VERBLESS AND FREESTANDING SUBORDINATE CLAUSES
Spoken English and genres which imitate it are rich in ellipsis and reduced forms in general. We have already seen examples of abbreviated clauses, echo questions and tags.
Verbless clauses
We use the term ‘verbless clause’ to cover ellipted clauses which lack one or more structural elements: Subject and Finite verb 1, 2, 3, 5, Finite verb 4. They therefore lack the alternative orderings characteristic of abbreviated clauses. Some can take question tags, however, with either rising or falling intonation. Without a tag, intonation indicates the force of a statement, question or exclamation.
1 (He is) in New York, isn’t he? (question)
2 What a waste of time, (it was) wasn’t it! (exclamation)
3 (This is) Geoff here. (self-identifying statement on the phone)
4 (Are) you ready? (question)
5 (It’s) fantastic! (exclamation)
In conversational exchanges in English, certain wh- questions without a finite verb play a part as initiators and responses. They can have the force of an invitation (How about some lunch?), an encouraging suggestion (Why not give it another try?), an inquiry (How come Sheila’s not with you?)
Freestanding subordinate clauses
These also are characteristic of ongoing conversation. Two very common types are the sentential relative clause introduced by which 1 and clauses of reason introduced by because or cos 2. The interesting feature is that they are not attached to a previous clause, but are freestanding, both intonationally and as regards punctuation. Functionally, they reinforce or give the reason for making the previous utterance:
1 and, he said, well with the coal fire and all that, he said, it’ll, it’ll get dirty Mm which it will, won’t it? [KE6]
2 Did you see King Lear when it was on on the television? Cos I taped that as well. [KDM]
