The course explores selected clausal argument structure constructions in English, and the idea that they carry particular meanings as constructions. Constructions are viewed as “form-meaning correspondences that exist independently of particular verbs” and in this framework “constructions themselves carry meaning” (Adele Goldberg, 1995, Constructions, p. 1).

The course begins with an introduction to basic assumptions and principles in the study of sentential complementation, including the postulation of understood subjects. It then turns to the discussion of selected constructions in English involving sentential complements, with a focus on the matrix verbs selecting them and on the syntactic and semantic properties of the constructions. These include patterns with to infinitives and -ing complements, especially the types of I remembered to mail the letter and I remembered mailing the letter. Authentic data from electronic corpora, including the BNC and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) are made use of in the course. The course is also meant to help participants with thesis projects in the area of the course.

The course is largely a lecture course, with a small number of homework assignments and readings. Course work includes regular attendance, class participation, a brief essay presented in class on an approved topic in the area of the course in the second half of the term, and a final exam.