Clause: CGEL valency/transitivity

Predicate-argument structure

How many and what types of complements a verb takes In CGEL, clause types are also classified by the complement structure selected by the predicator (i.e. by verb valency).

• Clause type is determined by complements only.

• Adjuncts do not affect clause type.

• Passive clauses preserve the same underlying clause type.

Intransitive clause

A clause whose verb takes no object.

She slept.

• Complements: none

• Structure: S + P

  Focus: The verb expresses a complete action without a direct object.

Monotransitive clause

A clause whose verb takes one direct object.

She read the book.

• Complements: one NP

• Structure: S + P + Obj

  Focus: the verb’s action transfers to a single object.

Ditransitive clause

A clause whose verb takes two objects (usually a recipient and a theme).

She gave him a book.

• Complements: two objects (usually NP + NP or NP + PP)

• Structure: S + P + Obj₁ + Obj₂

  Focus: the verb expresses transfer from subject to indirect object.

Copular clause

A clause with a linking verb that connects the subject to a predicative complement describing or identifying it.

She became famous.

• Complements: predicative complement (NP, AdjP, PP, etc.)

• Structure: S + P + Predicative complement

  Focus: the verb links subject to property, identity, or state.

Complex-transitive clause

A clause whose verb takes a direct object plus a predicative complement.

They elected her president.

• Complements: object + Predicative complement

• Structure: S + P + Obj + PredComp

    Focus: the verb acts on the object and assigns it a property or role.
  

Prepositional-complement clause:

A clause where the verb selects a required prepositional phrase (PP) as its complement.

She relies on her team.

• Complements: prepositional phrase (PP)

• Structure: S + P + PP

  Focus: the verb’s action targets or depends on the PP, not a direct NP object.

Summary table

Clause type	Complements selected by predicator	Structural pattern	Example	When useful / typical use
Intransitive	none	S + P	She slept.	Simple statements, actions, narrative flow
Monotransitive	one NP object	S + P + Obj	She read the book.	Describing actions with direct effects
Ditransitive	two objects (NP + NP / NP + PP)	S + P + Obj₁ + Obj₂	She gave him a book.	Conveying transfer, giving, communication
Copular	predicative complement (NP / AdjP / PP)	S + P + PredComp	She became famous.	Linking subject to properties, identity, state
Complex-transitive	object + predicative complement	S + P + Obj + PredComp	They elected her president.	Assigning roles, results, judgments to objects
Prepositional-complement	PP selected by the verb	S + P + PP	She relied on him.	Actions requiring prepositional context; relationships, dependencies