[Grammar] That-clause is an adverb clause or a complement?

[dawnngcm]

We, ……, write to inform you that certain changes to the Scheme…….


I’d like to ask that-clause is an adverb clause of the verb or complement of the object in the sentence? Or is this other part of speech?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Could we have a complete sentence, please?

 

[dawnngcm]

Could we have a complete sentence, please?

Sure! It is a very long sentence!

We, XX Trustee Company Limited, the trustee of the Scheme (The "Trustee or "we"), write to inform you that certain changes to the Scheme in response to the regulatory changes relating to: (a) payment of benefits on...., and (b) payment of benefits by..., from mandatory provident fund schemes, as introduced by the....Ordinance 2015 (the "Amendment Ordinance").

 

[Matthew Wai]

I cannot see a main verb in the that-clause.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It is not a complete sentence. As Matthew said there is no main verb.

 

[Rover_KE]

Let's consider a simpler sentence:

'We write to inform you that certain changes have been made to the scheme'.

 

[GoesStation]

To make this a sentence, change that to of: "...write to inform you [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] ​of certain changes to the Scheme...."

 

[dawnngcm]

It is not a complete sentence. As Matthew said there is no main verb.

Oh! The sentence is written in a formal letter of an international financial company.
It is difficult for a learner like me to distinguish which is a correct English sentence:-?.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'We write to inform you that certain changes have been made to the scheme'.

I think the that-clause is neither an adverb clause nor an object complement.

 

[dawnngcm]

I think the that-clause is neither an adverb clause nor an object complement.

I'm thinking what part of speech of the that-clause is. Could anyone let me know it?

I've tried to check my grammar books, dictionaries and google it but couldn’t find an answer.

 

[TheParser]

I’d like to ask that-clause is an adverb clause of the verb or complement of the object in the sentence?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Great question.

I have made up this sentence: "We write to inform you that Harvard University has accepted your application."

If I understand my books correctly:

"you" is an indirect object.
"that Oxford University has accepted your application" is a noun clause serving as the direct object of the infinitive "to inform."

*****

I have found this sentence in a book that is greatly respected:

"May I inform you that your order is ready for collection?"

Here is a very important statement: "With some verbs, ... it is impossible to delete the [indirect object]."

Only my comment: It is NOT acceptable to say "May I inform that your order is ready for collection?"

But the book says this sentence is fine without "me": "The professor showed (me) that Pythagoras was right."

-- Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik, A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (1985 edition), page 1212.

 

[Osbri]

I think you can say "We write to inform 'that certain changes have been made to the scheme' to you." to show that it can be a noun clause.

 

[Tarheel]

Say:

We write to inform you that certain changes have been made to the scheme.

The "to you" part serves no function in your sentence.

 

[Osbri]

You are probably right. I think "you" is what TheParser says, an indirect object and I think we can say "We write to inform 'that certain changes have been made to the scheme' to you." or "We write to inform 'that certain changes have been made to the scheme' for you."

 

[MikeNewYork]

I'm thinking what part of speech of the that-clause is. Could anyone let me know it?

I've tried to check my grammar books, dictionaries and google it but couldn’t find an answer.

In my opinion, it is a noun clause that functions as the direct of object of the verb.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Osbri, your two sentences (#14) don't work.

 

[Tarheel]

You are probably right. I think "you" is what TheParser says, an indirect object and I think we can say "We write to inform 'that certain changes have been made to the scheme' to you." or "We write to inform 'that certain changes have been made to the scheme' for you."

You can't take "you" out of "We write to inform you..." and have a sentence that makes sense. It (inform) is like "tell" in that it needs an object.

 

[probus]

I used to earn my living interpreting this special type of English, namely legalese, and it was a very well-paid profession. Here's the thing: forget about ellipsis. Even if the sentence is 500 or 1,000 words long, you must understand and interpret every single word, phrase and clause. If not, you don't got a mitt, you ain't in the game.

 

[Osbri]

I understand what Mike and Tarheel are saying but when I see those clauses, I think you can put the indirect object noun clause where an indirect noun should be put and I think that without the words, "inform you", you can say "Certain changes have been made to the scheme for you." Don't you think that can be written too?

 

[MikeNewYork]

That can be written, but it is hardly the same structure. There is no relative clause in your new offering. You are scrambling.