Clause Structure

Clause Structure

A clause is a grammatical unit built around a verb phrase. Clauses are the building blocks of sentences. Understanding clause structure — how clauses are constructed internally and how they combine — is one of the most powerful tools in grammatical analysis at A-Level. For AQA 7702, you must be able to identify clause types, analyse their internal structure, and evaluate their effects in authentic texts.

Clause Elements

Every clause consists of a combination of clause elements (also called clause constituents). The five clause elements are: