Download Grammar Blog 3 Yet More Basics: Clauses. So far we have looked at

Grammar Blog 3
Yet More Basics: Clauses.
So far we have looked at sentences containing one subject and one verb, called simple sentences.
A simple sentence can also have a double subject.
e.g. The prime minister and the attorney general will attend tomorrow’s meeting.
A simple sentence can also have a double verb.
The prime minister will be chairing the meeting and will be leading the discussion. [the second
“will be” may or may not be repeated.]
A simple sentence can have a double subject and a double verb.
The prime minister and the attorney general will attend tomorrow’s meeting and will welcome
the delegates. [Again the second “will” may be omitted.]
However, since meaning is about relating one idea to another, we need to be able to join
sentences. For this we need the term clause and the term conjunction.
A clause is a group of words containing a noun or pronoun subject and a verb (in other words a
sentence). A conjunction is literally “a joining word.”
BUT
We can join sentences together in different ways.
1. Co-ordinate main clauses
The easiest way to join sentences is to use “and.” e.g. I waited at the bus stop. The bus came.
Joined, we get “I waited at the bus stop (clause 1), and the bus came (clause 2).
These two clauses are equal in value and importance; therefore we call them co-ordinate (= equal
in rank) clauses.
Co-ordinate clauses are joined by the conjunctions “and,” “but,” “or,” and sometimes by “nor,”
“for,” “so,” “yet.”
I was invited to the party, but I could not go.
Would you like tea, or would you prefer coffee?
2. Main and dependent clauses
Most of the time we want the reader to know what the exact relationship is between the ideas of
our joined sentences. So we need a different set of subordinating conjunctions: words indicating
time relationships (before, after, while, as ); place relationships (where); cause relationships
(because since, as); condition relationships (if, although, though, unless). We also need the whn
words (who, whom, whose, which, where, why ) and “that” and “how.”
a) I am going to eat (1) before I go out. (2)
b) She told me to go downstairs to the dining room (1), where I would find you (2).
c) Because there is a storm warning (1), the boys will stay in tonight (2).
d) I would like to go out (1), though I really don’t have the time (2).
e) If the conference is not a success (1), the financial situation will worsen (2).
f) Here is the book(1) that I borrowed (2).
g) Tell me (1) how I should do this problem (2).
The clause which is headed by the subordinating conjunction is there to give more information
about the other clause, the main or independent clause (both terms are used). In (a) the main or
clause), or as adjectives (describing a noun in the main clause), or as nouns (being the subject or
the object of the verb in the main clause, or the object of a preposition).
e.g. I shall leave soon [adverb describing the verb “shall leave”]
e.g. I shall leave when my colleague arrives. [adverb clause, also describing the verb “shall
leave.”
e.g. She has a pretty face. [adjective describing the noun “face.”]
e.g. She has a face that is very pretty.[adjective clause, also describing “face.”]
e.g. Tell me the answer. [noun, direct object of the verb “Tell.”]
e.g. Tell me what the answer is. [noun clause, direct object of the verb “Tell.”
e.g. This is an example of how mistakes are made. [noun clause, object of the preposition “of.”]
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