The syntax of the Russian language considers the structure of phrases and sentences. At the same time, the construction and punctuation of various types of complex sentences usually cause particular difficulty, especially with three or more predicative parts. Let's consider specific examples of types of NGN with several subordinate clauses, ways of connecting the main and subordinate parts in them, the rules for punctuation marks in them.
Complex sentence: definition
To clearly express a thought, we use various syntactic constructions. A complex sentence is characterized by the fact that two or more predicative parts are distinguished in it. They can be equivalent in relation to each other or enter into a relationship of dependence. NGN is a sentence in which the subordinate clause is subordinate to the main clause and is joined to it with the help of subordinating conjunctions and / or allied words. For example, "[Styopka was very tired in the evening], (WHY?) (since he walked at least ten kilometers in a day)". Here and furthersquare brackets indicate the main part, round brackets - dependent. Accordingly, in NGN with several subordinate clauses, at least three predicative parts are distinguished, two of which will be dependent: a good half of his childhood). At the same time, it is important to correctly determine the boundaries of simple sentences, where you need to put commas.
NGN with multiple clauses
The table with examples will help determine what types of complex sentences with three or more predicative parts are divided into.
| Type of subordination of the main clause | Example |
| Sequential | The guys ran into the river with a running start, the water in which was already warm enough, because the last days were incredibly hot. |
| Parallel (heterogeneous) | When the speaker finished speaking, there was silence in the hall as the audience was shocked by what they heard. |
| Uniform | Anton Pavlovich said that reinforcements would arrive soon and that you just need to be patient a little. |
| With different types of submission |
Nastenka reread the letter for the second time, which was shaking in her hands, and thought that now she would have to quit her studies, that her hopes for a new life had not come true. |
Let's figure out how to correctly determine the type of subordination in NGN with several subordinate clauses. The examples above will help.
Sequential submission
In the sentence “[The guys ran into the river]1, (the water in which has already warmed up enough)2, (because that the last few days have been incredibly hot)3 »First, select three parts. Then, with the help of questions, we establish semantic relationships: […Х], (in which… Х), (because…). We see that the second part has become the main one for the third.
Let's take another example. “[There was a vase of wild flowers on the table], (which the guys gathered), (when they went to the forest on an excursion)”. The scheme of this NBS is similar to the first one: […X], (which… X), (when…).
Thus, with homogeneous subordination, each subsequent part depends on the previous one. Such NGN with several subordinate clauses - examples confirm this - resemble a chain, where each subsequent link joins the one in front.
Parallel (heterogeneous) submission
In this case, all subordinate clauses refer to the main part (to the whole part or the word in it), but they answer different questions and differ in meaning. “(When the speaker finished speaking)1, [silence fell]2, (as the audience was shocked by what they heard) 3 ». Let's analyze this NGN with several clauses. Its scheme will look like this: (when …),[…X], (since…). We see that the first subordinate part (it stands before the main one) denotes time, and the second - the reason. Therefore, they will answer different questions. The second example: “[Vladimir certainly needed to find out today] 1, (what time does the train from Tyumen arrive)2, (to have time to meet a friend)3”. The first clause is explanatory, the second is goals.
Homogeneous submission
This is the case when it is appropriate to draw an analogy with another well-known syntactic construction. For registration of PP with homogeneous members and such NGN with several subordinate clauses, the rules are the same. Indeed, in the sentence “[Anton Pavlovich talked about] 1, (that reinforcements will arrive soon)2 and (that you just need to be a little patient)3 » subordinate clauses - 2nd and 3rd - refer to one word, answer the question "what?" and both are explanatory. In addition, they are interconnected using the union and, before which a comma is not placed. Imagine this in a diagram: […Х], (what…) and (what…).
In NGN with several clauses, with homogeneous subordination between the clauses, any coordinating conjunctions are sometimes used - the punctuation rules will be the same as when making homogeneous members - and the subordinating conjunction in the second part may be completely absent. For example, “[He stood at the window for a long time and looked] 1, (as cars drove up to the house one after another)2 and (workersunloaded building materials)3”.
NGN with several clauses with different types of subordination
Very often four or more parts are distinguished in a complex sentence. In this case, they can communicate with each other in different ways. Let us turn to the example given in the table: “[Nastenka re-read the letter for the second time (which was trembling in her hands) 2, and thought] 1, (that she will now have to drop out of school)3, (that her hopes for a new life did not materialize)4 ". This is a sentence with parallel (heterogeneous) (P 1, 2, 3-4) and homogeneous (P 2, 3, 4) subordination: […Х, (which…), … Х], (what…), (what…). Or another option: “[Tatyana was silent all the way and only looked out the window] 1, (behind which flashed small, closely spaced villages) 2, (where people fussed)3 and (work in full swing)4)”. This is a complex sentence with sequential (P 1, 2, 3 and P 1, 2, 4) and homogeneous (P 2, 3, 4) subordination: […X], (followed by …), (where…) and (…).
Punctuation marks at the junction of conjunctions
To punctuate a complex sentence, it is usually enough to correctly determine the boundaries of the predicative parts. The difficulty, as a rule, is the punctuation of NGN with several subordinate clauses - examples of schemes: […Х], (when, (which…), …) or […Х], […X], (as (withwhom …), then …) - when two subordinating unions (allied words) are nearby. This is characteristic of sequential submission. In such a case, you need to pay attention to the presence of the second part of the double union in the sentence. For example, "[An open book was left on the sofa]1, (which, (if there was time)3, Konstantin would certainly have read to the end) 2". The second option: "[I swear]1, (that (when I get back from my trip home)3, I will definitely visit you and tell you everything in detail) 2 ". When working with such NGNs with several clauses, the rules are as follows. If the second subordinate clause can be excluded from the sentence without compromising the meaning, a comma is placed between the unions (and / or allied words), if not, it is absent. Let's go back to the first example: "[There was a book on the couch] 1, (which had to be finished)2". In the second case, if the second clause is excluded, the grammatical structure of the sentence will be violated by the word "that".
Must remember
A good helper in mastering NGN with several clauses - exercises, the implementation of which will help to consolidate the knowledge gained. In this case, it is better to act according to the algorithm.
- Carefully read the sentence, mark the grammatical foundations in it and indicate the boundaries of the predicative parts (simple sentences).
- Select all means of communication, not forgetting about compound or used conjunctions.
- Establish semantic connections between the parts: to do this, first find the main one, then ask a question(s) from it to the subordinate(s).
- Build a diagram, showing on it with arrows the dependence of parts on each other, put punctuation marks in it. Move commas into the written sentence.
Thus, attentiveness in the construction and analysis (including punctuation) of a complex sentence - NGN with several subordinate clauses specifically - and reliance on the above features of this syntactic construction will ensure the correct execution of the proposed tasks.
