[Corpora-List] query on clauses

[peizerat]

Dear corpora members,

I am currently working on a PhD thesis dealing with complementisers / introductory words in non finite adverbial clauses.

I've taken down many occurrences in Quirk's and Huddleston's grammars, but I feel I need a larger corpus of examples for an in-depth study of the phenomenon.

Here are a few examples of such clauses (in bold characters):

a. As well as visiting Niagara Falls, we spent a day in Toronto.

b. Even if receiving visitors, patients must observe normal hospital rules.
 
c. With the mortgage paid, they could afford to go abroad for their vacation.
 
d. When taken according to the directions, the drug has no side effects.
 
e. They strolled through the park with their arms intertwined.

f. He intends to go as he is, instead of changing into his best clothes.


Three criteria define these clauses :
1. they function as sentence adjuncts
2. they are non finite
3. they are introduced by a complementiser 
 
Here are my questions:
-Which is the best corpus (English, native speakers) to search for such clauses? 
-How should I put my query?

Thank you very much for your help.
Elise Peizerat

Department of Applied Languages
Université Stendhal - Grenoble 3
BP 25
38 040 Grenoble  Cedex 9
France

e-mail : Elise.Peizerat at u-grenoble3.fr
website : http://www.u-grenoble3.fr/stendhal/
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