Crash Course: Embedded Clauses

Crash Course: Embedded Clauses

Year 8 IB MYP Language & Literature

• Let's recap your knowledge of clauses...

Before we start:​

• A group of words which contain a process (verb), participant (noun), and circumstances (details).

• Also called a simple sentence (or compound sentence if joined by a conjunction).

Independent clauses:

• Remember: process (verb), participant (noun), and circumstances (details).

• Ava walked to school.

• Charlie laughed at Milo as he tripped over.

Independent clauses:

Multiple Choice

Identify the process in this sentence:

Etienne finished his English work just in time.

• Etienne

• finished

• his English work

• just in time

Multiple Choice

Identify the circumstance in this sentence:

Jenny was suprised that nobody else liked custard cream biscuits.

• Jenny

• was suprised

• that nobody else

• liked custard cream biscuits

Multiple Select

Identify the participant in this sentence:

Sean followed Elliot to the canteen.

• Sean

• followed

• Elliot

• to the canteen

• A group of words which contain a process (verb), participant (noun), and circumstances (details).​

Dependent clauses:

• HOWEVER, dependent clauses do not make sense on their own.

• They need to be joined to an independent clause (with a subordinating conjunction).

• These are joined together to make complex sentences.

Dependent clauses:

Multiple Choice

Identify the dependent clause in this complex sentence:

Chloe ran up the stairs because she was late for class.

• Chloe ran up the stairs

• because she was late for class.

Multiple Choice

Identify the dependent clause in this complex sentence:

Because she was late for class, Chloe ran up the stairs

• Because she was late for class

• Chloe ran up the stairs.

Multiple Choice

Choose the subordinating conjunction that fits best in this complex sentence:

Clara passed her English test _______ she studied very hard.

• even though

• because

• whenever

• although

Multiple Choice

Choose the subordinating conjunction that fits best in this complex sentence:

____ it rains, Jenny and her friends will stay inside.

• Now that

• After

• If

• That

• An embedded clause is the name given to a dependant clause inserted into the middle of a sentence.

• They give more detail or (circumstances) about the participant (noun) in the sentence.

What are embedded clauses?​

• Are always bracketed by commas

• Usually start with who, which, when, or that (but they can start with other words!)

Embedded clauses:

Multiple Choice

Identify the embedded clause in this sentence:

The teacher, who is very wise, is also very friendly.

• The teacher

• is also

• who is very wise

• very friendly

Multiple Choice

Identify the embedded clause in this sentence:

Although it is brand new, Chris' new iPhone 15 has stopped working.

• Although it is brand new

• Chris' new iPhone 15

• has stopped working

Multiple Select

Which of these examples are embedded clauses that could fit into this sentence?

The doctor, __________________ , helped me out of the bed.

• although she was quite old

• she was a woman called Faith

• walked into the room

• who was very kind

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite this sentence, correctly adding commas to surround the embedded clause:

My computer which is very expensive has stopped working.

(Don't forget capital letters, apostrophes and full stops!)

Open Ended

Create an embedded clause that could be used in this sentence:

This house, ______________ , has changed a lot over the year.

Example: where I grew up

Open Ended

Create an embedded clause that could be used in this sentence:

Mr. Chatwin, ______________, stood up and left the room.