Grammar: Clause: Using the clause to organise text
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Focusing on feelings and attitudes | |
We can choose to begin a clause with a judgement about probability or usuality. In the examples below, each speaker has chosen to emphasise their judgement of probability by making it the starting point of the clause:
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When we express a judgement about usuality (ie, how often something happens or how typical something is) again, we have the option of making this the point of departure for the clause. In the example below, Miss Lee has chosen to emphasise her judgement of usuality by making it the starting point of the clause:
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In each of these cases, although the starting point is the interpersonal meaning, the Theme includes the topic which is being developed:
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Theme |
New Information |
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(focus on interpersonal meaning) |
(focus on topic) |
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| Obviously | you | can't get into this bottle. |
| Certainly | I | can. |
| Usually | they | are so alert. |
Some of the possibilities for indicating probability and usuality are summarised as follows. Note that each piece of information can be seen to answer a basic question ('how probable?' or 'how usual?'), and the answers can be categorized as 'strong', 'medium' and 'weak':
| Meanings | Examples | ||
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| How probable? | obviously, certainly, for sure, definitely, it's obvious, I'm certain | probably, very likely, almost certainly, it's probable, I'm almost certain that | perhaps, maybe, possibly, it's possible, it may be that |
| How usual? | always, never, all of the time | for the most part, typically, most of the time | seldom, occasionally, sometimes, every now and then |
For more information on usuality see 
Grammar: Groups & phrases: Verb group: Adjusting interactions: modality: Expressing
'usuality'
Probability is typically expressed through adverbs and adverb groups when in Theme position. For more information see:
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Grammar: Word classes: Adverbs: Expressing a personal viewpoint |
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Grammar: Groups & phrases: Adverb group: Expressing a personal viewpoint |
Note that the terms New Information
and Theme are written with a capital to remind us that they are functional
terms.
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Tell me more ... What do we mean by focusing on feelings and attitudes? |
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