Clauses and Its Types


Clause is basically a sentence within a sentence it can be complete or it can be incomplete in a sentence. It's a group of words that include a subject and a finite verb. It contains only one subject and one verb in a sentence. 



For example

when I came here I saw him 

There are two clauses that are separated by a comma. As I have said before, there must be one subject and one finite verb in a clause in the given sentence. We have two different clauses "when I came here" I is a subject, came is the finite verb. In the second clause "I saw him", I is a subject and so "saw" a finite verb. Now, keeping this sentence in view I'll teach you two different types of clauses dependent clause and independent clause. Dependent Clause dependent clause is the incomplete part of a sentence. It generates incomplete sense in a sentence. For example,

 

In the sentence "when I came here" is incomplete. It cannot generate a complete sense. An independent clause is a complete part of a sentence. It generates a complete meaning in a sentence as in the above given sentence "I saw him" is independent close. It is generating a complete sense. Let's take a look at another example. If I say 

"if you don't eat, I won't go." 

"if you don't eat" is generating an incomplete meaning in a sentence that an incomplete meaning is the dependent clause and it won't make its complete meaning until I say "I won't go" it means if you don't eat depends on I won't go and I won't go is the independent clause. And also the dependent and independent clause can interchange their position in a sentence and it won't affect the meaning of the sentence. If the dependent clause comes in the beginning of a sentence it will carry a comma to separate the independent clause and if the independent clause comes in the beginning of a sentence it won't use a comma to separate the dependent clause and independent clause.

it's only the independent clause that is not further divided into its subcategories. But a dependent clause is further divided into its subcategories. 

Noun clause 

adjective clause 

adverbial close 

and adverbial clause is also further divided into its subcategories. 

adverbial clause of time 

adverb clause of place 

adverbial clause of reason 

adverbial clause of condition 

adverbial clause of manner 

Noun Clause

let's elaborate noun clause. What is noun? We all know it's a name of anything, a place or a person. A noun either performs an action or receives an action. It either comes in the beginning of a sentence as the action doer or comes in the last part of a sentence as the action receiver. Same is the case with the noun clause. It either performs an action if it is in the beginning of a sentence and if it is coming in the last part of a sentence, it is receiving an action. But keeping in view the definition of clause, a noun clause must be having a subject and a finite verb in a sentence. 

For example,

I like apple 

"Apple" is a noun and if I replace this apple noun with "what I see", "what I see" is taking the position of a noun. It means it will be a noun clause because it is having a subject and a finite verb. "I" is the subject and "see" is a finite verb. Another example if I say 

I know that patience has limits 

That patience has limits is taking the position of a noun, that's why it is a noun clause because it is having a subject patience and verb has. Another example 

I saw how the accident happened. 

Again it is a noun clause because how the accident happened is taking the position of a noun and it is also having one subject accident and verb. Accident is the subject and happened is the verb. 

Adjective/Relative clause 

Adjective clause modifies a noun in a sentence as the adjective itself modifies the noun in a sentence. For example, if I say 

I saw a black cat

black is the adjective as it is modifying the noun cat in a sentence and if we talk about adjective clause, it modifies the noun in a sentence. For example, if I say 

The robber who broke into my house is in court today.

The "robber" is a noun "who broke into my house" is the adjective clause because who broke into my house is modifying the noun robber and also an adjective clause always starts with a relative pronoun. 

A relative pronoun always relates a noun in a sentence. For example in the sentence "the robber who broke into my house" is in court today the word "who" is the relative pronoun as it is used for a noun robber. Another example 

The cake that she bought was delicious 

"That she bought" is the adjective clause as it is modifying the cake. The cake is a noun, "that" is the relative pronoun as it is used for the noun.  

Adverb Clause

As adverb implies the modification of verb, adjective and adverb itself and also the adverbial clause modifies the main clause in a sentence as I have already told you that the adverbial clause is further divided into its subcategories. Firstly,

Adverbial Clause of Time

We have adverbial clause of time and also each type of adverbial clause can be identified in a sentence very easily because each type of adverbial clause gives the answer of WH question word. In adverbial clause of time we need to find the answer of when. For example 

All stood up when the president came 

In the given sentence "all stood up" is the independent clause "when the president came" is the adverbial clause of time. 

Adverbial clause of place 

Adverbial clause of place gives the answer of where. For example, 

That is the café where we met 

"That is the café" is an independent clause and "where we met" is the adverbial clause of place.

Adverbials of Reason 

This clause is the answer of why. For example, if I say 

I was late because I could not catch the bus 

"I was late" is an independent clause. "Because I could not catch the bus" is the answer of why. 

Adverbial Clause of Condition

This clause uses the conjunction when or if. This makes a sentence a conditional sentence for example 

We will stay at home if it rains 

"We will stay at home" is then independent clause. "if it rains" is an adverbial clause of condition. 

Adverbial Clause of Manner

This clause gives the answer of how. For example, in the sentence 

He cries as if he were mad.

In the sentence "he cries" is an independent clause. "As if he were mad" is the adverb clause of manner.

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