Clauses

Clauses

What is a clause?

A clause is the basic unit of grammar. A clause must contain a verb. Typically a clause is made up of a subject, a verb phrase and, sometimes, a complement:

The sale starts at 9 am.

I didn’t sleep well last night.

Are you listening to the radio?

What is a sentence?

A sentence is a unit of grammar. It must contain at least one main clause. It can contain more than one clause. In writing, a sentence typically begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop:

She spoke to me. (one clause)

I looked at her and she smiled at me. (two main clauses connected by and)

Adjective Clause

An adjective clause is a type of dependent clause that works to describe a noun in a sentence. It functions as an adjective even though it is made up of a group of words instead of just one word. In the case of an adjective clause, all the words work together to modify the noun or pronoun.

Examples:

• The tall man smiled. = tall is an adjective, modifying the noun man.

• The man who had long hair smiled. = ‘who had long hair‘ is an adjective clause that modifies the noun man.

Adverbial Clauses

An adverbial clause is a group of words that plays the role of an adverb. (Like all clauses, an adverbial clause contains a subject and a verb.)

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 adverbial clause  A clause must contain a subject and a verb to be complete. 

Examples:

• Whether you like it or not, you have to go to bed now.

• If you pay your bills on time, you can have a good credit score.

• My sister, when she is angry, will turn red in the face.

• Elephants, although they are large, are not predators.

• Marty kept his schedule open in case his wife went into labor.

• You must keep practicing the song until you get it right.

Remember:

If you're uncertain whether a group of words is an adverb clause, check for a subject and a verb. If it has both of these parts of a sentence, and answers the question how, why, when or where, it's an adverb clause.

Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a clause that plays the role of a noun.

Example:

• I like what I see.

• I know that patience has its limits.

• What I say is true.

• Show me how they work.

• I don’t understand what you’re talking about.

A noun clause can act as the subject of a sentence:

What Alicia said made her friends cry.

What Megan wrote surprised her family.

How the boy behaved was not very polite.

Just like all nouns, noun clauses can act as the direct object of a verb:

The pharmacist checked that the prescription was correct.

He didn't know why the stove wasn't working.

They now understand that you should not cheat on a test.

A noun clause can also serve as a subject complement. 

Carlie's problem was that she didn't practice enough.

Harry's crowning achievement at school was when he became class president.

Darla's excuse for being late was that she forgot to set her alarm.