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The Three Kinds of Clauses

There are three types of clauses: independent clauses which can stand alone, dependent clauses which rely on a main clause, and main clauses which require a dependent clause to complete them. Dependent clauses provide additional context through conjunctions, subjunctions, and conjunctional phrases and can indicate direct object, reason, result, purpose, time, opposition, or manner. The indicative or subjunctive mood must be used correctly depending on the function and meaning of the dependent clause.

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115 views3 pages

The Three Kinds of Clauses

There are three types of clauses: independent clauses which can stand alone, dependent clauses which rely on a main clause, and main clauses which require a dependent clause to complete them. Dependent clauses provide additional context through conjunctions, subjunctions, and conjunctional phrases and can indicate direct object, reason, result, purpose, time, opposition, or manner. The indicative or subjunctive mood must be used correctly depending on the function and meaning of the dependent clause.

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ChandaKunda
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The Three Kinds of Clauses

A sentence containing only one conjugated verb is called a “simple sentence”. It is made up
of a single clause.
A sentence containing two or more conjugated verbs is called a “complex sentence”. It
includes two or more clauses.

There are three categories of clauses:

 an independent clause functions autonomously. It doesn’t depend on any other


clause, and no other clause depends on it.
 a dependent clause is not autonomous. It always depends on another clause, called
a main clause, which it completes. There are various types of dependent clauses.
 the main clause requires a dependent clause that completes it.

Conjunctions, Subjunctions, Conjunctional Phrases

Some typical conjunctions (conjunctions de coordination) are mais, ou, et. They are used to
connect two main clauses to each other.

Example:
Christine est en vacances mais son mari est resté à la maison.

Some common subjunctions (conjonctions de subordination) include: que, comme, lorsque,


quand, quoique, si, puisque.

Example:

Elle veut voir le coucher de soleil, c’est pourquoi elle est sur la plage.

Conjunctional phrases include: afin que, parce que, avant que, bien que, dès que, pour que.

Example:

Elle passe ses vacances au bord de la mer du Nord parce qu’elle aime la mer.

Dependent clauses that are introduced with a subjunction or a conjunctional phrase are
called subordonnées conjonctives (conjunctional clauses). They add information to a main
clause, for example: direct object, reason, result, purpose, time, opposition, or manner (see
following overview).

Overview

function subjunctions indicatif or subjonctif example

 que  indicatif in most cases  Je sais qu’elle aime


direct object  subjonctif: la mer.
- with negation  Elle ne veut pas
- with verbs that express que nous partions.
possibility, doubt, will,  C’est dommage
feelings, etc. que les vacances
soient si courtes.

additional  puisque  indicatif  Christine aime la


information:  parce que mer parce que l’air
reason  comme est agréable.
 vu que

additional  de sorte  indicatif  Elle est restée


information: que toute la journée à
result  si bien que la plage si bien
 c’est qu’elle a un coup
pourquoi de soleil à présent.

additional  afin que  subjonctif  Elle met de la


information:  pour que crème pour que le
purpose coup de soleil
guérisse.

additional  avant que  subjonctif for anteriority  Elle dit au revoir à


information:  jusqu’à ce (when the action in the main la plage avant que
time que clause takes place before the nous prenions le
 lorsque action in the dependent train.
 quand clause)  Dès qu’elle voit un
 aussitôt  indicatif for simultaneity coquillage, elle le
que and posteriority (when the met dans sa poche.
 sitôt que action in the main clause
 dès que takes place during or after
 après que the action in the dependent
 pendant clause)
que
function subjunctions indicatif or subjonctif example

 tant que

additional  quoique  subjonctif  Elle nage très vite


information:  tandis que quoiqu’elle ait mal
opposition  à moins à la jambe.
que
 bien que
 plutôt que

additional  comme  indicatif  Le soleil brille de


information:  de sorte  We use the subjonctif: sorte que Christine
manner que - when the additional porte des lunettes
 de façon information requires an de soleil.
que unrealised result.  Nous pouvons
 ainsi que - after sans que nous promener
 de même avec les enfants
que sans qu’ils se
 sans que fatiguent.

To Note

The subjonctif is used for actions that have not yet taken place or may not take place.

Example:
Elle sourit pour que tu la prennes en photo.

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