Okay, I'll try this set.

To take the last first, the "Should you" is a conditional clause, with inversion of the modal auxiliary and the subject pronoun. Most modern conditional clauses begin with "if" and exhibit no inversion, but this inversion  is also possible.  Expressed subjects are required in conditional clauses, though not, as your students know, in imperative clauses.

In the "That the healthcare system needs fixing" sentence, the noun clause is functioning as the subject of the sentence, and "that" is always required when this sort of clause is in subject position.  "That" is not required when the noun clause is functioning as the complement of the verb, for example: "I contend the health care system needs fixing."

In the "the cat that slept all day" example, "that slept all day" is a restrictive relative clause modifying "cat";  "the cat that slept all day" is a noun phrase functioning as the object of a preposition, "unlike."  Whether "that"is a relative pronoun is the subject of some contention, but it certainly is functioning in the position that a relative pronoun would be.  Note that you can substitute "which" in this clause (the cat which slept all day), although many people dislike it.

The last one (Lynn Margulis' theory that evolution is a process rather than a competition) is a little different, and, as far as I can tell, is usually -- and badly -- lumped in with restrictive relative clauses while being rather different from them.  Sometimes these clauses are called content clauses, or noun complement clauses, or even more clumsily, appositive clauses, and they have some interesting properties.

First, they occur only after a certain class of nouns:  theory, fact, contention, idea, etc. 

Second, rather than "modifying" those nouns, they completely spell out the meaning of the noun.  In your example, "evolution is a process rather than a competition" IS the theory; it's not just a little more information ABOUT the theory.

Third, you can never substitute "which" for the "that" in these clauses. "Lynn  Margulis' theory which evolution is a process rather than a competition" is just not possible for a native speaker of English. 

Fourth, these clauses are "complete":  That is, if you take off the "that," you have a complete sentence. "Evolution is a process rather than a competition" is a complete sentence on its own.  The "that" has no function within the clause.  Contrast this with what happens when you remove the "that" from the restrictive relative clause you used:  "slept all day" is not, by itself, a sentence.

Kathleen Ward



On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 9:20 AM, John Chorazy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hello to all... I've been talking with students (11th grade) about clauses and have collected some questions that the list might have some thoughts on.

The use of "that" as the head of a noun clause (and subject): "That the healthcare system needs fixing is obvious."

"That" used in an adjective phrase: "Unlike the cat that slept all day, the dog ran around and barked."

And if we can get some insight to the following use of "that": "Lynn Margulis' theory that evolution is a process rather than a competition differs dramatically from the theories of most biologists."

Are the last two simply restrictive clauses using the relative pronoun?

Also (a bit different) - anyone care to parse the following? "Should you have any trouble identifying the house, just remember that it has a big brass knocker on the door." Students see the implied "you" as the subject and its verb remember, but not what's going on up front.

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

John

 

 



John Chorazy
English III Academy, Honors, and Academic
Pequannock Township High School

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