1.

Adverbial clauses
An adverbial clause is a group of words in a sentence that adds extra
information to the meaning of the sentence or describes the way
something was done. It describes how, why, where and when something
is or was developed. Read the text below which contains many adverbial
clauses. An adverbial clause always begins with a subordinating
conjunction. It means these clauses dependent upon a main clause. They
need a main clause to make sense.

Consider the following example:

While I was in Argentina, I met my wife

Dependent clause
Main clause

The expression “while I was in Argentina”, is a dependent clause. It

means it needs a complement to make sense. When we add the rest of
the information “I met my wife”, the whole sentence makes sense.

Tom Sandler is a famous football player. Read about his childhood:

I always liked football, not just because it’s fun, but because it was
something that kept me together.

Before  I learned to talk, I had already learned how to kick a ball. I have
three brothers and two sisters and we all played together while we were
growing up. Although  my parents were very poor, there was always food
on the table, a place to sleep and a football lying around.

My father died when I was fourteen. Since I was the oldest, as soon as  I
turned fifteen, I had to start working and taking care of my younger
siblings. After work, I used to play football with my brothers because it
helped cheer everyone up. With all the new adult responsibilities I had, for
me, it was a way to wind down after work.

I played every day unless  I was sick or too tired to play. But that almost
never happened. One day a sports recruiter saw me while  I was playing
with my brothers. He approached me and said, “Would you like to play
football in England?” That was the beginning of my career.
Before  I learned to talk, I already knew how to kick a ball.

“Before” shows
conjunction to describe
he started kicking the ball. It is a subordinating
when
time

I played every day unless I was sick or too tired to play.

“Unless” shows
conjunction to express
a condition not to play. It is a subordinating
condition

Although my parents were very poor, there was always food on the
table, a place to sleep and a football lying around.

“Although” shows the contrast between their poverty and the fact that they
could still afford some things. It is a subordinating conjunction to express
opposition
.

The words although, unless and when, are subordinating conjunctions.

They express the relationship between the two clauses in the sentence.
We have different categories of subordinating conjunctions such as those
which give information about time, those that show opposition or
condition, those that show distance, frequency or manner, those that
show the reason for something to be done or those that show the result of
an action. Clauses beginning with these subordinating conjunctions are
called adverbial clauses.

Punctuation: Use a comma to separate the two clauses if the adverbial clause comes first. Do no
the adverbial clause comes at the end:

 While I was playing with my brothers, a sports recruiter saw me. (comma)
 A sports recruiter saw me while I was playing with my brothers. (no comma)

A. Adverbial clauses with time expressions

The following conjunctions can be used in adverbial clauses to describe

time:
  After: After if used to express something was done at a later time.

o He could not play anymore after he suffered that injury.

o After I ran the marathon, I wanted to eat everything in sight.

o She got interested in tennis after her mother gave her a

tennis racquet for her birthday.

 When: Describes the moment in time in which something happens.

o When this game is over, we will go to a bar to celebrate.

o The team improved a lot when they hired a new coach.

o When she won the gold medal, everyone in her country was

so proud.

 While / as: Express that two actions were done simultaneously.

They are commonly used with the past continuous as their meaning
shows an action in progress.

o She started playing tennis while she was studying at the

university.

o While the player was receiving medical attention, the game

was paused.

o She was talking to me as I was doing drills.

 Before: Describes the moment in time something happens,

specifically that it happens prior to another event.

o Before the game ended, it started to rain.

o He won six championships before he was 20.

o She didn’t stretch before she ran.

 Until / ‘til: It means up to that time. ‘Til is an abbreviation of until. It

is informal and therefore used only in spoken English.
o I supported the team until the game ended.

o Our fans didn’t stop cheering until we won.

o Until I started winning swimming competitions, I had always

wanted to be a lawyer.

 Since: Since describes the moment when an action started. It is

usually used with present perfect.

o I have lived in Bogota since I finished high school.

o Since she was recruited for the university team, she’s been

practicing every day.

 By the time: Expresses the point in time something happened

relative to another action. By the time shows that one action was
completed before another started. This is often used with the
perfect tenses.

o Tom had already learned to kick a ball by the time he started

to talk.

o By the time the World Cup starts, they will have finished the
stadium.

o By the time I left home, the bus taking my team to the game
had already left.

 Whenever / every time: You use whenever to describe that

something always happens when something else happens or a condition is
met.

o Whenever she has time, she jumps into the swimming pool

and practices.

o My mother washes my uniform every time I have a game.

o Every time I get together with the team, they are talking
about the coming game.
 The first / second / third, etc. / next / last time: We use these
words to describe a sequence of events. We express the part of the
sequence we are referring to.

o The first time I went to the stadium, I didn’t like it.

o Next time you play rugby, you need to be more careful.

o I wore blue and white the last time, I went to see Millionarios

play.

B. Adverbial clauses to show opposition

The following conjunctions can be used in adverbial clauses to show

opposition:

 Even though / though / although: They show contrast,

concession or opposition. They express that something happened
regardless of a given condition. Even though, though and although are all
synonyms.

o Although they played really well, they lost the game.

o He would always be in the park playing baseball even

though it was raining sometimes.

o He went to work today though he was very sick.

 Whereas / while: They also show opposition or contrast. However,

you should always use commas with whereas / while, regardless of the
position of the conjunction.

o Whereas they won many matches this season, we only won

one.

o I really love the food in this restaurant, while I can’t stand

service.

o Matt always arrives early to class, whereas the teacher is

always late.

C. Adverbial clauses to show condition

 The following conjunctions can be used in adverbial clauses to express condition:

 If: if is used to describe a condition for something to happen. Only with this
condition the other event will take place. They can refer to real or imaginary
situations, as well as events in present, past of future. If clauses are the same as in
conditional sentences.

o I would play a sport if I had time.

o If their star player hadn’t been injured, they would have probably won
the match.

o I will stay home if we only have three players for the match.

 Even if: Expresses that no matter what the condition is, the result will not
happen. It is the opposite of the conjunction “if”.

o Even if she trains hard, she will not lose ten pounds in one
week.

o I never go to the gym, even if I have time.

Whether or not: It means that the result will not change no matter if one
of the conditions is met. Whether or not can be split. Look at the
examples below.

 They will go to the championship game, whether or not they

qualify.

Or

They will go to the championship game, whether they qualify or not.

 The club will increase ticket prices, whether or not the fans like it.

Or

The club will increase ticket prices, whether the fans like it or not.

I will dunk the basketball someday, whether or not I can do it right now.

Or

I will dunk the basketball someday, whether I can do it right now or not.

 Unless: It is used to say that if a condition does not happen, the
result will not change. Unless is only used in first conditional sentences. See
the following examples.
o Unless they lift weights in the preseason, they won’t be
strong enough for their matches.
o There won’t be basketball on TV until next year unless the
team classifies for the finals.
o The playoffs will be tomorrow morning unless weather
conditions change.
 In case (that) / in the event (that): It means something is not
expected to happen. However if it happens there will be a result. This
conjunction is mostly used to describe future events.
o

 The baseball scholarship at our university will be waiting for you in

case you change your mind.

 There should always be an ambulance at the stadium in case of an

emergency.

 Only if: It means there is a strict condition for something to happen.

Without that condition, the expected result is not possible.
o Mariana will go to the Olympics only if she trains hard.
o I will buy a muscle stimulation machine only if my trainer
recommends that I do so.
o Only if they offer me a better salary will I stay with the football
club.

Note: when only if starts the sentence you invert the subject and the verb in the main clause:

I will not go to the marathon only if I my doctor days I can’t.

Only if my doctor says I can’t will I not go to the marathon.

I saw Katherine __________ I was waiting for the bus.

A. before.

B. while.
C. after.

D. so.

They cannot win ________ they receive support.

A. as soon as.

B. because.

C. before.

D. unless.

She had already made her decision ___________ I could talk to

her.

A. as soon as.

B. even though.

C. while.

D. before.

The train didn’t leave _______ nine o’clock.

A. until.

B. although.

C. as soon as.

D. so.

_________ they were rich, they were kind and humble people.

A. When.

B. Although.

C. Since.
D. After.

__________ we arrived, she had already left.

A. Because.

B. While.

C. By the time.

D. Since.

Wake me up _________ mom arrives.

A. because.

B. while.

C. after.

D. when.