What is an equative clause?

An equative clause is a clause which describes a feature of its subject. It contains a subject complement and, typically, a copula.

• He is a doctor.
• She is the queen.

• What is a clause?

Hartmann and Stork 1972:78

Crystal 1980:133

Pike and Pike 1982:443

Context for this page:

• Concept module: equative clause
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): E
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 19 October 2009

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