Before this interesting discussion runs out of steam, I wanted to add my 2 
cents - specifically about how the interest level in this problem varies 
based on the student audience.  To a class of undergrads or grad students, 
the terminology may be of interest.  To high school students, however, this 
entire discussion would be mind-numbing - except as it might generally 
relate to sentence development using "who-what-when-why-where-how" 
constructions.

To use the "Fastow was in the pen" example, I have my students construct 
sentences using "when" information first (based on using "old" informtion 
first) followed by the S-V and then "where" information.

So the sentence would read, then, "After the scandal, Fastow was in the 
penitentiary."  They would then be encouraged to add additional "when" and 
"where" information, preferably using more varied construction, including 
dependent clauses, resulting in a sentence that might read like this:  "Last 
month after the scandal while his co-defendants were still on trial, Fastow 
was in the penitentiary where he had been sent immediately after his trial."

Please note that the terminology of all of these constructions is of minor 
importance because all native speakers already know how to use each and 
every one of them.  After developing sentences such as this, students then 
learn how to fill in the paragraph.  For example, the old "when" information 
logically requires "who" "what" "why" and "how" explanations; the "where" 
requires additional descriptive and action information.  And thus a story is 
developed using a variety of complex, logical sentences, taught with almost 
no "formal" grammar instruction whatsoever!

Geoff Layton

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