CLAUSE
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical
unit that can express a complete proposition.[1] A typical clause consists of a
subject and a predicate,[2] where the predicate is typically a verb phrase – a
verb together with any objects and other modifiers. However the subject is
sometimes not expressed; this is often the case in null-subject languages if
the subject is retrievable from context, but it also occurs in certain cases in
other languages such as English (as in imperative sentences and non-finite
clauses).
A simple sentence usually consists of a single
finite clause with a finite verb that is independent. More complex sentences
may contain multiple clauses. Main clauses (i.e. matrix clauses, independent
clauses) are those that can stand alone as a sentence. Subordinate clauses
(i.e. embedded clauses, dependent clauses) are those that would be awkward or
incomplete alone.
Independent
Clause
An independent clause (or main clause) is a clause
that can stand by itself as a simple sentence. An independent clause contains a
subject and a predicate; it makes sense by itself and therefore expresses a
complete thought.
Independent clauses can be joined by using a
semicolon or by using a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so).
Example :
I drive a bus. (This is a simple
sentence.)
·
I am a doctor, and my wife is a lawyer.
(This is a compound sentence made up of two independent clauses: I am a doctor
and my wife is a lawyer.)
·
I want to be a nurse, but I need to
receive my science degree. (compound sentence made up of two independent
clauses: I want to be a nurse and I need to receive my science degree)
·
John walked to the park with his friend,
Jim. (This is another simple sentence.)D
Dependent
Clause
a dependent clause (or a subordinate clause) is a
clause that provides an independent clause with additional information, but
which cannot stand alone as a sentence. Dependent clauses either modify the
independent clause of a sentence or serve as a component of it. Some
grammarians use the term subordinate clause as a synonym for dependent clause.
Others use subordinate clause to refer only to adverbial dependent clauses.
The different types of dependent clauses include
noun clauses, relative (adjectival) clauses, and adverbial clauses.
Noun
Clause
A noun clause can be used like a noun. It can be a
subject, predicate nominative, direct
object, appositive, indirect object, or object of the preposition. Some of the
English words that introduce noun clauses are that, whether, who, why, whom,
what, how, when, whoever, where, and whomever. Notice that some of these words
also introduce adjective and adverbial clauses. A clause is a noun clause if a
pronoun (he, she, it, or they) could be substituted for it.
Examples:
·
I know who said that. (I know him/her.
The dependent clause serves as the object of the main-clause verb
"know".)
·
Whoever made that assertion is wrong.
(He/she is wrong. The dependent clause serves as the subject of the main
clause.)
Relative
(adjectival) clause
A relative clause begins with a relative pronoun and
functions as an adjective.
In the following sentence, the relative pronoun that
is the subject of its clause and won the Pulitzer Prize is the predicate. This
clause couldn't stand by itself. Its role in the complete sentence is to modify
novel, the subject of the independent clause.
Ex : The novel that won the Pulitzer Prize didn't
sell well when it was first published.
In the next example , which is the relative pronoun
that begins the subordinate clause. Celebrities is the subject of the clause
and attended is the verb. In the complete sentence, this clause functions as an
adjective describing ceremony.
Ex : The ceremony, which several celebrities
attended, received widespread media coverage.
Note that in a relative clause, the relative pronoun
is sometimes the subject of the clause, as in the following sentence, and
sometimes the object, as in the next sentence.
Ex : Arthur, who comes to the games every week,
offered to be scorekeeper.
Who is the subject of the clause and comes to the
games every week is the predicate. The clause modifies Arthur.
In the following sentence , mothers is the subject
of the clause, adored is the verb, and whom is the direct object of adored.
Again, the clause modifies Arthur.
Ex : Arthur, whom the team mothers adored, was asked
to be scorekeeper.
Adverbial
Clause
"He saw Mary when he was in New York" and
"They studied hard because they had a test" both contain adverbial
clauses. Adverbial clauses express when, why, where, opposition, and
conditions, and, as with all dependent clauses, they cannot stand alone. For
example, When he was in New York is not a complete sentence; it needs to be
completed by an independent clause, as in:
·
He went to the Guggenheim Museum when he
was in New York.
or equivalently
·
When he was in New York, he went to the
Guggenheim Museum.
Reference:
