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Clause
What is Clause?
A clause is a group of words that contains a verb (and usually other components too). A clause
may form part of a sentence or it may be a complete sentence in itself. Example:
- He was eating a bacon sandwich.
- She had a long career
- But she is remembered mainly for one early work.
1. Definitions of Clause
According to Cook (1969:65), the clause level is that level that is below the sentence level and
above the phrase level. The clause is composed of words and phrases and, in tum, fills slots at the
sentence level. The clause is a unit of grammar. It is a construction in which the constitute is a potential
sentence base, and in which the constituents are the subjects, predicates, objects, and adjuncts that
combine to form he base. Clause level analysis is central to the system.

Elson & Pickett (1962:64) define the clause as a string of tagmemes that consists of or includes
one and only one predicate, or predicate-like tagmeme, in the string, and whose manifesting morpheme
sequence typically fills slots at the sentence level. From this definition, we can conclude that there are
three essential features of clauses. They are: (1) clauses typically fill slots at the sentence level, 2) clauses
consist of or include one and only one predicate, and (3) clauses may have a predicate-like tagmeme.

A clause is component of a (complex) sentence, with its own and predicate, especially on doing
the work of a noun, adjective or adverb (Hornby,1987: 204). Another definition of clause is a group of
words which has its own subject and predicate (Syah, 1977: 88).

There are two basic types of clauses, those are:

A. Independent /principal /main clause
Main clause is a clause which contains a complex idea and it can stand by itself as a complete
simple sentence (Husain, 1977: 88). While according to Farmer, an independent clause is a group of word
containing a subject and a predicate that can stand as a sentence by itself, the clauses in color are
independent (1985 :324).
B. Dependent / subordinate clause
Dependent clause is a clause that can’t stand by itself or still depends on independent clause
because it does not have a complete idea yet (Husain, 1993: 90). Another definition of independent clause
is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate that functions as a part of a sentence and depends
on the rest of the sentence to complete its meaning; the clauses in color are dependent (Farmer, 324: 325).
A dependent clause may be an adverb clause, an adjective clause, or a noun clause.
2. Clause Types
There are two criteria that can be used to classify clauses: (1) their distribution in sentences and
(2) their internal structure. Baes on their distribution in sentences, clauses can be classified into: (a)
independent clauses and (b) dependent clauses. An independent clause is a cause that can stand alone as a
major sentence; and dependent clause is a clause that cannot stand alone as a major sentence.

Based on their internal structure, both independent and dependent clauses can be classified into:

1. Transitive clauses (tCI)

2. Intransitive clauses (iCI)
3. Equative clauses (eqCI).

Based on their function, dependent clauses can be classified into: (a) nominal clauses, (b) adjectival
clauses, and (c) adverbial clauses.
A. Transitive Clause
Transitive clauses are clauses whose predicates are filled by transitive verts, namely, verts that must take
direct objects, like visit write, read, play, speaek, love, etc.
Examples:

 John visited his uncle last week.

 Mary cooked ice in the kichen.
 He speaks English very well
 Miss Peters writes reports lor Mr. Wilson.

B. Intransitive clauses
intransitive clauses are clauses whose predicates are filled by transitive verbs, namely, verbs taking no
direct objects, like work, go, sit, stand, rest, talk, laugh, come, look, ect
Examples:

 Mr. Wilson is working in his office

 He is looking around the offlice right now.
 Miss Stewart is sitting at her desk.

C. Equative clauses
Equative clauses are clauses whose predicates are filled by equative verbs, like be, become, grow, seem,
appear, look, remain, feel, smell, taste, sound, etc. These verbs are commonly followed by complement
slots filled by nouns, noun, phrases, adjectives, or adjective phrases.
Example:

 Jane is his sister

 She is very beautiful
 She became a nurse
 He remains calm
Based on their function, dependent clauses can be classified into: (a) nominal clauses, (b) adjectival
clauses, and (c) adverbial clauses.
A. Nominal Clauses
Nominal Clauses are dependent clauses that funcition or act like nouns. They can fill the subject, object,
or complement slots at the clauses level. At the sentence level, they can fill the margin slots. Nominal
clauses can be transitive, intransitive, or equative clauses.
Example:

 What you have said is not clear

 I don’t know where he lives.
 The problem is how you manage the firm

B. Adjectival Clauses
An adjective clause gets its name from the way it functions in a sentence. Adjective means word
that describes a noun (Manser, 1995: 5).
Adjectival Clauses are dependent clauses that function like adjectives. They can fill the modifier
slot at the phrase level. Like nominal clauses can be transitive, intransitive, or equtive clauses.
Example:

 The man, who came yesterday, is his uncle.

 The book, that you bought last week, is very interesting.
 The person, who lives next door has gone to his son’s house

C. Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses are dependent clauses that function as adverbs. They fill slots as adverbs,
namely, the slots of location, time or temporal, manner, reason, and purpose.
 An adverb clause is a group of words that function as an adverb in a sentence. The clause can
modify or describe verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. In general, adverb clauses add information that
elaborates on when, where, why, how, how much or under what condition the action in the sentence takes
place.
An adverb clause isn't just any group of words, however. A clause must contain a subject and a
verb to be complete. An adverb clause also begins with a subordinating conjunction, such as "after," "if,"
"because" and "although." If you see a group of words in a sentence that acts like an adverb but does not
have both a subject and a verb, it's an adverb phrase.

Based on the slots they occupy, adverbial clauses are of several types: (1) place or location
clauses, (2) time or temporal clause, (3) manner clause, (4) reason clause, (5) purpose clause, and (6)
conditional clause. The place or location slot fills the location slot; the time or temporal clause occupies
the temporal slot; the manner clause fills the manner slot; the reason clause occupies the reason; the
purpose clause occupies the purpose slot; and the conditional clause occupies the conditional slot.

Each of these adverbial clauses has its own relaters. The location clause generally introduced by
the relater where; the temporal clause is commonly introduced by the relater when, while, before, or after;
the manner clause is generally introduced by the relater as, like, or as if; the reason clause is generally
introduced by the relater because, since or for; the purpose clause is commonly introduced by the relater
so that, in order that, or in case; and the conditional clause is commonly introduced by the relater if or
unless

Example:

1) Locative Clause
a. I left book where I found it.
b. He rebuilds the house where his parents once lived

2) Temporal Clause

A temporal clause is an adverbial clause of time, that is to say, a clause which informs the reader
about the time when the action of main verb of the sentence occurred.

a. He was watching a TV program when I came

b. He went to office after he had read the morning newspaper.
3) Manner Clause

Adverbs of manner describe how something happens. For example, it is possible to walk or run at
different speeds

a. He behaves as if he were drunkard

b. The descriptivist describes languages as they are.
 4) Reason clause

An adverbial clause of reason is directly connected to the main clause of the sentence. It explains
and gives reason for the main idea.

a. He didn’t go to class yesterday because he was sick.

b. World, for it was made of iron and glass.
5) Purpose clause

Are clauses that describe the reason or purpose for doing the main action of the sentence

a. I have to study in order to be successful

b. To become rich, my dad worked too hard
6) Conditional clause

Conditional sentences consist of a main clause and a conditional clause (sometimes called an if-clause).
The conditional clause usually begins with if or unless.

a. I’ll wear a jacket

b. If it’s cold

3. Dependent / subordinate clause

Clauses consist of two, independent and dependent. According to Frank, the independent clause is a full
predication that may stand alone as a sentence; the dependent clause has a special introductory word that
makes the predication “depend” on an independent clause (1972:222). In Complex sentences we can find
main clauses and subordinate clauses. According to Greenbaum and Quirk, a complex sentence is like a
simple sentence in that it consists of only one main clause, but unlike a simple sentence it has one or more
subordinate clauses functioning as an element of the sentence (1990:203). Subordinate clauses consist:
Adjective clause, Adverb clause, and Noun clause.

I. Adjective clause

Adjective clause also called relative clause is one kind of complex sentences where the
subordinate clause functions as adjective, a word which is used to modify a noun. Adjective clause begins
with relative pronouns like: who, whom whose, which, that. Whom, which (object) and that (object) can
be deleted, especially in restrictive clauses.

Example:

 The man you met yesterday

  The novel I bought last Sunday

Adjective clauses can also begin with where, when, why, after, or before but mind that adverb
clauses and also noun clauses (especially with where, when or why) can also begin with those subordinate
conjunction.

 I don’t know where she lives. (Noun clause)

 I don’t know the house where she lives. (Adjective clause)

There are two kinds of adjective clauses; each has a different way of writing (Frank, 1972:281).
They are:

 a. Defining or restrictive relative clause

 b. Non defining or nonrestrictive clause

II. Adverb(ial) clause

Kinds of adverb clauses (Frank, 1972:235)

a. Adverb clause of time: when, while, since, before, after, until, as soon as, as long as, by the
time, now that, once
Example:
 When/While young, I looked at things differently. -
 When a boy, I looked at things differently.
 She always sings when doing her work. -
 Experience, when dearly bought, is seldom thrown away.
b. Adverb clause of place: where/wherever

Adverbial clauses of place are introduced mainly by were or wherever. Where is specific and
wherever nonspecific. The clause may indicate position or direction (Greenbaum and Quirk, 1990:315).
Example:

 We live where the road crosses river.

 Wherever possible, the illustrations are taken from literature.

c. Adverb clause of cause: because, since, as, now that, whereas (legal), inasmuch as (formal),
as long as, on account of the fact that, owing to the fact that, in view of the fact that, because
of the fact that, due to the fact that:
Example:
  He could not come because/since/as he was ill.
 Now that he has passed his examination, he can get his degree.

d. Adverb clause of condition: if, unless, on condition that, provided that, providing that, in the
event that, in case that, whether … or not
Example:
 If I have much time, I shall go to your house.
 We won’t have the party, unless the leader of the team comes.
 We will have the picnic provided that it doesn’t rain.

III. Noun Clause

Before knowing what noun clauses are, we should know the meaning of each word which
constitutes the term. Traditionally Noun is defined as a word which refers to a noun or thing but
structurally Noun is a class of word which functions/fills the slot of Subject (S), Object of Verbs (OV),
Object of Prepositions (OP), Subjective Complement (SC) and Appositive (App.). Meanwhile, Clause is a
construction of words which forms predication (subject-predicate construction)
Example:

 She was saddened by what she had read.

 I don’t know where she lives.

1) Noun Clauses after “Wish” (Subjunctive)

Present subjunctive is a pattern of a sentence which is used to express everything which is

contrary to fact of present time. The verb of the noun clause must be in past (V2).
Example:

 I wish I had much money now

2) Past subjunctive.

Past subjunctive is used to express something which is contrary to fact in the past. The tense of
the noun clause must be Had + V3 (past perfect) regardless to the tense of the main clause.
Example:

 I wish I hadn’t been absent yesterday.

Reference:

 Ba’dulu, Abdul Muis. 2008. English Syntax. Makassar: Badan Penerbit UNM
 Haryanti, Sri. Dan Ana Setyandari. 2018. Students’ Difficulties in Mastering Clauses. Universitas
Widya Dharma Klaten.
 https://www.albert.io/blog/noun-clauses/#:~:text=A%20noun%20clause%20is%20a,by%20what
%20she%20had%20read.
 https://www.lexico.com/grammar/clauses