Definition of Clause
A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate (verb). Unlike phrases, clauses can sometimes stand alone as a complete sentence if they express a complete thought. Clauses are essential units of grammar and can be independent (able to stand alone as a sentence) or dependent (requiring attachment to an independent clause for meaning).
Types of Clauses
There are two main types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses. These clauses differ based on whether they can stand alone as complete sentences.
1. Independent Clause
An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence because it expresses a complete thought. It contains both a subject and a verb and does not require additional information to be understood.
- Examples of Independent Clauses:
- “She reads books.” (This clause has a subject, “she,” and a verb, “reads,” and expresses a complete thought.)
- “The dog barked loudly.” (This independent clause can function as a full sentence.)
Independent Clause in a Sentence:
- “He went to the store, and he bought some groceries.”
- Here, the second part of the sentence is also an independent clause.
2. Dependent (or Subordinate) Clause
A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence because it does not express a complete thought. It must be attached to an independent clause to give it meaning. Dependent clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “although,” “if,” “when,” or relative pronouns like “who” or “which.”
- Examples of Dependent Clauses:
- “Because she was tired.” (This is a dependent clause—it has a subject, “she,” and a verb, “was,” but it doesn’t form a complete thought.)
- “When the rain started.” (This clause requires more information to complete the idea.)
Dependent Clause in a Sentence:
- “She stayed home because she was tired.”
- The dependent clause “because she was tired” cannot stand alone but provides a reason for the action in the independent clause.
Types of Dependent Clauses
Dependent clauses are further categorized based on their function in a sentence. These include adjective clauses, adverbial clauses, and noun clauses.
Adjective Clause
An adjective clause functions as an adjective and modifies a noun or pronoun. These clauses typically begin with relative pronouns such as “who,” “whom,” “whose,” “which,” or “that.”
- Examples of Adjective Clauses:
- “The book that she read was fascinating.” (The clause “that she read” modifies the noun “book.”)
- “The person who won the race is my friend.” (The clause “who won the race” modifies the noun “person.”)
Adjective Clause in a Sentence:
- “The house that Jack built is on the corner.”
- The adjective clause “that Jack built” describes the house.
Adverbial Clause
An adverbial clause functions as an adverb and modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. These clauses often answer questions such as “when,” “where,” “why,” “how,” or “to what extent.” Adverbial clauses usually begin with subordinating conjunctions like “because,” “although,” “if,” “when,” or “since.”
- Examples of Adverbial Clauses:
- “She left because it was raining.” (The clause “because it was raining” explains why she left.)
- “Although he studied hard, he didn’t pass the test.” (The clause “although he studied hard” shows a contrast or condition.)
Adverbial Clause in a Sentence:
- “We will go to the park if it doesn’t rain.”
- The adverbial clause “if it doesn’t rain” modifies the verb “will go.”
Noun Clause
A noun clause functions as a noun within a sentence. Noun clauses can act as subjects, objects, or complements. They often begin with words like “that,” “who,” “what,” “whether,” or “how.”
- Examples of Noun Clauses:
- “What he said was surprising.” (The noun clause “what he said” acts as the subject of the sentence.)
- “She didn’t know that he was coming.” (The noun clause “that he was coming” serves as the object of the verb “know.”)
Noun Clause in a Sentence:
- “I believe that honesty is the best policy.”
- The noun clause “that honesty is the best policy” acts as the direct object of “believe.”
The Role of Clauses in Sentences
Clauses are crucial for constructing sentences, whether simple or complex. They allow writers and speakers to express detailed ideas, connect related thoughts, and provide additional information in a clear, structured way.
- Building Complex Sentences:
- Clauses enable the construction of complex sentences by combining independent and dependent clauses to provide more information.
- Example: “I went to the store because I needed milk.” This sentence combines an independent clause (“I went to the store”) with a dependent clause (“because I needed milk”) to explain the action.
- Clarifying Relationships Between Ideas:
- Using clauses, writers can clarify relationships between ideas, such as cause and effect, time, or contrast.
- Example: “Although it was raining, we still went for a walk.” (This sentence uses a dependent clause to show a contrast between the weather and the action.)
- Adding Detail and Depth:
- Dependent clauses, especially adjective and adverbial clauses, help add detail and depth to sentences by providing additional information about nouns, verbs, or other elements.
- Example: “The house, which was built in 1900, is now a museum.”
Clauses vs. Phrases
Although clauses and phrases both contribute to sentence structure, they are distinct in several ways:
- Clause:
- A clause contains both a subject and a predicate (verb) and can sometimes stand alone as a sentence.
- Example: “She ran quickly” is a clause because it has a subject (“she”) and a verb (“ran”).
- Phrase:
- A phrase is a group of words that does not contain both a subject and a verb, and it cannot stand alone as a sentence.
- Example: “Running quickly” is a phrase because it lacks a subject and does not form a complete thought.
Examples of Clauses in Sentences
- Independent Clause:
- “He finished his homework.”
- Dependent Clause:
- “Because he finished his homework, he went outside to play.”
- Adjective Clause:
- “The movie that we watched last night was exciting.”
- Adverbial Clause:
- “We will go for a walk if it stops raining.”
- Noun Clause:
- “She didn’t know what he was thinking.”
Common Mistakes with Clauses
- Sentence Fragments:
- A dependent clause on its own is a sentence fragment because it does not express a complete thought. It must be attached to an independent clause.
- Mistake: “Because she was late.” (Incomplete thought)
- Correction: “She missed the bus because she was late.”
- Comma Splices:
- A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined by just a comma. To fix this, a coordinating conjunction, semicolon, or period should be used.
- Mistake: “She went to the store, she bought some bread.”
- Correction: “She went to the store, and she bought some bread.” (or) “She went to the store; she bought some bread.”
- Misplaced Dependent Clauses:
- Placing a dependent clause too far from the word it modifies can cause confusion. Ensure that dependent clauses are positioned close to the word they describe.
- Mistake: “The man was driving the car who won the race.” (The placement makes it unclear.)
- Correction: “The man who won the race was driving the car.”
Conclusion
Clauses are the backbone of sentence structure, containing the essential elements of a subject and a verb. Independent clauses can stand alone, while dependent clauses need the support of an independent clause to make sense. Understanding the different types of clauses and how they function in a sentence allows for more precise, nuanced communication, whether in simple sentences or complex, multi-layered writing.