31m Clauses

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate. There are two kinds of clauses: independent and dependent.

Independent clauses (also known as main clauses) can stand alone as complete sentences: The window is open. Pairs of independent clauses may be joined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, or yet).

image The window is open, so we’d better be quiet.

Like independent clauses, dependent clauses (also known as subordinate clauses) contain a subject and a predicate, but they cannot stand alone as complete sentences because they begin with a subordinating word (25b). Dependent clauses function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

image Because the window is open, the room feels cool.

In this combination, the subordinating conjunction because transforms the independent clause the window is open into a dependent clause. In doing so, it indicates a causal relationship between the two clauses.

Noun clauses

Noun clauses can function as subjects, direct objects, subject complements, or objects of prepositions. A noun clause is always contained within another clause. Noun clauses usually begin with a relative pronoun (that, which, what, who, whom, whose, whatever, whoever, whomever, whichever) or with when, where, whether, why, or how.

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Notice that in each of these sentences the noun clause is an integral part of the independent clause that makes up the sentence. For example, in the second sentence, the independent clause is not just he asked but he asked where she went to college.

Adjective clauses

Adjective clauses modify nouns and pronouns in other clauses. Usually adjective clauses immediately follow the words they modify. Most of these clauses begin with the relative pronoun who, whom, whose, that, or which. Some begin with when, where, or why.

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Sometimes the relative pronoun introducing an adjective clause may be omitted.

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Adverb clauses

Adverb clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They begin with a subordinating conjunction (31h) and, like adverbs, they usually tell when, where, why, how, or to what extent.

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