Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Main and Subordinate Clauses
Main and Subordinate Clauses
SUBORDINATE
CLAUSES
WHAT IS A CLAUSE?
🠶 Typically, a clause expresses a particular
situation – an event or state of affairs of
something. To do this, it usually needs to
contain a verb. Here is an example of a clause:
I bought a book.
Subject = I
Verb = bought
Object = a book
Now, let’s add another clause …
Now we have a two-clause sentence, but these clauses are not the same.
the test.
5. I know where she has kept her file and what do you know?
diary.
6. I can’t tell who has taken the book. what can’t you tell?
Adjective Clause (AdjC)
• [S+V/] that acts like an adjective
[that I am reading]
S V
relative
pronoun
This entire clause acts like an
adjective, so it is an adjective
clause.
• AdjCs follow nouns
• Often start with relative pronouns
• but the relative pronoun can be omitted
• if the clause has another noun to serve as
the subject
•EX: The story [I am reading]is sad.
Adjective clauses
🠶 Look at the highlighted clauses in these examples. What do they add to the meaning
of the sentences?
• And then he ran down this alley way so we ran as well, with the guys who were
• The 8-Series model and the engine which powered it were superbly detailed.
🠶 Each clause comes after a noun and gives us more information about that noun.
🠶 These clauses are called adjective clauses because they ‘relate back’ to a preceding
noun (called the antecedent).
🠶 An adjective clause is a special type of subordinate clause (a clause which only
functions as part of a larger structure).
🠶 Some adjective clauses start with that:
- Those batteries that you gave me lasted an hour.
- But you will also need to do exercise that strengthens
your bones.
when
Adverb Clauses
To indicate:
Time
Place
Condition
Purpose
Result
Reason/cause
Concession/contrast
Manner
The End!