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Clauses
Background Knowledge:
1. A subject is a noun/ pronoun that performs the action of a verb in a sentence. Not every noun that
you see in a sentence is a subject.
2. There are two kinds of verbs:
a. Action Verbs: show the action that the subject performs
b. Linking Verbs: link/connect the subject to nouns, pronouns or adjectives later in the sentence
Commonly Used Linking Verbs
am
be
being was
appear become feel grow
are
been
is was
look remain seem
were
smell
sound taste
Are
been is
3. A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.
a. Independent Clause: can stand alone
ex. The hairstylist gave Jessica a new look.
b. Subordinate/Dependent Clause: can not stand alone
ex. Since the hairstylist gave Jessica a new look
*Hint* Notice how the same clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction can no longer
stand alone.
Common Subordinating Conjunctions
after
as though
since
whenever
as
before
as long as
if
unless
when although
than
whether
where
because
as if how
so that
though wherever
as soon as in order that until
while
Adjective Clauses
An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that describes/refers back to a noun or pronoun. Adjective
clauses usually follow the word that they are describing and they are often introduced by the following
words:
That
which
who
whom
whose
*Once in a while, adjective clauses will be introduced by the words when and where.
Examples:
The clothes that I wore to school today had been placed in the laundry basket.
My brother had eaten the cake which I had put aside for later, but he denied it.
Leonardo da Vinci was the artist who painted the Mona Lisa.
Exercise
Directions: Underline the adjective clause and draw an arrow back to the word it describes.
1. When they found the man who had committed the crime, they arrested him immediately.
2. I was frustrated when I realized the bus that picks me up from school every day was late.
3. The parents whose child had won the race jumped up and down in celebration.
4. A friend is supposed to be a person whom you can really trust.
5. Everyone was really impressed with the girl who had made the football team.
6. After the game, I had to throw away the shirt which had been torn by another player.
7. The building that was being built next to my house was eventually going to be a WaWa.
8. I had found out that I was going on vacation and had to tell all of my teachers.
9. No one wanted to invite the girl whose boyfriend wasn’t very nice.
10. I wanted my brother to tell me the secret spot where he catches all his fish.
Noun Clauses
A noun clause is a subordinate clause that can act as a subject, a predicate nominative, a direct object,
an indirect object or an object of the preposition.
What is a…
1. Subject- who/ what does completes the action of a particular verb.
Example: The red car raced down the highway.
2. Predicate nominative- A noun/ pronoun that follows a linking verb.
Example: Police men are heroes.
3. Direct object- A noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb.
Example: The pitcher threw the baseball out of control and hit the batter.
4. Indirect object- is found between an action verb and a direct object.
Example: My brother gave me a tie for my birthday.
5. Object of the preposition: the noun or pronoun that completes a prepositional phrase
Example: When I met my girlfriend, she told me that I was the man of her dreams.
Noun Clauses are often introduced by the words:
Who
whoever
whom
whomever
what
whatever
which
whichever
Examples
Noun clause as a…
1. Subject- That you are angry is obvious.
2. Predicate Nominative- Three dollars is what he offered.
3. Direct object- The judges determined who won.
4. Indirect object- The sheriff gave whoever volunteered a flashlight.
5. Object of the preposition- We agreed with whatever he said.
that
Exercise
Directions: Underline the noun clause; then, label it a subject, predicate nominative, direct object,
indirect object or object of the preposition.
1. Whatever you decide will be fine with us.
2. Whoever takes us to the beach is my friend for life.
3. I think you know what happened to the rest of my chicken sandwich.
4. Stuart is looking for whoever owns the red bicycle.
5. Checking our supplies, we discovered that we had forgotten the flour.
6. The worst flaw in the story is that it doesn’t have a carefully developed plot.
7. No, these results are not what we had planned.
8. The painter gave whatever spots had dried another coat of primer.
9. At lunch, my friends and I talked about what we should do as our service project.
10. That Coretta Scott King spoke for peace surprised no one.