CLAUSES

A clause is a group of related words containing a subject and a verb.

Independent Clauses
An independent clause (also called a main clause) is another name for a complete
sentence.
The motorcycle skidded across the road.
The plant on the front porch died.

Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause (also called a subordinate clause) cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Even though it has subject and a verb, it is not complete. It depends on the rest of the
sentence to complete the thought. The following clauses have subjects and verbs, but
they do not complete a thought.
When the motorcycle skidded across the road…
After the plant on the porch died…
…that confuse me.
Whoever wants to leave early…
If I do not come back by noon…
Dependent clauses never stand alone as a sentence. Notice how these clauses fit into
complete sentences:
When the motorcycle skidded, the driver steered it safely.
After the plant on the porch died, I replaced it with an artificial one.
There are two questions that confuse me on the test.
Whoever wants to leave early must fill out a form.
If I do not come back by noon, you should leave without me.
Dependent clauses can function as adverbs, adjectives, or nouns.
 *Never punctuate a dependent clause as if it were a complete sentence. Doing
so creates a sentence fragment.
dependent clause (fragment)
Ricky did his laundry. Because all of his socks were dirty.

Adverb Clauses
Dependent clauses that functions as adverbs are usually easy to spot because they are
introduced by special words called subordinating conjunctions. Listed below are some
common subordinating conjunctions that introduce adverb clause.
after before so that when
although if than whenever
as (as if, as though) once unless wherever
because since until while

Adverb clauses function like single word adverbs. They usually modify verbs, but they
can also modify adjectives and adverbs.
Adverb clause modifying the verb:
adverb clause verb
Since the chairman was absent, I ran the meeting.

Adverb clause modifying an adjective:

adjective adverb clause
Hungry because we hadn’t eaten since breakfast, we stopped at the roadside
dinner.

Adverb clause modifying an adverb:

adverb adverb clause
My brother works harder than I do.
 Adverb clauses can appear at the beginning or end of the sentence, and they tell the
following:
When: While Lucy cleared the table, Danny washed the dishes.
Where: Wherever you lead, I will follow.
Why: I stayed late because he needed my help.
How: He cried as though his heart would break.
To what extent: He ran as far as he could.

Adverb exhibit two important characteristics:

 Adverb clauses always begin with subordinating conjunction.

AC
Because I am tired, I cannot think clearly.

 Adverb clauses can usually change position in a sentence without changing the
meaning.
AC
When I saw his face, I wept with joy.
AC
I wept with joy when I saw his face.

* a word can function as more than one part of speech. Many words can be
subordinating conjunctions or prepositions, depending how they are used in a
sentence. A preposition is followed by its object – a noun or pronoun and any
modifiers. A subordinating conjunction is followed by a clause – a subject and a
verb.
Prepositional phrase
I studied until dawn.
clause
I studied until the sun rose.

Adjective Clause
Listed below are some are some words that introduce adjective clauses.
who whom that where
 whose which when why
Like single-word adjectives, adjective clauses modify nouns and pronouns. Adjective
clauses tell which one and what kind:
Which one: The church where we were married has an enormous pipe
organ. (tells which church)
What kind: A cat that scratches the furniture should be kept outside.
(tells what kind of cat)
Unlike adverb clauses, adjective clauses cannot change position in the sentence. They
directly follow the noun or pronoun that they modify, and moving them will change the
meaning of the sentence or make it confusing.
Confusing: The runner showed his medal to the coach who won the
race.
Clear: The runner who won the race showed his medal to the
coach.

Noun Clauses
Dependent clauses can also function as nouns. Noun clauses begin with one of the
following words:
what where whichever whomever
whatever whenever who why
when whether whoever how
whenever which whom that
Noun clauses serve the same functions as single-word nouns or pronouns.
Subject: How he could speak three languages fluently really
amazed me.
Direct object: Scott always says whatever first comes into his
mind.
Indirect object: He offered whoever washed his car a ticket to the
game.
Subject complement: The chairman will be whomever the committee
selects.
Object of the preposition: This package is for whoever wants it.

Because noun clauses serve as basic sentence parts, the sentences in which they
appear are not complete without them. Examine the following sentence:
noun clause
Why he made that remark is unclear.

The noun clause Why he made that remark is the subject of the sentence.
If you remove the clause, the sentence is incomplete.