GRAMMAR MINI-

LESSON:
ADVERBIAL CLAUSES
 What do we already know?
■ What does an adverb do?
■ Where is the adverb in the following sentence?
Susan ran quickly to the grocery store.
 Adverbial Clauses
■ Group of words that describe verb or whole subject-plus-verb unit
■ Usually tell the how, when, where, or why about an action
■ Dependent clauses

Examples:
When going to class, I nearly tripped over a squirrel that was dragging a Chick-fil-a sandwich.
I was late for class even though I didn’t trip over the squirrel.
 Converting Sentences into Adverbial
Clauses
■ Subordinating conjunction + subordinating (dependent) clause + independent clause
OR
■ Independent clause + subordinating conjunction + subordinating (dependent) clause

Example:
My mom made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner tonight. I am going to have seconds.
Since my mom made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner tonight, I am going to have
seconds.
I am going to have seconds since my mom made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner
tonight.
 Cocktail Party
■ There is an independent clause written on your notecard.
■ Meet with another student to discuss how you could combine your two dependent
clauses by transforming one into an adverbial clause using a subordinate
conjunction.
■ Continue to mingle around the room and meet with other students.
■ Be ready to share the most interesting match that you came up with.
 Common Subordinating Conjunctions
Time Cause Condition Contrast
After As As if Although
As Because Assuming that Even though
As soon as In order that If Rather than
Before Since In case Though
Since So that Unless Whereas
Till When While
Until Whether
When
While

My mom made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner tonight. I am going to have seconds.
Since my mom made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner tonight, I am going to have seconds.
I am going to have seconds since my mom made spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner tonight.
 Homework
■ Look back at either your short or literacy narrative and highlight spots where you
used an adverbial clause.
■ Find ways to incorporate at least two new adverbial clauses in your next revision.