentence.
What he says is true.
The predicative clause fulfills the function of the notional predicate (the function of the predicative).
e.g. The thing is what we should do the next.
The Adverbial clauses serve to express a variety of adverbial relations:
action quality. Mike acted as though nothing had happened.
^=manner. ^{Everybody should love her as he did.}
Some more complex sentences:
What the newspapers say may be false (subject clause). I don't remember what his name is. (object)
He thought that it might well be. (object)
The lot that is on the corner needs moving. (attributive) He is a man whom I have always admired. (attributive)
When Bill decided to leave, everyone expressed regret. (adverbial clause of time)