UNIT 4: COMPLEX SENTENCES

1. COMPLEX SENTENCES
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one (or more) dependent
clause(s). In a complex sentence, one idea is generally more important than the other
one. The more important idea is placed in the independent clause.
There are three kinds of dependent clauses: adverb, adjective, and noun.

Examples:
1. I didn't call her because I'm shy.(adverb clause)
2. The children who are on the bus are going to visit the museum. (adjective
clause)
3. I believe that everything happens for a reason. (noun clause)

2. DEPENDENT CLAUSES

2.1. Adverb Clauses

ADVERB CLAUSE
A dependent adverb clause begins with an adverbial subordinator such as when,
while, because, although, if, before, so that, etc.

1. Although the dolphin lives in the sea, it is not a fish - it's a mammal.
2. You should give the iron time to heat up before you iron your clothes.

Notice that there are two possible positions for an adverb clause: before or after
the independent clause. If it comes before independent clause, it is followed by a
comma (sentence 1). If it comes after the independent clause, no comma is used
(sentence 2).

+ Types of Adverbial Clauses

There are several kinds of adverbial clauses. The following chart lists the
different kinds along with the subordinators that introduce them.

SUBORDINATOR MEANING

Time when a point in time/short duration

whenever at anytime
while at the same time/longer duration
as soon as immediately at or instantly after the

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 time that
after following the time that
since from that time/moment
as while/when
before earlier than the time when
until up to the time of
Place where a definite place
anywhere anyplace
wherever anyplace
everywhere everyplace
Distance/ as + adverb + as comparison
frequency
Manner as
as if in the way or manner that/like
as though
Reason because
as for the reason that
since
Result so + adjective + that
so + adverb+ that with the result that
such a(n) + noun phrase + that
so much/many/little/few + noun
phrase + that
Purpose so that for the purpose of
in order that
Concession although
(unexpected even though unexpected result
result) though
Contrast while direct opposition
(direct whereas
opposition)

Examples
Time Whenever I had to speak in front of people, I was paralyzed by fear.
Place Everywhere I shop, I use my credit cards.
Distance Peter jogs on the beach as far as he can.
Manner The students completed the experiment as quickly as they could.

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Frequency Peter jogs on the beach as often as he can.
Reason Mark joined the English Drama Club because he wanted to improve
his intonation.
Result The library is such a big place that I couldn’t find the book I needed.
Purpose He studied really hard so that he could get better marks.
Concession Although I studied all nights, I failed the test.
(unexpected
result)
Contrast While San Juan is extremely hot during the summer, San Francisco is
(direct very cool.
opposition)

2.2. Adjective Clauses

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE
A dependent adjective (relative) clause begins with a relative pronoun such as who,
whom, which, whose, or that, or with a relative adverb such as where or when.
An adjective clause functions as an adjective; that is, it modifies a noun or
pronoun.

1. Pizza, which most people love, is not very healthy.

2. Everyone who studied for the exam passed it easily.

A relative clause is a dependent clause that functions as an adjective; that is, it

modifies a noun or pronoun. For this reason, relative clauses are also called adjective
clauses.

Relative Pronouns and Adverbs

A relative begins with a relative pronoun or relative adverb.

Pronouns who, whom, whose, that refer to humans

which, that, whose refer to nonhumans and things
Adverbs when, where refer to a time or a place

Position of Relative Clauses

Place a relative after its antecedent and as close to it as possible to avoid
confusion.
Confusing: He left the gift in his friend’s car that he had just bought.
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 (It is not clear whether the relative clause modifies car or gift.)
Corrected: He left the gift that he had just bought in his friend’s car.
(The relative clearly modifies gift.)
Occasionally, a prepositional phrase comes between the antecedent and the
relative clause.
Trying writing a sentence of your own that contains a relative clause.
Manuel was visited by a friend from Japan who was touring the country.

Verb Agreement in Relative Clauses

The verb in a relative clause should agree in number with its antecedent.
Compare:
A person who works part-time usually receives no benefits.
(The verb works is singular to agree with the singular antecedent person.)

People who work part-time usually receive no benefits.

(The verb work is plural to agree with the plural antecedent people.)

Punctuation of Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are either restrictive (necessary) or nonrestrictive
(unnecessary). A restrictive clause is necessary because it identifies its antecedent for
the reader. Do not use commas with restrictive clauses.

The professor who teaches my biology class won a Nobel Prize two years ago.
( Which professor won the Nobel Prize two years ago? The clause who teaches my
biology class is necessary to identify the professor.)

He won the prize for research that might lead to a cure for AIDS.
(For which research did he win the prize? We need the clause that might lead to
a cure for AIDS to tell us.)

A nonrestrictive clause is not necessary to identify its antecedent; it merely

gives the reader some extra information. Because it can be omitted without loss of
meaning, separate it from the rest of the sentence with commas.

Professor John, who teaches my biology class won a Nobel Prize two years ago.
(The person who won a Nobel Prize is identified by his name, so the clause who
teaches my biology class is extra, unnecessary information about Professor John. If it
were omitted, we would still know which person won the Nobel Prize.)
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 There are different types of relative clauses. In each different kind, the relative
pronoun has a different function. It may be a subject or an object in its own clause, or
it may replace a possessive word.

Relative Pronouns as Subjects

A relative pronoun may be the subject of its own clause. Subject pattern relative
clauses are formed as follow:

who
which + verb + complement
that
Football, which is the most popular American sport, began at Harvard University.

Relative Pronouns as Objects

A relative pronoun may be the object in its own clause. Object pattern relative
clauses are formed as follow:

whom
which + subject + verb + complement
that
*
The address that he gave me was incorrect.

: this symbol indicates that relative pronouns can be left out.

2.3. Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun. It can be a
subject, object, or subject complement. Because a noun clause is dependent, it must
be connected to an independent clause to form a complex sentence.

Types of Noun Clauses

 That-clauses
That she should forget me so quickly was rather a shock.
I knew that he wouldn’t come.
 Subjunctive clauses

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 The company president urged that the marketing department be more
aggressive.
It is necessary that the company not lose any more customers to its
competitors.
After certain verbs and adjectives in an introductory clause, the verb in a that-
clause is in the simple or base form, called the subjunctive. These verbs and adjectives
indicate urgency, advisability, necessity, and desirability. The verbs and adjectives
requiring the subjunctive form in the that-clause include:
Verbs Adjectives
advise direct recommend advisable important
ask insist suggest essential urgent
command move urge necessary vital
demand propose imperative

 Wh-word clauses
I don’t know where the student cafeteria is.
Where he went is a mystery to me.
 If/whether clauses
I don’t know whether I should take computer science or not.
I don’t know whether or not I should take computer science.
Whether you sink or swim is not my concern.
Do you know if/whether birds can communicate with each other?
"If" introduces one condition, whereas "whether" introduces alternative possibilities,
usually with "or not" implied or expressed.

1.3. Participle clauses

Participle clauses are a bit like relative clauses – they give us more
information.
Example:
- People wearing carnival costumes filled the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
- The paintings stolen from the National Gallery last week have been found.
The participle clauses (‘wearing …’ and ‘stolen ….’) act like relative clauses. We
could say:
- People who were wearing carnival costumes filled the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
- The paintings which were stolen from the National Gallery last week have been
found.

+ With the Past Participle

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 - A pair of shoes worn by Marilyn Monroe have been sold for fifty thousand
dollars.
- Trees blown down in last night’s storms are being removed this morning.
We use the past participle – ‘blown’ in the last example but the ending ‘-ed’ is used in
regular verbs – when the meaning is passive.

+ With the Present Participle

- A woman carrying a bright green parrot walked into the room.
- A man holding a gun shouted at us to lie down.
We use the present participle - the ‘-ing’ form – to form the participle clause when
the meaning is active.
Notice that the participle clauses with the present participle have a continuous
meaning. If we replaced them with a relative clause it would be in a continuous
tense.
A man holding a gun has the same meaning as A man who was holding a gun.
We can’t make a participle clause with a present participle when the meaning is
not continuous.
Example:
- The woman living next door is on holiday.
- The woman who lives next door is on holiday.

+ Learn this:

1.We can use participle clauses to give more information about a noun. They can
be described as shortened relative clauses (defining or non-defining).
There’s a man reading a book. (=who is reading a book)
2. They contain either a present participle (-ing form) or past participle (-ed form).
3. Clauses with a present participle replace an active verb. The verb they replace
can be in any tense.
He lived in a flat belonging to his father. (=which belonged to)
4. Clauses with a past participle replace a passive verb. The verb they replace can
be in any tense.
The final episode, shown on TV tomorrow, will be watched by millions. (=which
will be shown on TV tomorrow)

+ Homework.
Writing Practice
Write 10 sentences about the following topic.

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 Topic: What famous person do you admire?
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