Clause
Independent and Dependent clauses
A clause is a group of related words with a subject
and a finite verb .
A finite verb is a verb that, when combined with a
subject, makes a complete sentence.
Finite verb. Nonfinite
verb
talks to talk
is talking talking
has taken taken
An independent clause is a clause that can be
grammatical sentence by itself.
A dependent clause is a clause that can not be a
sentence by itself. Therefore, a dependent clause
is always connected to an independent clause.
Lord Voldemort kept none of the promises that he
had made.
There are three types of dependent clause.
o Noun clauses, which function grammatically as
nouns.
- Whether we are taking an action has not yet
been determined.
- Laura told me that she would visit her parents
next month.
o Adjective clauses, which function grammatically
as adjectives.
- Is that the guy whom you mentioned about
earlier ?
- Please give me his pen that he left on his desk.
o Adverb clauses, which function grammatically as
adverbs.
- As soon as Barbara arrives, tell her to wait for a
few moments.
- Smith will not see Stephanie again because she
has broken his heart.
- Although the students had heard Beauty and the
Beast so many times, they always begged their
teacher to re tell the story.
Example : Every spring, millions of American children
______ the custom of searching for Easter eggs hidden
the night before by their parents.
A. enjoying
B. Enjoys
C. Who enjoy
[Link]
Example _________ of evolution involves the concept of
survival of the fittest, often called natural selection.
A. That the theory
B. Of the theory
C. The theory
[Link]
Noun clauses are dependent clauses that function as
nouns.
As subject : Whether Jackson will join us is still
uncertain.
As a direct object : I don’t know whether Jackson will
join us.
As the subjective complement : The question is
whether Jackson will join us.
As the object of a preposition : We talk all night about
whether Jackson will join us.
There are three types of noun clause.
Some noun clauses come from the statements.
- That Adriana plays the violin beautifully is a
generally accepted fact.
Some noun clauses come from wh-questions.
- I don’t know what you need.
Some noun clauses come from yes/no question.
- Whether Stephanie is going to be there is not yet
known.
Noun clauses derived from statements
1. Adriana plays the violin beautifully.
2. This is generally accepted fact.
3. That Adriana plays the violin beautifully is a
generally accepted fact.
1. I believe something .
2. The governor will fight against racial
discrimination.
3. I believe (that) the governor will fight against racial
discrimination.
1. I am against something.
2. Kevin has done something.
3. I am against what Kevin has done.
4. I am against something that Kevin has done.
5. Kevin has done what I am against.
6. Kevin has done something that I am against.
1. I don’t want to work with something .
2. Krista faces something every month.
3. I don’t want to work with what Krista faces every
month .
4. Every month, Krista faces what I don’t want to
work with .
Noun clauses derived from WH- questions
A noun clause derived from wh- question begins with
the same wh- word (who, what, when, why, and how)
that is used to make the question from which it is
derived.
1. How long is the movie?
2. This will decide the time we have dinner.
3. How long the movie is will decide the time we have
dinner.
1. What do you want from me?
2. I don’t know this.
3. I don’t know what you want from me.
4. I don’t know what do you want from me.
Noun clauses derived from yes/no questions
1. Is Ariana Grande going to be on American Music
Award tonight?
2. My plan to up to this.
3. My plan to up to whether Ariana Grande will be on
American Music Award tonight.
4. My plan to up to if Ariana Grande will be on
American Music Award tonight.
1. Is the computer working?
2. The secretary doesn’t know this.
3. The secretary doesn’t know whether the computer
is working.
4. The secretary doesn’t know if the computer is
working.
5. The secretary doesn’t know is the computer
working.
A noun clause doesn’t use do, does, or did as
auxiliaries, and never has its words ordered in the
form of a question.
There is no difference in meaning between the use
of whether and if. However, if is not used when the
noun clause derived from a yes/no question is the
subject or the object of the preposition.
1. Did the residents already finish the cardiovascular
surgery?
2. This has not yet been reported to the fellow.
3. Whether the residents already finish the
cardiovascular surgery has not yet been reported
to the fellow.
4. If the residents already finish the cardiovascular
surgery has not yet been reported to the fellow.
The subjunctive in noun clauses
After the expressions of desire, command, requirement
and suggestion, the that- noun clause may take its verb
in the simple form.
Verb : The waiter recommends that Jeff order tortellini
at Olive restaurant. (not orders)
I insist he stay at home. (not stays)
Adjective : It was imperative that Jake come to the
concert in time. (no came)
Noun : It is a city ordinance that a pet owner clean up
after his or her pets. (not cleans)
Verbs Adjectives
Nouns
Suggest important a
requirement
Demand vital a necessity
Insist essential a law
Advise crucial an
ordinance
Request necessary a
regulation
Require imperative a
stipulation
Stipulate
Note that some of these expressions will be found from
time to time without the simple form in the noun
clauses. The reason for not using simple form in the
sentence is because these expressions do not show
desire, command, requirement and suggestion. The
example are as follows.
- The police suggested that the criminal was
escaping towards East Peachtree Boulevard.
- The research finding suggest that the defected
gene is not the cause of diabetes.
Adjective clauses
Another term of this kind of clause is relative clause .
An adjective clause is a dependent clause used to give
information about a noun in the sentence. The
adjective clause has one of the two functions.
1. A restrictive adjective clause limits or restricts the
noun so that the reader or listener does not
confuse the noun in question with any other noun.
2. A nonrestrictive adjective clause adds extra
information to the noun that is not really essential
to the message of the whole sentence.
Rule: If the clause describes a proper noun (the name
of a person or a place), it is nonrestrictive and thus
uses commas. The reason for this is that a proper noun
refers to a unique person, place, or thing.
- Aleccio, who came over dinner last night, won't
be able to come.
- Brisbane, which is the capital of Queensnsland
Province, is a fairly large city in the eastern part
of the province.
Using Relative Pronouns in Adjective Clauses
WHICH is used for object.
WHO and WHOM are used for people.
THAT are used for objects and people.
USING WHICH
- The painting, which you bought at the antique
fair, is exquisite. (nonrestrictive)
- That secret, which Ouinta told me last week, has
been disturbing me ever since. (nonrestrictive)
USING WHO AND WHON
- The man who marries that man will be the
luckiest man on Earth (restrictive)
1. The guy has been in a terrible car accident.
2. We saw the guy at Matt's party last week.
3. The guy whom we saw at Matt's party last week
has been in a terrible car aceident. (restrictive)
4. We saw the guy who has been in a terrible car
accident at Matt's party last uieek. (restrictive)
1. Eric Holder has served in many publie offices in his
successful career..
2. President Ohama appointed Eric Holder as Attorney
General.
3. Eric Holder, whom President Ohma appointed as
Attomney General, has served in many public
offices in his successful Career .
4. President Obama appointed Eric Holder, who has
served in manv public oflices in his successtul
career, as Attoney General.
5. USING THAT
6. he relative pronoun thar never introduces a nonrestrictive ad
7. use. For this reason, you can say: If the adjective clause has c
8. ubit can never be introduced with thar.
9. The painting that you bought at the antique fair is exquisite.
10. Adel is not with the same man that I saw her with last night.
11. Virginia, which is said to be quite beauti ful, is the home of
12. many senators and representatives.
13. Virginia, that is said to be quite beautiful, is the home of
14. many senators and representatives.
15. 3.2 Using Preposition in Adjective Clauses
16. No.1:
17. The man is going to watch Hunger Game.
18. No.2:
19. You spoke to the man.
20. Combined:
21. The man to whom you spoke is going to watch Hunger
22. Game.
23. Or:
24. The man whom you spoke to is going to watch Hunger
25. Game.
26. Or:
27. You spoke to the man who is going to watch Hunger Game.
28. Correct:
29. Incorrect: