Clauses

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate and used as part of a sentence.

Contents

Independent Clause
Dependent Clause
Sentences Classified by Structure

Independent Clauses

An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A main clause is also known as a main clause. An independent clause has a subject and predicate.

The dog barked.

(Dog is the subject. Barked is the predicate.)

Before the concert, Lacy warmed up her voice.

(Lacy is the subject. Warmed up her voice before the concert is the predicate. Before the concert is a prepositional phrase that has been moved to the beginning of the sentence.)

A clause may have a subject and a predicate (verb), but it may not express a complete thought. If that is the case, it is probably a dependent clause.

dependentclause: Although the dog barked.

Main clause: The dog barked at the cat.

Practice

Which of the following are main clauses (independent) and which are dependentclauses (dependent)? Remember, a main clause must have a subject, a predicate (verb) and express a complete thought.

1. Body leaning, eyes staring, the vampire stalked his next victim.
2. Having met his fiance's parents.
3. Cincinnati, also known as the Queen City, rests on the Ohio River.
4. Ziggy, a nervous craftsman with a streak of perfectionism, hammered the nails into the wall.
5. Since the bullfrog blended in with his environment, and since he croaked only on occassion.
   

Answers:

1. main
2. subordinate
3. main
4. main
5. subordinate

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Dependent Clause

A dependent clause does not express a complete thought. It cannot stand alone.

since he returned

what John wanted

that I forgot to mail

Sentences with a independent clause and a dependent clause:

Since he returned, he has been a changed person.

I told him what John wanted.

Here is the letter that I forgot to mail.

There are three kinds of dependent clauses: adjective clause, noun clause and adverb clause. Dependent clauses are also known as subordinate clauses. Dependent clauses begin with dependent words. Dependent words are either subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns.

Adjective Clause
An adjective clause is a dependent clause which, like an adjective, modifies a noun or a pronoun. An adjective clause begins with a relative pronoun.

The man who read the speech was impressive. (Who read the speech is an adjective clause which modifies man.)

Is this the place where you lost your homework? (Where you lost your homework is an adjective clause which modifies place.)

This is the book which I would recommend. (Which I would recommend is an adjective clause which modifies book.)

Noun Clause
A noun clause is a dependent clause used as a noun. It begins with a relative pronoun.

I understood what the teacher said. (What the teacher said is a noun clause acting like the direct object).

That he is a genius is unmistakable. (That he is a genius is a noun clause acting like the subject of the sentence.)

English is what I like best in school. (What I like best in school is a noun clause acting like a predicate noun.)

Sometimes in an adjective clause or a noun clause the relative pronoun is dropped.

He admitted that he had cheated. (with relative pronoun)

He admitted he had cheated. (without relative pronoun)

The Adverb Clause
An adverb clause is a dependent clause which is used as an adverb. A conjunction which begins an adverb clause is called a subordinating conjunction.

He plays as though he were a professional. (As though he were a professional is an adverb clause modifying the verb plays.)

He is as ambitious as his father was. (As his father was is an adverb clause that modifies the adjective ambitious.)

He plays better than he did last year. (Than he did last year is an adverb clause that modifies the adverb better.)

Remember: Adjective clause and noun clauses begin with dependent words called relative pronouns. Adverb clauses begin with dependent words called subordinating conjunctions.

Practice

What kind of dependent clause is in each of the following sentences? Pick out the noun clauses, the adjective clauses and the adverb clauses.

1. The pirates dropped the eel before it electrocuted them.
2. The pilot who flew the cargo plane was a hypochondriac.
3. I'll never understand what caused Jennifer to quit her day job.
4. Alan had a crush on his calculus teacher who was only five years older.
5. Although Ned and Tori had been dating for several years, they were in no hurry to get married.
   

Answers:

1. Adverb clause: before it electrocuted them (describes dropped)
2. Adjective clause: who flew the cargo plane (describes pilot)
3. Noun clause: what caused Jennifer to quit her day job (acting like a direct object)
4. Adjective clause: who was only five years older (describing teacher)
5. Adverb clause: although Ned and Tori had been dating for several years (describes were)

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Sentences Classified by Structure

Sentences are classified according to structure depending upon what type and how many clauses make up the sentence.

Simple Sentence-one independent clause, no dependent clauses.

The dog growled. (The subject is dog; the verb is growled.)

The complete effectiveness of the drug was proved by experimentation on many occasions.

(The subject is effectiveness; the verb is was proved. Complete is an adjective describing effectiveness .s Everything else is a prepositional phrase.)

Compound Sentence-two or more independent clauses, no dependent clauses.

The dog growled and the cat ran.

(Dog growled is one independent clause. Cat ran is the other. And is a conjunction joining the two independent clauses. Since each independent clause is so short, they do not require a comma between them. If the independent clauses are longer, they should probably have a comma between them.)

Penicillin has almost eliminated deaths from pneumonia, and the Salk vaccine has greatly reduced the mortality from polio.

(The first independent clause has penicillin as the subject and has eliminated as the verb. The second independent clause has Salk vaccine as the subject and has reduced as the verb. Almost and greatly are adverbs describing their respective verbs. And is a conjunction separating the independent clauses. Mortality is a direct object of reduced. Everything else is a prepositional phrase.)

Complex Sentences-one independent clause, one or more dependent clauses.

The dog growled when he saw the stranger.

(The independent clause is the dog growled. The dependent clause is when he saw the stranger. When is the dependent word.)

The effectiveness of the drug was tested after various claims had been made.

(The effectiveness of the drug was tested is the independent clause. After various claims had been made is the dependent clause. After is the dependent word.)

Compound-Complex Sentences-two or more independent clauses, one or more dependent clauses.

The dog growled and the cat ran when she heard the deep-throated snarls.

(The dog growled is one independent clause. The cat ran is another independent clause. When she heard the deep-throated snarls is a dependent clause. When is the dependent word.)

The complete effectiveness of the drug that the brilliant chemist had discovered in Germany was proved after lengthy experimentation, and the drug will be marketed in January.

(The complete effectiveness of the drug . . . was proved after lengthy experimentation is one independent clause. The drug will be marketed in January is another independent clause. That the brilliant chemist had discovered in Germany is the dependent clause. That is the dependent word.)

Practice

Take each group of the simple sentences combine them into longer simple, compound, complex or compound-complex sentences. There are many possible answers.

Example:

The dog snarled.
The dog barked.
The girl stood by the gate.
The girl smiled.
The smile was smug.

Possible answer: The dog snarled and barked at the girl who stood by the gate with a smug smile.

Another possible answer: The girl, smiling with smugness, stood by the gate while the snarling dog barked.

1. The butterfly landed.
   The landing was on a honeysuckle.
   The honeysuckle grew in the the backyard.
   The backyard belonged to Aunt Silvia.
   
2. The basement was dark.
   The basement was damp.
   It was a blanket of shadow.
   The blanket was heavy.
   The shadow was suffocating.
   
3. Deer roamed the parking lot.
   The deer were leery.
   They wandered in a group.
   The group was tense.

Possible Answers:

1. The butterfly landed on a honeysuckle which grew in Aunt Silvia's backyard.
   or
   A honeysuckle, on which a butterfly landed, grew in the backyard of Aunt Silvia.
   
2. The dark, damp basement was a heavy blanket of suffocating shadow.
   or
   Dark and damp, a heavy blanket of suffocating shadow was the basement.
   
3. Roaming the parking lot, leery deer wandered in a tense group.
   or
   Roaming the parking lot, wandering in a tense group, the deer were leery.

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