Clauses and Types of Clauses

1. Clauses
By
Dr. Noor Nigar

2. What is a Clause?
• A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate, and
forms part of a sentence.
• A sentence may have one or more than one clause.
• Examples:
 People who pay their debts are thrusted.
 We cannot start while it is raining.
 I think that you have made a mistake.

3. Main Clause and Subordinate Clause
• If a clause makes complete sense in itself, it is called the main clause or the
principal clause of the sentence.
• If a clause is dependent on another clause to complete its meaning, it us called
the subordinate clause.
• I woke up when the bell rang.
There can be only one main or principal clause.
The word or words that join a subordinating clause with the principal
clause are called subordinating conjunctions.

4. Types of Subordinate Clauses
Noun
Clause
Adjective
Clause
Adverb
Clause

5. Noun
Clause
A noun clause is a subordinate
clause that does the work of a
noun in a sentence.
I know (main clause) that she
went to her native last week.
(noun clause).
It is the object of the verb know
and does the work of a noun.

6. Identifying Noun Clause
• What you do now is most important!
• Question: What is most important?
• Answer: What you do now. (It is the noun clause and it is the subject of
the clause)
A noun clause can be identified by asking who and what
A noun clause usually begins with words like that, what, if, whether,
how, where, who, whose, why, however, whatever, wherever, whoever

7. Functions of a Noun Clause
• 1. As subject of a verb.
• Example: The work that I do is my wish.
• 2. As object of a verb.
• Example: I suggested that we can go for a picnic.
• A noun clause can function as either the subject of the verb or
the object of a verb.

8. More Examples of Noun Clause
He does not know where the box is (noun clause).
They felt bad that they had been deceived.
He gave the leaflet to whoever attended the meeting.
He sold his bicycle for what he had originally paid.

9. Adjective Clause
• An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that does
the work of an adjective in a sentence.
• The gift that you gave me is very expensive.
• An Adjective clause modifies a noun or a pronoun in
a sentence and is placed nearest to the word that it
qualifies.

10. Identifying an Adjective Clause
• Example: Rekha carried a box that was too heavy for her.
• In this sentence, the second clause qualifies or describes the noun box in the
first clause.
• Therefore, the second clause is an adjective clause.
• An adjective clause is a clause that does the work of an adjective in a
sentence.

11. Identifying an Adjective Clause
• An adjective clause is introduced by a relative pronoun- who,
whom, whose, which, that.
• Example: The girl who won the beauty pageant is here.
• An adjective clause can also be introduced by a relative adverb-
when, where, why, how
• Example: This is the school where I studied.

12. Example
He is the boy who stole my pen.
I took the juice that Meera offered.
We stay in the house that is haunted.
He is the person who wanted to meet you.

14. Adverb Clause
• The subordinate clause that tell us something more about the verb in the
principal clause, and does the work of an adverb, is called an adverb
clause.
• Example: Maya will play when her homework is done.
• In this sentence, the second clause acts as an adverb that qualifies the
verb will play in the first clause.
An adverb clause can modify a verb, an adjective or an adverb in
principal clause.

17. Sources
• https://englishsentences.com/adverb-clause/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-6XIFwrKuM