The Clause: Independent and Subordinate Clauses



The Clause: Independent and Subordinate Clauses

Holt Handbook, Chapter 4: The Clause

A clause is a word group that contains a verb and its subject and that is used as a sentence or part of a sentence.

There are two main types of clauses: independent and subordinate.

Independent Clauses

An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself as a sentence. An independent clause can also be called a main clause. Note: An independent clause by itself is generally called a sentence.

Example: Although I was tired, I stayed up to watch “Lost”.

Subordinate Clauses

A subordinate clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand by itself as a sentence. A subordinate clause can be used as an adjective, a noun, or an adverb in a sentence.

Example: when she went to the store

It becomes complete when it is combined with an independent clause.

Example: She bought fruits and vegetables when she went to the store.

There are three types of subordinate clauses: the adjective clause, the noun clause, and the adverb clause.

Tip: Overusing short, simple sentences can lead to choppy writing. One way to avoid choppy sentences is to change some sentences into subordinate clauses.

Adjective Clauses

An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or a pronoun. Adjective clauses usually start with relative pronouns (that, which, who, whom, whose).

Example: I watch Pirates of the Caribbean last night, which was the most popular movie of the year.

To modify a place or time, an adjective clause may begin with when or where. These words are called relative adverbs.

Example: She wrote about the time when she won the championship.

Sometimes the relative pronoun or relative adverb is not expressed, but it is understood.

Example: The game [that] I played yesterday was exciting.

An adjective clause can be essential or nonessential. An essential clause provides information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. A nonessential clause provides additional information that can be omitted.

The Adverb Clause

An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.

An adverb clause tells how when, where, why, to what extent, or under what conditions.

Example: Donna sounds as if she has caught a cold. [The adverb clause modifies the verb sounds, telling how Donna sounds]

As long as he starts early, he will arrive on time. [The adverb clause modifies the verb will arrive, telling under what condition he will arrive on time.]

Subordinating Conjunctions

An adverb clause is introduced by a subordinating conjunction – a word that shows the relationship between the adverb clause and the word or words that modify the clause modifies. Unlike a relative pronoun, which introduces an adjective clause, a subordinating conjunction does not serve a grammatical function in the clause it introduces.

Common subordinating conjunctions: after, although, as, because, since, though, etc. NOTE: Some subordinating conjunctions can also be used as adverbs (HH p.20) or prepositions (HH p.24).

(See page 97 in the Holt Handbook for more subordinating conjunctions)

The Noun Clause

A noun clause is a subordinate clause that is used as a noun. It may be used as a subject, a predicate nominative, a direct object, an indirect object or the object of a preposition.

Example: The team will meet at whatever time the coach specifies.

Note: Another kind of noun clause is the infinitive clause which consists of an infinitive with a subject, along with any modifiers and complements the infinitive has.

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