Abstract

The English clause is the next higher unit after the group but lower than the sentence in the English grammatical rankscale. It is, most often, central to the analysis of sentence as it accounts for the internal constituents. Therefore, the mastery of the occurrence of the clause in a sentence (structurally or functionally) usually opens up such a sentence. This paper examines the functional values of the English clause with a view to establishing its importance in grammatical description and analysis. It finds out that the clause adds a lot of values to the English sentence. These include its centrality to grammatical rankshift, embedment, configuration of sentences to mention a few. It further establishes the fact that since the sentences is the largest unit of grammatical analysis and the upper limit of structural statement at the grammatical level, the English clause becomes a vital tool in the realization of these analyses.

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