MAIN AND

SUBORDINATE
CLAUSES
 WHAT IS A CLAUSE?

🠶 Typically, a clause expresses a particular situation – an

event or state of affairs. To do this, it usually needs to
contain a verb. Here is an example of a clause:
My brother phoned my cousin on Tuesday
night.
🠶 This expresses an event, with the verb phoned
indicating the type of event.
MAIN/IND CLAUSE VS
SUBORDINATE/DEP CLAUSE
🠶 A single clause on its own can also be a sentence
Examples;
Well, I've watched it fairly recently.
My mother lives not far from Lyme Regis.
This evening French police were out in force
at key points around the city.
🠶 These are called main clauses because each can
stand alone as a sentence.
🠶 What about the following examples? They all have a verb but they
seem incomplete in some way:
... which isn’t on the knobs and sliders ...
... that the instrument worked well up to five megaHertz

🠶 These clauses don’t function as sentences on their own. They are

called subordinate clauses because they function as part of larger
clauses to make sentences.
E.g.
- However, there is one aspect of sound programming
[which isn't on the knobs and sliders].
- This graph shows [that the instrument worked well up
to five megaHertz].
Key understanding

🠶 A finite clause typically contains a verb in the present tense or

past tense form. It can be a main clause or a subordinate clause,
e.g.:

🠶 Kate broke the dish.

(main clause)
🠶 They suspect that Kate broke the dish.
(subordinate clause)
Key understanding
🠶 A nonfinite clause does not contain any present or past tense verb. It is usually a
subordinate clause. There are three main types:

🠶 Kate didn't mean to break the dish.

(to-infinitive clause)
🠶 Kate remembers breaking the dish.
(-ing participle clause)
🠶 They will replace the dish broken by Kate.
(-ed participle clause)
Clause
Types
 Let’s start with a simple sentence…

I bought a book.

This sentence has the three basic elements required of either a

simple sentence or a clause:

Subject = I
Verb = bought
Object = a book
 Now, let’s add another clause …

While my mother drank her coffee,

While my mother drank her coffee, I bought a book.

I bought a book.

Now we have a two clause sentence, but these clauses are not the same.

The original clause I bought a book can stand on its own as a

simple sentence. It expresses a complete thought by itself. Therefore, it is
called an independent clause.
 Independent Clause (IC)

S + V / O bject
or C omplement
or A dverbial
An independent clause is a unit that expresses a complete thought and
could stand on its own as a simple sentence.

Whether you find an independent clause by itself as a simple sentence or

joined with other clauses, you will be able to identify it because it:

🠶 is a S+V/ unit that

🠶 expresses a complete thought
 But what about the other clause?

While my mother drank her coffee, I bought a book.

If we only consider the first clause, while my

mother drank her coffee, we are left with a
question in our minds, “What happened while your
mother drank her coffee?!”
This clause can not stand on its own as a simple
sentence. It requires another clause to a complete its
meaning. Therefore, it is called an dependent clause.
 Dependent Clause (DC)

A dependent clause is a
S + V / O bject
or C omplement
or A dverbial

unit that does not express a complete thought and can not stand on its own as a
simple sentence.

A dependent clause must always be connected to an independent clause. You will

be able to identify it because it:
🠶 is a S+V/ unit that
🠶 does not express a complete thought on its own
 Dependent Clauses

There are 3 different types of dependent clauses.

• Noun Clause (NC)

• Adjective Clause (AdjC)/ Relative Clause

• Adverb Clause (AdvC)

 Noun Clause (NC)
• [S+V/] that acts like a noun
• Example: I think [you are sick].
I think [you are
sick].
S V O
Objects are nouns; this entire
clause acts like a singular noun,
so it is a noun clause.

• NCs usually follow verbs as objects or complements

•“Answers” the question “What?”
• Example:
• Q: What do you think?
• A: I think Spiderman is the best superhero.
 Noun Clause (NC) -- continued

• NCs can begin with “that”

• “that” is a subordinating conjunction that
• joins it to an IC
• makes the clause it begins depend on the
IC to complete its meaning.

• “that” is often omitted by native speakers:

• Example:

I Ithink
thinkthat
Spiderman is the
Spiderman bestbest
is the superhero.
superhero.
 Noun Clauses

🠶 Noun clauses are not modifiers, so they are not subordinators

like adjectives and adverbs, and they cannot stand alone. They
must function within another sentence pattern, always as nouns.
A noun clause functions as a subject, subject complement,
direct object, or object of a preposition.
🠶 A noun clause usually begins with a relative pronoun like
"that," "which," "who," "whoever," "whomever," "whose,"
"what," and "whatsoever." It can also begin with the
subordinating conjunctions "how," "when," "where," "whether,"
and "why."
Example:
- Whoever wins the game will play in the tournament.
 Identify the Noun Clause
1. I want to know who shirk their responsibilities.
2. How he secured 21 distinctions in the exam
marvels me.
3. That his license was revoked shocked everyone.
4. The truth is that I don’t study enough for the test.
5. I know where she has kept her file and diary.
6. I can’t tell who has taken the book.
 Adjective Clause (AdjC)
• [S+V/] that acts like an adjective

• Example: The story [that I am reading] is sad.

[that I am reading]

S V
relative
pronoun

This entire clause acts like an

adjective, so it is an adjective
clause.
• AdjCs follow nouns
• Often start with relative pronouns
• but the relative pronoun can be omitted
• if the clause has another noun to serve as
the subject
•EX: The story [I am reading]is sad.
 Adjective clauses
🠶 Look at the highlighted clauses in these examples. What do they add to the
meaning of the sentences?

- And then he ran down this alleyway so we ran as well, with the guys
who were then chasing him.
- And the school where I teach is at the general hospital in London
- The 8-Series model and the engine which powered it were superbly
detailed.

🠶 Each clause comes after a noun and gives us more information relating to that
noun.
🠶 These clauses are called adjective clauses because they ‘relate back’ to a
preceding noun (called the antecedent).
🠶 An adjective clause is a special type of subordinate clause (a clause which only
functions as part of a larger structure).
🠶 Some adjective clauses start instead with that:
- Those batteries that you gave me lasted an hour.
- But you will also need to do exercise that strengthens bones.

Often that can be left out:

🠶 Those batteries that you gave me lasted an hour.

🠶 Those batteries you gave me lasted an hour.
🠶 Here are some examples where there is no special
relative word (no that or wh-word):

- That’s not the guy you were talking to.

- But was it in that little book you had
yesterday?
- Why is it that everybody I interview starts
discussing the equipment?
Practice
Highlight the adjective clauses

1. Mike Heafy was a man who worked for Allied.

Mike Heafy was a man who worked for Allied.

2. The ninety per cent figure he keeps talking

about is totally irrelevant.
The ninety per cent figure he keeps talking
about is totally irrelevant

3. That’s the part of the earth that faces the sun.

That’s the part of the earth that faces the sun.
 Adjective Clauses

🠶 Adjective clauses modify nouns or pronouns and

nearly always appears immediately following the noun
or pronoun.
🠶 To test for adjective clauses there are a couple of
questions that you can ask. Which one? What kind?
Most adjective clauses begin with "who," "whom,"
"which," or "that." Sometimes the word may be
understood. The words "that" or "who," for example,
might not specifically be in the sentence, but they
could be implied. To determine the subject of a clause
ask "who?" or "what?" and then insert the verb.
Example:
- The book that is on the floor should be returned to
the library.

Occasionally, an adjective clause is introduced by a

relative adverb, usually "when," "where," or "why."
Example:
🠶 Home is the place where you relax.
Identify the adjective clause and explain its
function. What does it modify?
• The reason why he failed the test is obvious
• I don’t know the reason why he has failed his test.
• The time when the economy will recover is quite
unpredictable.
• I’ll never forget the day when we first met.
• The town where he lived many years ago has become a
big city.
• We met the lady whose house is located beside the
school.
• The man who came into the room was a new lecturer.
 Adverb Clause (AdvC)

• [S+V/] that acts like an adverb

• Example: [After we drove to the mall] , we looked for a
bookstore.
This clause gives information
about how or why the action
happened, so it acts like an
adverb.

• AdvCs always begin with a subordinating conjunction

• after although as because before

even though if since unless until

when
 Adverb Clauses

🠶 Adverb clauses usually modify verbs, in which case they may

appear anywhere in a sentence. They tell why, where, under what
conditions, or to what degree the action occurred or situation
existed. Unlike adjective clauses, they are frequently movable
within the sentence.
Example:
- When the timer rings, we know the cake is done. OR
- We know the cake is done when the timer rings.

🠶 Adverb clauses always begin with a subordinating conjunction.

Subordinating conjunctions introduce clauses and express their
relation to the rest of the sentences.
 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES-
FUNCTIONS
To indicate:
- Time
- Place
- Condition
- Purpose
- Result
- Reason/cause
- Concession/contrast
- Manner