Syntactic Functions of Finite and Non-Finite Clauses in Academic English

Finite and non-finite clauses can perform four syntactic functions in sentences. They can substitute for clause elements commonly expressed by noun phrases or adverbials; they can pre- and postmodify noun phrases, or as comment clauses, be independent of the rest of the sentence. This paper explores the four categories in 100 consecutive sentences in four research articles from psychology and economics published at the beginning of the 20th century and a hundred years later. The findings show that finite and non-finite clauses postmodifying noun phrases are by far the most frequently used category in the older texts. In the modern texts, however, this category decreases in favour of clauses occupying a noun phrase slot and adverbial. In the disciplines explored, the data also shows that texts are more impersonal and academic English indicates a trend towards a non-finite mode of expression.