ABSTRACT
The MAIN VERB determines the main elements of the clause and its parts form a BRACKET round the other words, which make up the CENTRAL SECTION of the clause (9.1-9.2):
In MAIN CLAUSES, the FINITE VERB comes in second position. There is only one element before the finite verb. This is the word or phrase you want to say something about (the ‘topic’). This may be the subject (the ‘doer’ of the action) but it does not have to be (9.3):
In SUBORDINATE CLAUSES, all parts of the verb come at the end but the order of the other words is the same as for the central section of a main clause (9.1-9.2):
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