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Dependent Clauses: Adverbial, Adjectival, Nominal
Dependent clauses may work like adverbs,
adjectives, or nouns in complex sentences.
Like a single-word adverb, an adverbial clause
describes a verb (in the sentence's main clause) and answers one of these
questions
where? why?
how? when?
to what degree?
An adverbial clause begins with a subordinating
conjunction, which makes the clause subordinate (dependent).
Common subordinating conjunctions:
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after
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in order (that)
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unless
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although
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insofar as
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until
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as
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in that
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when
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as far as
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lest
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whenever
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as soon as
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no matter how
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where
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as if
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now that
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wherever
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as though
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once
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whether
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because
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provided (that)
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while
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before
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since
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why
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even if
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so that
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even though
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supposing (that)
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how
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than
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if
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that
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inasmuch as
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though
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in case (that)
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till
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Example of adverbial clause answering when?
When will the flowers
bloom? Answer: when spring arrives
Example of adverbial clause answering why?
Why didn't the poor woman have
money? Answer: because she had lost her job
Example of adverbial clause answering
where?
Where is there fire?
Answer: where there is smoke
Example of adverbial clause answering
how?
How did he answer the question? Answer: as if he knew the
subject quite well
Example of adverbial clause answering to
what degree?
To what degree of lateness will Jones arrive? Answer:
(later) than Smith (will arrive)
Another example of an adverbial clause
answering to what degree?
To what degree
is he young? Answer: (younger) than his brother (is)
Comma use with adverbial clauses
Comma use with adverbial clauses depends upon placement
of the adverbial clause.
If the adverbial clause introduces the sentence, place a
comma between it and the main clause.
If the adverbial clause follows the main clause in a
sentence, do not place a comma between the two.
Like a single-word adjective, an adjectival clause
describes a noun (in the sentence's main clause) and answers one of these
questions
which one?
what kind?
An adjectival clause usually begins with a
relative pronoun, which makes the clause subordinate (dependent).
Common relative pronouns:
that
which
who
whom whose
NOTE: Use who,
whom, and whose to describe people.
Use that and which to describe things.
Adjectival clauses always follow the person,
place, or thing they describe, usually immediately.
Example of adjectival clause
answering which one?
Which book
did Joe read? Answer: the one that I gave him
Example of adjectival clause
answering what kind?
What kind
of politician has the support of the people? Answer: one who
is trustworthy
Adjectival clauses may also begin with selected
subordinating conjunctions:
when - to describe a time
where - to describe a place
why -
to describe a reason
Comma use with adjectival clauses
Comma use with adjectival clauses depends upon essentiality
of the adjectival clause.
If the adjectival clause is essential (or
"needed"), no commas should be used to separate it from the main
clause.
Generally, essential adjectival clauses should not begin with which.
Examples
Since the adjectival clauses in the
above examples are needed to clarify the noun that they describe, they
are essential and should not be separated from the rest of the
sentence with commas.
If the adjectival clause is nonessential (or "not
needed"), commas should separate it from the main clause.
Nonessential adjectival clauses should not begin with that.
Examples
Since the adjectival clauses in the
above examples are not needed to clarify the noun that they describe, they
are nonessential and should be separated from the rest of the
sentence with commas.
Note the difference between the sentences in each pair:
Like a noun, a nominal clause names a person,
place, thing, or idea. A nominal clause may function in a sentence as any
of the following:
subject
subjective
complement
appositive
object of preposition
direct
object
indirect
object
retained object
Nominal clauses may begin with interrogatives:
who whom
what
which whoever
whomever whatever
when where how why
An interrogative beginning a nominal
clause has a function within the nominal clause.
Each of the following examples illustrates
- a nominal clause
- the function of the nominal
clause within the sentence
- the function of the
interrogative within the nominal clause
Nominal clause as subject in
sentence
Nominal clause as subjective
complement in sentence
Nominal clause as object of
preposition in sentence
Nominal clause as direct object in
sentence
Nominal clause as indirect object
in sentence
Nominal clause as retained object
in sentence
Nominal clauses may also begin with expletives:
that
whether if
An expletive beginning a nominal clause has no
function within the nominal clause.
Nominal clause beginning with
expletive that
Nominal clause beginning with
expletive whether
Nominal clause beginning with
expletive if
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