Clauses

A clause is the part of a sentence that contains only one subject and one verb. 

a.       I graduated last year. (One clause sentence)

b.      When I came here, I saw him. (Two clause sentence)

c.       When I came here, I saw him, and he greeted me. (Three clause sentence)

      Clauses are of two types: 1) Independent Clause (Principal/Main Clause)

                                               2) Dependent Clause (Subordinate Clause)

An independent or main clause can stand on its own as a sentence. It has a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought. An independent clause by itself is called a simple sentence.

A dependent clause (Subordinate Clause) also has a subject and a verb, a dependent clause is not a complete sentence. It’s only part of a sentence; it doesn’t express a complete thought.

       In simple sentences we have one independent clause:

Ram plays the guitar.

Sita cooks food for me.

       In compound sentences we have two or more than two independent clauses joined by          conjunctions:

                I saw him and he greeted me.

                He went to the party, but she stayed home.

       A complex sentence has one main and at least one subordinate clause.

If you want to speak to me, then learn English.

I hide ice cream at my house because I can.

        Look at these sentences:

1)  I bought a large house.

2)      I bought a house that would be large enough for conversion into flats. 

 In sentence 2^nd the group of words in italics performs the same function as word ‘large’ in sentence 1^st. This means that these words qualify a noun. Hence it is an example of an adjectival clause.

3)      His speech gave everyone pleasure.

4)      What he said gave everyone pleasure.

In sentence 4^th words in italics performs the same function as the word ‘His speech’ in sentence 3^rd and serves the function of a noun. Hence this is an example of a noun clause.

5)      I shall see you tomorrow.

6)      I shall see you when I return.

In sentence 6^th words in italics performs the same function as word ‘tomorrow’ in sentence 5^th and this clause qualifies verb. Hence this is an example of an adverbial clause.

Finite Clauses

 Now look at these subordinate clauses:

                would be large enough for conversion into flats.

                What he said

                when I return.

All these subordinate clauses contain a finite verb, so these are called finite clauses. We can say that sentence 2 is an example of a Finite Adjectival Clause, sentence 4 is an example of a Finite Noun Clause, sentence 6 is an example of Finite Adverbial Clause.

     Non-Finite Clauses:

Look at these sentences:

7)      I have something to tell you.

8)      To make the classroom more lively the government introduced EDUSET Programme.

9)      To give up at this stage would be a great pity.  

The words in italics contain an Infinitive so these clauses are examples of Non-Finite Clauses.

Analyse these sentences:

10)   Teaching in a smart classroom would mean a better understanding of students. (Gerund is used in Noun Clause. So, it is a Non-finite Noun Clause)

11)   He took a bag containing my notebooks. (Present Participle is used in adjectival clause)

12)  Ram could not understand the instructions written in English.  (Past Participle is used in Adjectival Clause)

13)  Having received his full payment he closed the factory. (Perfect Participle is used in Adverbial Clause)

      If a sentence contains two or more than two main clauses in a sentence then the clauses are called Co-ordinate Clauses. i.e.:

14)  The peon rang the bell and morning assembly began.

15)  Sita was dancing and Ram was playing flute.

In these sentences, we have four Co-ordinate Clauses and these sentences are called compound sentences.

Adjectival Clauses:

An Adjectival Clause in complex the sentence is a subordinate clause which does the function of an Adjective, and so qualifies some noun or pronoun in the main or principal clause. i.e.:

16)  He is the man whom we all respect.

He is the man--------Main or Principal Clause

whom we all respect---------Subordinate Clause. As this clause qualifies pronoun ‘He’ and contains finite verb so this is called a Finite Adjectival Clause.

17)   These are the factors to be taken into consideration.

These are the factors-------- Main or Principal Clause

to be taken into consideration------ Subordinate Clause. As this clause qualifies noun ‘factors’ and contains non- finite verb so this is called a Non-Finite Adjectival Clause.

18)  The reason why I did is obvious.

The reason is obvious-------Main or Principal Clause

why I did-----Subordinate/Dependent Clause. As this clause qualifies pronoun ‘I’ and contains finite verb so this is called as Finite Adjectival Clause

Analyse the following sentences:   

19)  He talked of the time when he was a student.

20)  This is the house that my father built.

21)  He gave me everything that I asked for.

22)  He that is down has the fear to fell.

23)  Give me something to eat.

24)  He has no work to do.

Noun Clause

It has been already discussed that Noun Clause performs the functions of a noun in a complex sentence, it can be:

       The subject of a verb

25)  What you said was really interesting. 

It was really interesting------Main Clause

What you said------Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as a subject and serves the function of a noun.   It is a Finite Noun Clause.

26)  To give up at this stage would be a great pity.

                         It would be a great pity---------Main Clause

 To give up at this stage--------Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as a subject and serves the function of a noun.  As infinitive has been used it is a Non-Finite Noun Clause.

       The object of a verb

27)  They now know that the scheme is impractical.

           They now know------Main Clause

            that the scheme is impractical-------Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as an object and serves the function of a noun.   It is a Finite Noun Clause.

28)  The teacher hates putting students to any trouble.

           Teacher hates------Main Clause

            putting students to any trouble-----Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as an object and serves the function of a noun.   It is a Non-Finite Noun Clause.

Apposition to the subject

29)  The fact that you haven’t enough time is an excuse.

         The fact is an excuse----- Main Clause

          that you haven’t enough time---- Subordinate Clause. This clause is used in apposition to subject and serves the function of a noun.   It is a Finite Noun Clause.

     Apposition to the object

30)  The Government has made a decision to increase the old-age pension.

       The Government has made a decision----Main Clause

 to increase old-age pension----- Subordinate Clause. This clause is used in apposition to object and serves the function of a noun. It is a Non-Finite Noun Clause.

As complement

31)  The news was that the Indian team had won the World Cup.

       The news was----- Main Clause

 that The Indian team had won the World Cup----- Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as complement of noun. It is a Finite Noun Clause.

32)  His intention was to say nothing about it.

       His intention was----Main Clause.

 to say nothing about it------Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as a complement of a noun. It is a Non-Finite Noun Clause.

Object of a preposition

33)  They were engrossed in what he was saying.

                They were engrossed in----- Main Clause.

         what he was saying------ Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as object of a        preposition ‘in’. It is a Finite Noun Clause.

34)  He insisted on seeing my old photograph.

        He insisted on------ Main Clause.     

        on seeing my old photograph----- Subordinate Clause. This clause is used as the object of a preposition ‘on’. It is a Non- Finite Noun Clause.

Adverbial Clause

Time

35)  I shall speak to you when I come back.

        I shall speak to you------ Main Clause

              when I come back.-------Subordinate Clause. This clause modifies the verb ‘shall speak’. It is an adverbial clause of time and finite in structure.

 Now compare the above sentence with these sentences:

36)   He spoke of the time when he was a child.

Here subordinate clause qualifies noun ‘time’. So it is an adjectival clause.

37)   Please tell me when you will come.  

Here subordinate clause is used in apposition of an object and performs the functions of a noun. So it is an example of a noun clause.

           Place

38)  I met him where it was least expected.

Subordinate Clause qualifies verb ‘met’......... Adverbial Clause of place. 

          Manner

39)   He solved the problem as I expected.

 Subordinate Clause qualifies verb ‘solved’......... Adverbial Clause of manner. 

         Comparison

40)   His stepmother treated him more kindly than his real father would have done.

Subordinate Clause qualifies verb ‘treated’......... Adverbial Clause of comparison.

           Reason or Cause

41)     He stole because he was hungry.

 Subordinate Clause qualifies verb ‘stole’......... Adverbial Clause of Cause/Reason

           Result

42)   The boy was so tired that he slept.

                   Subordinate Clause qualifies the verb ‘tired’......... Adverbial Clause of Result.

              Condition

43)  If I were rich I would go on world tour.

Subordinate Clause ‘If I were rich’ qualifies verb ‘go’......... Adverbial Clause of Condition.

         Concession

44)   Although he is very old he is still active.

Subordinate Clause ‘ Although he is very old’ qualifies verb ‘be’(is)......... Adverbial Clause of Concession.