Sentence Structure
Clauses, etc.
Clauses
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A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and its
subject.
An independent (or main) clause expresses a complete
thought and can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
A subordinate (or dependent) clause does not express
a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a complete
sentence.
Clauses beginning with Who, Which, or That
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You can make a short sentence into a subordinate clause
by inserting who, which, or that in place of the subject.
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ORIGINAL: The Aztecs were an American Indian people. They
once ruled a might empire in Mexico.
COMBINED: The Aztecs were an American Indian people who
once ruled a mighty empire in Mexico.
Clauses beginning with Words of Time or
Place
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You can also make a subordinate clause by adding a word
that indicated time or place, such as after, before, since,
where, wherever, when, whenever, or while.
You may need to add, delete, or change some words to
insert the clause into another sentence.
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ORIGINAL: The Aztecs built the capital city of Tenochtitlán.
They moved into Mexico in the twelfth century.
COMBINED: The Aztecs built the capital city of Tenochtitlán
after they moved into Mexico in the twelfth century.
ORIGINAL: The capital city of the Aztec empire was in central
Mexico. Mexico City stands in that spot today.
COMBINED: The capital city of the Aztec empire was in
central Mexico, where Mexico City stands today.
The Adjective Clause
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An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies
a noun or pronoun.
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EX: Ms. Jackson showed slides that she had taken in Egypt.
[The adjective clause modifies the noun slides, telling which
slides.]
EX: That one, which is my favorite, was bought in California.
[The adjective clause modifies the pronoun one, telling which
one.
Relative Pronouns
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An adjective clause is usually introduced by a relative
pronoun.
A relative pronoun relates an adjective clause to the
word or words the clause modifies.
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EX: Leonardo da Vinci was the artist who painted the Mona
Lisa. [The relative pronoun who begins the adjective clause and
related it to the noun artist.]
Common Relative Pronouns
that
which
who
whom
whose
The Adverb Clause
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An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a
verb, an adjective, or an adverb.
An adverb clause tells where, when, how, why, to what extent,
or under what condition.
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EX:You may sit wherever you wish. [The adverb clause
modifies the verb may sit, telling where you may sit.]
EX: When winter sets in, many animal hibernate. [The
adverb clause modifies the verb hibernate, telling when many
animal hibernate.]
Notice that when an adverb clause begins a sentence, it is
followed by a comma.
The Noun Clause
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A noun clause is a subordinate clause that is used as a
noun.
A noun clause may be used as a subject, as a complement
(such as a predicate nominative, a direct object, or an
indirect object), or as an object of a preposition.
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SUBJECT: That they were angry was obvious to others.
PREDICATE NOMINATIVE: Three dollars was what Daniel
offered for the trinket.
DIRECT OBJECT: Anthony and Peter remembered who he was.
INDIRECT OBJECT: The hostess gives whoever enters a menu.
OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION: Eager to please the speaker, we
listened to whatever he said.
Noun Clauses cont.
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The word that introduces a noun clause often has a
grammatical function within the clause.
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EX: Give a free pass to whoever asks for one. [The
introductory word whoever is the subject of the verb asks.]
EX: Lani would not show either of us what she wrote. [The
introductory word what is the direct object of the verb wrote—
she wrote what.]
Sometimes the word that introduces a noun clause is
omitted but is understood.
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EX: She said [that] the milk was sour.
Common Introductory Words for Noun Clauses
how
whatever
which
whom
that
when
who
whomever
what
whether
whoever
why
Subordinating Conjunctions
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A subordinating conjunction combines a main
(independent) clause and a subordinate (dependent)
clause.
Common Subordinating Conjunctions
after
as though
since
when
although
because
so that
whenever
as
before
than
where
as if
how
though
wherever
as long as
if
unless
whether
as soon as
in order that
until
while
Activity
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Complete both Review A (#1-10) and Review B (#1-10)
on pages 452-453 of the Holt Language book.
Use your notes for reference!
Whatever you do not finish will be homework. Please
write this down in your agenda.