Type of Clauses

by Lizeth Mayorga

1. Subordinate Clauses

1.1. Subordinate Conjunction + Subject + Verb = Incomplete Thought.

1.1.1. Whenever lazy students whine Whenever = subordinate conjunction; students = subject; whine = verb.

1.2. a subordinate or dependent clause does not express a complete thought and therefore is not a sentence

2. Main Clauses

2.1. Subject + Verb = Complete Thought.

2.1.1. Lazy students whine. Students = subject; whine = verb.

3. Relative Clauses

3.1. Relative Pronoun or Adverb + Subject + Verb = Incomplete Thought.

3.2. Relative Pronoun as Subject + Verb = Incomplete Thought.

3.3. A relative clause begins with a relative pronoun and functions as an adjective.

4. Noun Clauses

4.1. You really do not want to know the ingredients in Aunt Nancy's stew. Ingredients = noun.

4.2. If we replace the noun ingredients with a clause, we have a noun clause: You really do not want to know what Aunt Nancy adds to her stew. What Aunt Nancy adds to her stew = noun clause.

5. Clauses come in four types: main [or independent], subordinate [or dependent], adjective [or relative], and noun. Every clause has at least a subject and a verb. Other characteristics will help you distinguish one type of clause from another.

6. He memorized a poem last night

7. a clause is a group of related words; but unlike a phrase, a clause has a subject and verb

8. An independent clause, along with having a subject and verb, expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a coherent sentence