Clauses
Seminar 3
• A sentence which contains one independent
clause and one or more dependent clauses is
called a complex sentence. (Dependent clauses
are also called subordinate clauses.)
• There are three basic types of dependent
clauses: adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and
noun clauses. (Adjective clauses are also called
relative clauses.)
Adjective Clause
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Adjective Clause-Тодотгол гишүүн өгүүлбэр
An adjective clause—also called an adjectival or relative clause—will meet three
requirements:
First, it will contain a subject and verb.
Next, it will begin with a relative pronoun [who, whom, whose, that, or which] or a
relative adverb [when, where, or why].
Finally, it will function as an adjective, answering the questions What kind? How
many? or Which one?
The adjective clause will follow one of these two patterns:
•
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relative pronoun or adverb + subject + verb
relative pronoun as subject + verb
Examples of Adjective Clauses
Adjective Clauses In Action
Adjective clauses do not change the basic meaning of the sentence. In some
cases, when they provide more information into a sentence, they need to be set
off with commas.
• Pizza,which most people love, is not very healthy.
• The people whose names are on the list will go to camp.
• Grandpa remembers the old days when there was no television.
• Fruit that is grown organical lyis expensive.
• Students who are intelligent get good grades.
• Eco-friendly cars that run on electricity save gas.
Adjective Clauses into Phrases
You can shorten an adjective clause in two ways:
• Omit the subject pronoun and verb.
• Omit the subject pronoun and change the verb to the form ending in "ing."
Here are some examples of how to create an adjective phrase:
• Adjective Clause: The books, which are lost, are not really necessary.
• Adjective Phrase: The books lost are not really necessary.
• Adjective Clause: The girl who is running is my best friend.
• Adjective Phrase: The girl running is my best friend.
Remember, the goal of an adjective clause is to add more information to a noun or a pronoun.
Noun Clauses
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A. Noun clauses perform the same functions
in sentences that nouns do:
A noun clause can be a subject of a verb:
What Billy did shocked his friends.
A noun clause can be an object of a verb:
Billy’s friends didn’t know that he couldn’t swim.
A noun clause can be a subject complement:
Billy’s mistake was that he refused to take lessons.
A noun clause can be an object of a preposition:
Mary is not responsible for what Billy did.
B. You can combine two independent clauses by changing one to a
noun clause and using it in one of the ways listed above.
The choice of the noun clause marker (see below) depends on
the type of clause you are changing to a noun clause:
To change a statement to a noun clause use that: I know that
Billy made a mistake.
To change a yes/no question to a noun clause, use if or
whether:
George wonders if Fred knows how to cook.
To change a wh-question to a noun clause, use the wh-word:
I don’t know where George is.
C. The subordinators in noun clauses
are called noun clause markers.
noun clause markers: that, if, whether
Wh-words: how, what, when, where, which, who,
whom, whose, why
Wh-ever words: however, whatever, whenever,
wherever, whichever, whoever, whomever
D. Except for that, noun clause markers
cannot be omitted.
Only that can be omitted, but it can be omitted only if it is
not the first word in a sentence:
Billy’s friends didn’t know that he couldn’t swim.
Billy’s friends didn’t know he couldn’t swim.
E. Statement word order is always used
in a noun clause,
not correct:
* Do you know what time is it? (Question word order: is it)
correct:
Do you know what time it is? (Statement word order: it is)
not correct:
F. Sequence of tenses in sentences
containing noun clauses:
When the main verb is present, the verb in the noun clause is:
future if its action/state is later
He thinks that the exam next week will be hard.
He thinks that the exam next week is going to be hard.
present if its action/state is at the same time
He thinks that Mary is taking the exam right now.
past if its action/state is earlier
He thinks that George took the exam yesterday.
Adverbial Clauses
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What Are Adverbial Clauses?
An adverbial clause—also called a subordinate clause—is a
dependent clause that functions as an adverb; that is, the
entire clause modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
As with all clauses,it contains a subject and predicate,
although the subject as well as the (predicate) verb may
sometimes be omitted and implied, see below.
An adverbial clause is usually, but not always, fronted by a
subordinate conjunction—sometimes called a trigger word.
•Mary, the aspiring actress, became upset as soon as she saw the casting list.
(subject: she; predicate: saw the casting list; the clause modifies the verb became)
•Peter Paul, the drama teacher, met with Mary after she came to the next class.
(explicit subject: she; predicate: came to the next class.; predicate (verb): came;
the clause modifies the verb met;)
Adverbs of Time
An adverb of time states when something happens or how often. An adverb of time often starts with one of
the following subordinating conjunctions: after, as, as long as, as soon as, before, no sooner than, since, until,
when, or while. Here are some examples:
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After the game has finished, the king and pawn go into the same box. (Italian Proverb)
As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
Adverbs of Place
An adverb of place states where something happens. An adverb of place often starts with a preposition
(e.g., in, on, near) or one of the following subordinating conjunctions: anywhere, everywhere, where, or
wherever. Here are some examples:
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In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me
to do. (Dorothea Dix)
I am not afraid of the pen, the scaffold, or the sword. I will tell the truth wherever I please. (Mother Jones)
Adverbs of Manner
An adverb of manner states how something is done. An adverb of manner often starts with one of the
following subordinating conjunctions: as, like, or the way. Here are some examples:
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He acts like it is a joke.
We don't have conversations. You talk at me the way a teacher talks to a naughty student.
Adverbs of Degree or Comparison
An adverb of degree states to what degree something is done or offers a comparison. An adverb of degree often
starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: than, as...as, so...as, or the...the. Here are some
examples:
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He is as smart as he is tall.
She is not so bright as she thinks she is.
Sometimes, the verb in an adverb of degree is understood (i.e., not present). For example:
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You are taller than I.
(In this example, the verb am has been omitted. This is permissible.)
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You are taller than I am.
(This is the full version.)
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You are taller than me.
(This is the colloquial version. This version might irk some of your grammar-savvy readers, but it
is acceptable.)
Adverbs of Condition
An adverb of condition states the condition for the main idea to come into effect. An adverb of condition often
starts with if or unless. Here are some examples:
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If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. (Albert Einstein)
If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur. (Doug Larson)
Adverbs of Concession
An adverb of concession offers a statement which contrasts with the main
idea. An adverb of concession often starts with one of the following
subordinating conjunctions: though, although, even though, while, whereas, or
even if. Here are some examples:
• Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants,
today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing. (Dave Barry)
Adverbs of Reason
An adverb of reason offers a reason for the main idea. An adverb of reason
often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: as, because,
given, or since. Here are some examples:
• Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you
are incomparable. (Brenda Ueland)
Properties of an Adverbial Clause
Here are the properties of an adverbial clause:
• An adverbial clause is an adjunct. This means it can be removed without the
sentence being grammatically wrong.
• An adverbial clause is a dependent clause. This means it cannot stand alone
as meaning ful sentence in its own right.
• An adverbial clause usually starts with a subordinating conjunction (e.g.,
although, because, if, until, when)
• An adverbial clause will contain a subject and a verb. (This is what makes it a
clause as opposed to a phrase.)