Clauses

Definition #

Contains a subject and a verb.

Types #

• Dependent clause(Subordinate clause)

  Cannot stand as a complete sentence.

  • The Adjective Clause

    Dependent clause acting as adjective.

    • Examples:

      The car which your wife sold me last week has broken down.

  • The Adverbial Clause

    Dependent clause acting as Adverb.

    • Examples:

      He literally stiched mail sacks until his fingers bled. (The dependent clause until his fingers bled modifies the verb to stitch. It is an adverbial clause.)

  • The Noun Clause

    Dependent clause acting as Noun.

    • Examples:

      Whoever turned the ovens off is keeping quiet.

• Independent clause

  Can stand as a complete sentence.

• Coordinate clause

  A coordinate clause is a clause belonging to a series of two ro more caluses which are

  1. are not syntactically dependent on one on another, and
  2. are joined by means of
     1. a coordinating conjuction
     2. a connective or
     3. parataxis

  • Examples:

    • I will go home and he will go to work.
    • John likes hamburgers, but Mary prefers hot dogs.
    • We might go to Seattle, or we might go to California.

Link between Dependent and Independent Clause #

When a dependent clause is used as an adjective or an adverb, it will usually be part of a complex sentence (i.e., a sentence with an independent clause and at least one dependent clause).

The link between a dependent clause and an independent clause will often be a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.

For example:

• He literally stitched mail sacks until his fingers bled.

• (subordinating conjunction in bold)

• The car which your wife sold me last week has broken down.

• (relative pronoun in bold)

  Here are some more common subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns:

Common Subordinating conjunctions #

after although as because before even if even though if provided rather than since so that than though unless until whether while

Relative pronouns #

how that what when where which who whom whose why

The relative pronouns above are the simple relative pronouns. You can also have compound ones. A compound relative pronoun is formed by adding either ever or soever to a simple pronoun.

whoever (who + ever) whosever (whose + ever) (Spelling rule: Don’t allow ee.) whosoever (who + soever) whosesoever (whose + soever)