The Sentence - An Overview
The Sentence - An Overview
The Sentence - An Overview
Phrases
A phrase is a small group of words that adds meaning to a sentence. A phrase is not
a sentence because it is not a complete idea with a subject, verb and a predicate.
In an adjective phrase, one or more words work together to give more information
about an adjective.
so very sweet
In a verb phrase, one or more words work together to give more meaning to a verb.
will do
have been doing
must have been doing
is going to do
In an adverb phrase, one or more words work together to give more information about
an adverb.
especially softly
In a prepositional phrase, one or more words work together to give information about
time, location, or possession, or condition. The preposition always appears at the front of
the phrase (preposition = pre-position).
Clauses
A clause is a group of related words containing a subject that tells
readers what the sentence is about, and a verb that tells readers
what the subject is doing. A clause comes in four types;
independent, dependent, relative or noun clause.
Independent Clause
An independent clause, also called a main clause, is a clause that can stand on its
own. It contains all the information necessary to be a complete sentence. An
independent clause has a subject that tells you what the sentence is about and a verb
that tells you what the subject is doing. It expresses a complete thought, relaying that
something has happened or was said.
For example, in the sentence, 'My dog loves pizza crusts,' the subject is dog, the
verb is loves and your reader now knows that 'your dog loves pizza crusts,' making
it a complete thought.
Dependent Clause
A dependent clause, also called a subordinate clause, is a clause that cannot stand on
its own because it does not contain all the information necessary to be a complete
sentence. A clause is dependent because of the presence of words such as before, after,
because, since, in order to, although, and though).
For example, if you begin the sentence 'My dog loves pizza crusts'
with Because, you still have the subject, dog, and the verb, loves, but it is now an
incomplete thought, 'Because my dog loves pizza crusts.'
To complete the thought, you must attach the dependent, or subordinate, clause to
an independent, or main, clause. For example 'Because my dog loves pizza crusts,
he never barks at the deliveryman.' The thought is now complete, and your reader
knows that 'because he loves pizza crusts, your dog never barks at the delivery
man.'
Sentence
A sentence is the largest independent unit of grammar: it
begins with a capital letter and ends with a period, question
mark, or exclamation point.
The sentence is traditionally defined as a word or group of words
that expresses a complete idea and that includes a subject and
a verb.
Sentence Types
First, the bad news. . . There are billions of sentences out there that we might have to
understand
Next, the good news. . . All sentences fall into just four categories:
Simple Sentence
Complex sentence
Compound Sentence
Complex Sentence
Compound-
I love conjunctive adverbs; my students love each other, and we all love
Definition
A COMPLEX SENTENCE is a sentence that contains one independent clause and one or
more dependent clauses.
Example:
(Because people know that I am an English teacher), they make allowances for (how I
dress and what I say).
(This sentence contains four dependent clauses. Note that two of the dependent clauses
are inside of and part of the independent clause. Don't be alarmed. That happens all the
time.)
Definition
A COMPOUND-COMPLEX sentence contains two or more independent clauses and one
or more dependent clauses.
Example:
Because I am an English teacher, some people expect me to speak perfectly, and other
people expect me to write perfectly.
(The dependent clause is underlined)
Example:
Some people tell me that my grading is too tough, and others tell me that my
assignments are boring. (Note that the dependent clauses occur within the independent
clauses. It often happens.)
REALIZING
What is an object?
An object in grammar is a part of a sentence, and often part of the predicate. It is
always placed after a transitive verb. It refers to someone or something involved in the
subject's "performance" of the verb. It is what the verb is being done to. As an example,
the following sentence is given:
Subject
Leila
Verb
wrote
Objec
the poem
David repaired his car his car is the direct object of the verb repaired. (
What did David repair?)
Indirect Object
An indirect object answers the question "to whom?", "for whom?", "for what?"...An
indirect object is the recipient of the direct object, or an otherwise affected participant in
the event. There must be a direct object for an indirect object to be placed in a sentence.
In other words an indirect object cannot exist without a direct object.
Examples:
They sent him a postcard - him is the indirect object of the verb sent. (To
whom did they send a postcard?)
He bought his son a bike - his son is the indirect object of the verb bought. (For
whom did he buy a bike?)
The COMPLEMENT is used after linking verbs like be, become, seem, appear and sense
verbs like taste, smell, look, sound, feel. It can be realized by a noun, a noun phrase, an
He is Tom (complement=noun)
Mark Kenwells was her favourite student. (complement=noun
phrase)
All of Mark Twains books are excellent. (complement=adjective)
Sandy has become incredibly intelligent. (complement=adjectival
phrase)
Lets be here again in twenty days, shall we? (complement=adverb)
The idea is to be as careful as possible. (Complement=to-infinitive
phrase)
My favourite pastime is walking very early in the morning.
(complement=ing-participle phrase)
The most desired answer was that we should all get an increase in
our salaries. (complement=a finite clause)
ADVERBIALS
An adverb is a word which gives more information about when, how, where or in what
circumstances something happens. There are different kinds of adverbs: degree (quite,
very, rather, etc), manner(skillfully, carefully, beautifully, etc), place (here, there,etc),
time (today, tomorrow, now, etc,), duration (fromto, etc), frequency (always, never,
often, etc), focusing adverbs (only, mainly, specially, etc).
An adverbial group is a group of words which does the same job as an adverb, thus
giving us more information about when, how, where or in what circumstances something
happens, e.g. in the street, again and again, in a silent way.
Units realizing adverbial functions:
The functions of the adverbials are realized by:
Adverb phrases, i.e. phrases whit adverbs as head or sole realization
e.g. Drive carefully, please
o Peter was playing as well as he could
o Well stay here
o Come as soon as possible
Noun phrases:
e.g. Peter was playing last week
o Im coming next Monday
Prepositional phrases
e.g. Peter was playing with great skill.
o She was reading a book in the park.
Finite verb clause
e.g Peter was playing although he was very tired
Non finite verb clauses, in which the verb is :
Infinitive : e.g. Peter was playing to win
ing participle: e.g. Wishing to encourage him, they praised Tom
ed participle: e.g. If urged by our friends, well stay
Verbless clause:
e.g. Peter was playing, unaware of the danger
SENTENCE PATTERNS
There are 5 basic patterns:
PATTERN 1:
Verbs used in this pattern are often in the passive. Here is a selection of common ones:
appoint, baptize, call, consider, christen, crown, declare, elect, label, make, name,
proclaim, pronounce, vote
e.g. They appointed him chairman - He was appointed chairman
They made Sam redundant - Sam was made redundant
SOME PRACTICE
I)EXERCISE Identify as many parts of speech as possible
Grammar in Rhyme: The Nine Parts of Speech
Three little words you often see
Are articles a, an, and the.
A noun is the name of anything,
As school or garden, hoop or swing.
Adjectives tell the kind of noun,
As great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
Instead of nouns, the pronouns stand,
Her head, his face, your arm, my hand.
Verbs tell of something being done-To read, count, laugh, sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the adverbs tell,
As slowly, quickly, ill, or well.
Conjunctions join the words together-As men and women, wind or weather.
The preposition stands before
A noun, as in or through a door.
The interjection shows surprise,
As Oh! how pretty! Ah! How wise!
The whole are called nine parts of speech,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.
(The Home Book Of Verse, ed. by Burton Stevenson. Henry Holt, 1915)
II) Exercise. Identify different types of phrases in the following sentences. Classify them
1. Some of your classmates will attend the conference on Friday.
2. This experience taught me a valuable lesson.
3. Out of the darkness cam a huge, lumbering creature.
4. To everyones surprise, Jane and I were not late.
5. The water in the bay seemed very cold.
6. The only people in the water were the children.
7. This morning the mail carrier left this letter for you.
8. He gave me this one, too.
9. Lee Trevino is an excellent golfer.
10.
Mechanics had just assembled all parts of the motor.
11.
Cheryl gave me her paper to proofread.
12.
I wrote this essay in less than an hour.
III) Exercise - HOW MANY CLAUSES ARE THERE IN THESE SENTENCES?
1. My brother, who is a technical engineer, came from Australia, where he lived for
some years.
2. He found that country fascinating.
3. He met his wife, who is also a technical engineer, in Melbourne and they decided
to live in Sidney before they got married.
4. Last year they decided to come and live in Argentina, but when they got to this
country, they realized they would never earn as much money as they had earned
in Australia.
5. What happened then?
6. They returned to Australia and now they live happily there.
7. They come back to Argentina only when they want to see me, my family and our
parents.
IV) Exercise: Classify each sentence as simple, compound, complex or compound-complex.
1. American Indian culture, which is rich and interesting, is not sufficiently familiar to
most Americans.
2. Why is it that I can never find a pencil when I need one?
3. On your way here, did you meet a group of strange people who were wearing
space-age outfits?
4. As we walked along the road, we saw the wheat waving in the wind.
5. I dont care what you think.
6. It was a hot and sunny weekend and all the beaches were packed.
7. The Statue of Liberty, which was given to the United States by France in 1886,
stands in New York Harbour and it is regarded as a symbol of American freedom.
8. Do you know that Dr. Robert Goddard was the pioneer of the liquid-fuel rocket?
9. Im so happy that I could dance and sing!
10.
Because of his art work received wide recognition, Pablo Picasso became
famous and wealthy.
11.
The soup was delicious, but the main course tasted bland.
12.
I have concluded that personal freedom involves both self-realization and
service to others.
13.
The pitcher read the catchers signals and then struck out the hitter with a
fastball.
14.
Please do not talk while the test is in progress or youll be awarded a lower
mark.
15.
As the lights dimmed in the theatre, a hush fell over the audience and the
overture began.
V) Exercise - Classify sentences according to their form.
Example: Susan is a senior. .
1. I wish I could go to Colorado this summer. _____
2. Please set the table for lunch. _____
3. The vice-president will visit Egypt next week. _____
4. Don't you ever get tired of watching television? _____
5. We bought our car in April, 1975. _____
6. Didn't I meet you at Rainbow Lake last summer? _____
Decide whether the words in bold are subjects, direct objects or indirect objects
1. She sent her friend an email.
2. Sally will help you with your housework.
3. Where did you put the keys?
4. He gave them a bag full of money.
COMPLETE THE SENTENCES ONLY IF NECESSARY. What sentence element have you added?
What linguistic structure have you used?
1. Can I borrow ?
2. This cake tastes
3. is the best present Ive ever got!
4. Ill meet ..
5. I suggest that
6. The committee has named
7. Ill be
8. Dont listen
9. The door closed
10. Have you seen ? I dont know
IDENTIFY THE SENTENCE ELEMENTS UNDERLINED AND SAY WHAT LINGUISTIC
STRUCTURES REALIZE THEM.
1. Someone is organizing a student trip to the museum.
2. People should plant tomatoes in the spring.
3. One of the most significant inventions in the history of civilization was the wheel.
4. Jane Goodall became famous for her studies of chimpanzees in Tanzania.
5. Please, stop cracking your knuckles!
6. When someone arrives for a meeting, you say he or she shows up.
7. I didnt understand Janess directions last night, so when I was going to her house last
night, I got lost.
8. The Romans gave their soldiers special allowances for salt.
9. Many people consider the accidental spilling of salt bad luck.
10. They could have signed that check.
ANALYSE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES, IDENTIFYING PARTS (SUBJECT AND
PREDICATE), ELEMENTS, TYPE AND FORM
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Chance makes our parents, but choice makes our friends. (Delille)
The best is the cheapest. (Ben Franklin)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
You should never answer a letter while youre angry. (Chinese proverb)
18)
If you throw a lucky man into the sea, he will come up with a fish in his mouth. (Arab
proverb)
19)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
After we finish washing the dishes, you can watch the movie with your
friends in the living room.
25)
26)
27)
The third chapter in the book really helps me understand English verbs.
Trust is an important ingredient for a good relationship.
That is not what the professor said during the review session yesterday.
28)
The house on the corner with all of the flowers in front and the strange
doorknob is for sale.
29)
30)
When I think about when I first came to the United States, my thoughts
remind me of many things that I can never forget.
31)
32)
By that time, I didnt know when I was going to see my family again.
Once outside the airport, I was impressed with all that I saw.
33)
Special rooms and clothes are used to protect patients from hurting
themselves.
34)
35)
36)
37)
In the last two weeks alone, many thousands of refugees fled the area.
38)
The government offered the rebels a new deal after many days of heavy
shelling.
39)
40)
41)
42)
43)
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
2. Use a Semicolon.
The teacher lectured for over an hour; his students slept soundly.
The old man wanted hide his money; he feared his children would steal it from him.
The student studied all night long; she had a test the next day.
Patterns:
Sentence ; sentence.
Subject + Predicate ; Subject + Predicate.
Complete the sentences by choosing the best coordinating conjunction for each space
1. Jason was cold,
he put on a coat.
we drank it together.
11. Fans love to watch Anna, she dances beautifully. She is a graceful dancer, people
enjoy watching her. She hasn't taken dance lessons, . does she need to. Her technique is unconventional,
.. her lines are extraordinary. She can fill an audience with joy, . she can bring people to
tears. Other dancers try to imitate her style, . they have not succeeded. She is talented, .. she
will attract fans for many years to come.
Complete the sentences. Use appropriate connectors and pay special attention to punctuation
1. On New Years Eve I made a lot of resolutions, .
.
2. The students dont take the time to read the material given, ...
3. The new teacher of Mathematics wasnt able to fulfill the headmasters expections; .
RELATIVE (or ADJECTIVAL) CLAUSES: Holiday resorts which are very crowded are
not very pleasant
ADVERBIAL CLAUSES:
NOUN CLAUSES
How to identify a noun clause:
Compare:
He told me about the cancellation of the match.
He told me that the match had been cancelled.
Cancellation is a noun; that the match had been cancelled is a clause (it has a
finite verb). The clause is doing the same work as the noun, so it is called a noun
clause.
We can subdivide noun clauses into THAT-CLAUSES, like:
Everyone could see that he was frightened.
And a WH-CLAUSE, like:
No one knows what caused the accident.
A wh-noun clause can begin with any question word.
THAT-CLAUSES
A that-clause can have four of the functions of an NP. It can be:
The SUBJECT of a verb in another clause.
That the driver could not control his car was obvious
That-noun clause SUBJECT V
The conjunction that is obligatory when the clause is subject.
The OBJECT of a verb in another clause; when the clause is the object and comes
after its verb that is optional, and is usually omitted in a short sentence.
Everyone could see (that) he was frightened.
V
That-noun clause OBJECT
In longer sentences, especially when the that-clause is separated from the verb of which
it is the object and when there is more than one subordinate clause that is usually
obligatory.
Everyone could see, I believe, that he was terrified.
That-clause
Everyone could see what was happening and that poor George was really
scared.
Wh-clause
that-clause
In APPOSITION to a noun like fact, truth, explanation, idea. The noun fact is
generally used after the verb face.
We must face the fact that we have spent all our money.
That-clause IN APPOSITION
The idea that everyone should be required to vote by law is something I dont
agree with.
That-clause IN APPOSITION
The fact that also follows prepositions and prepositional phrases like because of, in
view of, on account of, owing to, due to, in spite of, despite, notwithstanding.
His love for literature was due to the fact that his mother read poetry to him when he
was a child.
That-clause IN APPOSITION
In spite of / Despite the fact that hotel prices have risen sharply, the number of tourists
is as great as ever.
That-clause IN APPOSITION
Remember: That-clauses in apposition can be RESTRICTIVE no comma, no break in
intonation and NON-RESTRICITVE: it simply reminds us of what truth, fact, explanation
it is used between commas and there is an interruption of intonation patters of the
sentence.
The explanation, that it was all a misunderstanding, was satisfactory to all of us.
That-clauses after adjectives describing feelings.
Many adjectives describing personal feelings (afraid, glad, happy, pleased, sorry) or
certainty (certain, sure) can be followed by a that-clause. That can be optional.
Im afraid (that) weve sold out of tickets.
That-clause
That-clauses with should:
Verbs like say, think, hope can be followed by that-clauses in which present, past or
future can be expressed.
I hope (that) you will have a very nice time during your holiday.
That-clause
Other verbs following this pattern: add, admit, agree, answer, argue, arrange, believe,
bet, comment, complain, conclude, confess, decide, declare, dream, doubt, expect,
explain, feel, find, find out, forget, guess, imagine, insist, know, learn, mention,
notice, remember, repeat, reply, see, show, suppose, suspect, swear, state,
understand, write.
But verbs like propose, recommend refer only to imagined action in the future, as in
We propose that Mr. X (a) = should go / should be dismissed.
(b) = goes / is dismissed.
( c) = go / be dismissed.
In this example, (a) might be regarded as normal, (b) as informal and ( c)
formal and typical of official style, especially in <AmE>. The ( c) forms are
traditionally called subjunctive.
Other verbs following this pattern: command, consider, desire, disagree,
intend, propose, request, suggest, urge.
Other adjectives following this pattern: absurd, alarmed, alarming, anxious, angry,
ashamed, awful, bad, careful, content, cruel, enough, fair, fortunate, funny, unfair,
horrible, natural, unnatural, odd, pleasant, sad, silly, sorry, wrong.
WH-CLAUSES
These clauses can be derived from yes/no questions and question-word questions
Noun clauses derived from yes/no questions
Here is a direct question: Has he signed the contract? By putting if or whether in
front of it and by changing the word order to subject predicate, we turn it into a
subordinate noun clause that can be used:
As a SUBJECT:
Whether he has signed the contract (or not) doesnt matter.
Wh-clause SUBJECT
As a COMPLEMENT after BE
The question is whether he has signed the contract.
Wh-clause COMPLEMENT
As an OBJECT after verbs especially in indirect questions
I want to know whether / if he has signed the contract (or not).
Wh-clause OBJECT
As an OBJECT after a preposition.
Im concerned about whether he has signed the contract (or not).
Wh-clause OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION
IF is only possible when the noun clause is used as the object of the verb.
Noun clauses derived from question-word questions
Here is a direct question-word question: How soon will he know the results?
Question-word questions (beginning with who, whom, what, which, when, where, why
and how) plus a change in word order can function as noun clauses and can be used:
As a SUBJECT
When he did it is a mystery.
Wh-clause SUBJECT
As a COMPLEMENT after BE
The question is when he did it.
Wh-clause Complement
After a reporting verb, as OBJECT
I wonder when he did it.
Wh-clause Object
The OBJECT of a preposition.
It depends on when he did it.
EXERCISES
Choose the correct option. For each sentence, say what the function of each
noun clause is.
1. Last week, our cat gave birth to a litter of kittens, but we didn't know where
________.
a. is our cat
b. our cat was
c. our cat is
d. was our cat
2. Now, our cat is home again, and we can't believe how many ________.
a. kittens does she have
b. kittens has she
c. she has kittens
d. kittens she
has
3. Can you imagine ________ ?
a. how cute they are b. how cute are they
4. The kittens are so noisy that I can hardly hear what ________.
a. are saying you
b. that you are saying
c. are saying you
saying
5. My husband said _________ try to keep them all.
a. dont we
b. that shouldn't we
c. that we shouldn't
d. you are
d. that we don't
a. have you
d. if have you
13. Of course, the child agreed. Is it possible __________ the child would not
agree?
a. what
b. that
c. if
d. whether or not
14. ___________ a good home is important.
a. Should a pet get
b. Does a pet get
c. If a pet gets
15. _________ happened. All but two of the kittens were adopted. (but except)
a. That we wanted
b. What we wanted
c. Which we wanted
d. What do we
want
Directions: Combine the two sentences into one sentence using a noun clause.
1)
2)
3)
Do you know
4)
5)
Do you know
6)
7)
8)
Do you know
9)
10)
Identify, classify and state the function of Noun Clauses in the following
sentences. In some sentences, there is more than one clause.
1. The question is whether he is ready to do what hes asked for.
2. That shes not able to speak any other language is unquestionable.
3. We are astonished at the fact that Sue has moved to a small village in the north of
the country.
4. Our decision depends on what the boss is going to tell us in the meeting.
5. This conference demanded that the lecturer prepare his speech carefully.
6. Shes not sure what shes going to wear at the graduation ceremony.
7. The truth is that they will never accept that they were wrong in their assertions.
8. It is advisable that you wear the uniform in that school.
9. The question I couldnt answer in the exam is when Winston Churchill retired from
politics.
10.
Have you heard that the teacher of History is thinking of giving up teaching?
Find out the noun clauses in the following sentences and state what purpose
they serve.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
RELATIVE CLAUSES
They are also called Adjectival Clauses because they post-modify a noun, which is
called antecedent. The antecedent and the relative clause are rarely separated.
The house which was built near the cliff belonged to my grandparents
Antecedent
Relative clause
Classification:
Relative clauses are classified into:
Defining Relative clauses, which are those clauses that limit or restrict the meaning of
the noun they modify, so the information they add is essential to complete the meaning
of the sentence. They are not written between commas and, in speech, there is no pause
in intonation.
The baby who was crying was my nephew. (We need to know which
baby we are referring to)
Non-defining relative clauses, which are those clauses that add extra information
about the antecedent they modify because this antecedent is already known to
everybody so the information is not essential to understand the meaning of the
sentence. They are written between commas and, in speech, there is a pause in
intonation.
The house, which belonged to my grandparents, was built near the clif.
(We already know which house we are talking about.)
Sentential Relative clauses, which are those clauses whose antecedent is the
complete main clause. They are always introduced by which and they are always nondefining.
Tom has already got his degree, which was really good news for all of his
family.
Relative clauses are introduced by:
Relative pronouns:
Who whom, for personal antecedents Which, for non-personal antecedents That,
used to replace who, whom or which in more informal style or in particular cases.
The man who / that was selling Wireless Internet came to my house yesterday.
The teacher of Geography, whom / who / that I had met at the shopping mall,
was late for work this morning.
The test which / that was planned for Wednesday was put off because most of
the students were absent.
Relative adverbs:
Relative determiner:
In this example, the pronoun HE refers back to man and is the subject of the second
sentence. If we want to write a complex sentence, the Relative Pronouns WHO / THAT will
be used to refer to the man in place of the pronoun so it will turn into the subject of the
relative clause.
The man who / that was wearing a green suit was my friend.
The same happens in the following example:
Everybody likes The Lord of the Ring. It was shot in New Zealand
Everybody likes The Lord of the Ring, which / that was shot in New
Zealand.
In this example, the pronoun HER refers back to woman and is the object of the verb. If
we want to write a complex sentence, the relative pronouns WHOM / WHO / THAT will be
used to refer to the woman in place of the pronoun, so it will turn into the object of the
relative clause. It changes its position because it has to follow the antecedent.
The woman whom / who / that everybody saw was hurt.
When the relative clause is defining, the pronoun can be omitted.
The woman everybody saw was hurt.
IMPORTANT: The relative pronoun that is not used in DEFINING relative clauses
when it is the object of the clause
When we use the relative pronouns WHO / THAT or when we omit the pronoun, the
preposition goes to end position in the relative clause:
Mary Simpson, who the teacher had talked to, decided to give up studying.
The CD which I listened to was recorded last year.
The CD I listened to was recorded last year.
EXERCISES
Combine the sentences using a relative clause. Use relative pronouns only where necessary. Note that you have
to use commas in some of the sentences.
A holiday in Scotland
1.
We spent our holiday in Scotland last year. Scotland is in the north of Great Britain.
Last year we
2.
People live in Scotland. They are called Scots.
The people
3.
We first went to Edinburgh. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland.
We first
4.
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh. He wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Arthur Conan Doyle
5.
Then we visited a lake. It is in the Highlands.
The lake
6.
Loch Ness is 37 km long. People know it for its friendly monster.
Loch Ness
7.
There we met an old man. He told us that he had seen Nessie.
An old man ..
8.
We then travelled to a mountain. The mountain is near the town of Fort William.
We then
9.
The mountain is the highest mountain in Great Britain. It is called Ben Nevis.
The mountain
10.
I sent you a postcard. It was written on the summit of Ben Nevis.
The postcard
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
Fill in: who - whose - which - where when. Then, classify each clause (Defining, Non-defining,
etc) and analyse the case of each Relative Pronoun.
I was on my way to the Odeon Cinema, I wanted to meet my cousin Fred.
I was walking down Richmond Street I heard a loud noise.
A man had crashed into a tree was standing at the corner to Corn Street.
The man, car was badly damaged, was in shock.
I helped him phone his wife, . arrived shortly after the call.
My friend Jimmy, .. is very superstitious, loves lucky charms.
One day Jimmy, room is always an awful mess, decided to do some cleaning.
First he tidied his wardrobe, he found a rabbits paw.
He was very excited he came over to my place.
He showed me the rabbits paw, . was light brown and looked very old.
Last July, we had our house-warming party, Mum invited our friend Peer from Norway.
Peer arrived at Stanstead Airport, .. we picked him up two days before the party.
Peer, . had never been to England before, was very excited.
Peers suitcases, were huge, didnt fit into the car.
Peer, .. suitcases had to take a taxi, was very upset.
I spent a year in Australia I was only 23 years old.
My first stop was Melbourne, I have friends.
Peter and Kate, . are both teachers, showed me around.
One day we went to the aquarium, . was awesome!
Peter, .. band is pretty cool, plays the double bass
ADVERBIAL CLAUSES
An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that describes a verb, adjective, or another
adverb. All adverb clauses start with a subordinating conjunction. Some of the most
common subordinating conjunctions used for this purpose are: when, before, after, as,
since, as if, as though, because, that, if, unless, whether, as long as, as soon as and as
though.
How to identify Adverbial Clauses
Compare:
I try hard, but I can never remember peoples names.
However hard I try, I can never remember peoples names.
Hard is an adverb, however hard I try is an adverbial (or adverb clause): it is telling us
about (or modifying) can never remember. Adverbs can often be identified by asking
and answering the questions when?, where?, how?, To what extent? Under what
condition? In what manner? How often? etc. An adverbial clause can be identified in the
same way:
Time:
Place:
Manner:
Reason:
(When?)
(Where?)
(How?)
(Why?)
USUAL CONJUNCTIONS
When, before, after, since, as soon as,
while, as until, whenever, once,
immediately, the moment, the day, etc.
Where, wherever
As, like, the way, as if
- Conditional clauses
Purpose clauses
- Reason clauses
Result clauses
- Contrast or concession clauses
Comparison clauses
Qualifying clauses
Position
You can place an adverb clause in the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
She spoke in such a low voice that few could hear her.
Punctuation
When an adverb clause begins the sentence use a comma to separate the two clauses.
Example: As soon as he arrives, we will have some lunch.
When the adverb clause finishes the sentence there is no need for a comma.
Example: He gave me a call when he arrived in town.
When
'When' means 'at that moment, at that time, etc.'. Notice the different tenses used in
relationship to the clause beginning with when. It is important to remember that 'when'
takes either the simple past OR the present - the dependent clause changes tense in
relation to the 'when' clause.
Before
'Before' means 'before that moment'. It is important to remember that 'before' takes
either the simple past OR the present.
After
'After' means 'after that moment'. It is important to remember that 'after' takes the
present for future events and the past OR past perfect for past events.
While, as
'While' and 'as' mean 'during that time'. 'While' and 'as' are both usually used with the
past continuous because the meaning of 'during that time' which indicates an action in
progess.
By the time
'By the time' expresses the idea that one event has been completed before another. It is
important to notice the use of the past perfect for past events and future perfect for
future events in the main clause. This is because of the idea of something happening up
to another point in time.
Until, till
'Until' and 'till' express 'up to that time'. We use either the simple present or simple past
with 'until' and 'till'. 'Till' is usually only used in spoken English.
Since
'Since' means 'from that time'. We use the present perfect (continuous) with 'since'.
'Since' can also be used with a specific point in time.
As soon as
'As soon as' means 'when something happens - immediately afterwards'. 'As soon as' is
very similar to 'when' it emphasizes that the event will occur immediately after the other.
We usually use the simple present for future events, although present perfect can also
be used.
Whenever, every time
The first time I went to New York, I was intimidated by the city.
The first, second, third, fourth etc., next, last time means 'that specific time'. We can use
these forms to be more specific about which time of a number of times something
happened.
Adverb Clauses expressing time answer the question Where?. They can be used at the
beginning of the sentences - separated from the main clause by a comma, or at the end
of the sentence without a comma.
These clauses answer the question How? They are always used at the end of the
sentence.
George drives as his father did.
George drives the way his father did
George drives as if he is left-handed
George drives as if he was left-handed
George drives as if he were left-handed.
The way = this is typical of informal style
As if + present of to be (is/am/are) = it suggests that something/somebody really is
As if + past of to be (was) = it suggests that something/somebody might be
As if he + subjunctive = it suggests that something/somebody is not
'If' clauses express the conditions necessary for the result. If clauses are followed by
expected results based on the condition.
Even if
Even if she saves a lot, she won't be able to afford that house.
In contrast to sentences with 'if' sentences with 'even if' show a result that is unexpected
based on the condition in the 'even if' clause. Example: COMPARE: If she studies hard,
she will pass the exam AND Even if she studies hard, she won't pass the exam.
Whether or not
They won't be able to come whether or not they have enough money.
'Whether or not' expresses the idea that neither one condition or another matters; the
result will be the same. Notice the possibility of inversion (Whether they have money or
not) with 'whether or not'.
Unless
'Unless' expresses the idea of 'if not' Example: Unless she hurries up, we won't arrive in
time. MEANS THE SAME AS: If she doesn't hurry up, we won't arrive in time. 'Unless' is
only used in the first conditional.
In case (that), in the event (that)
'In case' and 'in the event' usually mean that you don't expect something to happen, but
if it does... Both are used primarily for future events.
Only if
We'll give you your bicycle only if you do well on your exams.
Only if you do well on your exams will we give you your bicycle.
'Only if' means 'only in the case that something happens - and only if'. This form
basically means the same as 'if'. However, it does stress the condition for the result.
Note that when 'only if' begins the sentence you need to invert the main clause.
But it can also be expressed by finite clauses beginning with so that, in order that, for
fear that, lest. SO THAT, purpose, must be distinguished from so that expressing result:
He turned on the radio so that everybody could hear the announcement.
(Purpose)
He turned on the radio so that everybody heard the announcement. (Result)
A purpose clause may precede or follow the main clause.
We issued these instructions in writing, for fear that a spoken message might be
misunderstood.
FOR FEAR THAT combines the idea of purpose with that of afraid that.
LEST is formal in style and is always followed by a subjunctive (or should + verb).
These type of clauses explain the reasons for what happens in the main clause.
Example: He bought a new home because he got a better job.
Punctuation
When an adverb clause begins the sentence use a comma to separate the two clauses.
Example: Because he had to work late, we had dinner after nine o'clock.. When the
adverb clause finishes the sentence there is no need for a comma. Example: We had
dinner after nine o'clock because he had to work late.
Adverb Clauses of Reason
Because
They received a high mark on their exam because they had studied hard.
Notice how because can be used with a variety of tenses based on the time relationship
between the two clauses.
Since
'Since' means the same as because. 'Since' tends to be used in more informal spoken
English. Important note: "Since" when used as a conjunction is typically used to refer
to a period of time, while "because" implies a cause or reason.
As long as
As long as you have the time, why don't you come for dinner?
'As long as' means the same as because. 'As long as' tends to be used in more informal
spoken English.
As
'As' means the same as because. 'As' tends to be used in more formal, written English.
Inasmuch as
Inasmuch as the students had succesfully completed their exams, their parents
rewarded their efforts by giving them a trip to Paris.
'Inasmuch as' means the same as because. 'Inasmuch as' is used in very formal, written
English.
Due to the fact that
We will be staying for an extra week due to the fact that we haven not yet finished.
'Due to the fact that' means the same as because. 'Due to the fact that' is generally used
in very formal, written English.
SUCH (A) (+ ADJECTIVE) + NOUN + THAT will produce a similar sentence to the ones
above.
He was such a clear speaker that we could understand every word of his speech.
He showed such great courage that he was elected by everyone
Result clauses can be used at the beginning of the sentence in informal style
These type of clauses show an unexpected or non self-evident result based on the
dependent clause. Example: He bought the car even though it was expensive.
Punctuation
When an adverb clause begins the sentence use a comma to separate the two clauses.
Example: Even though the it was expensive, he bought the car.. When the adverb
clause finishes the sentence there is no need for a comma. Example: He bought the car
even though it was expensive.
Adverb Clauses Showing Opposition, Contrast or concession
Even though, though, although
Notice how 'though, even though' or 'although' show a situation which is contrary to the
main clause to express opposition. Even though, though and although are all synonyms.
Whereas, while
Whereas you have lots of time to do your homework, I have very little time indeed.
'Whereas' and 'while' show clauses in direct opposition to each other. Notice that you
should always use a comma with 'whereas' and 'while'.
Comparison Clauses
In subordinate clauses like these ones, the operator is used as a pro-form (i.e. replacing
the lexical verb)
Exercises
Find the adverb clauses in these sentences. What are their meanings (time, place...)? If it is a reduced
adverb clause, add the missing words.
1. You seem very happy when you help other people.
2. While you wait, we will detail your car.
3. I am happier than I ever was before.
4. That horse is more obstinate than a mule.
5. The woman took notes while being taught to cook with broccoli.
6. Ben fields baseballs better than he hits.
7. As the lions approached the carcass, the cheetahs retreated once more.
8. While eating, I choked on a bone.
Each of these proverbial sayings contains an adverb clause. Identify the adverb clause in each sentence.
Enclose the subordinating conjunction in brackets.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Finish each sentence and say what type of Adverbial Clause they contain.
He arrived before .
After I have finished studying,
As , sea levels will rise.
I will keep learning English for as long as .
While , I usually listen to the radio.
Rates of obesity increase when .
Since , I have lost 5 kilos.
I will keep learning English until .
My English is not improving because .
Since , poverty has increased.
Pollution is increasing as .
I am studying IELTS in order that
He went to the gym so that .
Although , most people still prefer books.
The Minister wants to incease taxes though ...
Even though , I didn't get the score I needed (surprising)
Internet usage increased, while
Whereas , I do not.
No matter how much, money is never enough for him
Wherever , I will go.
As he was walking to the station, he found a puppy that had been abandoned in a box.
He used to speak in public as a good speaker does.
My little brother is as tall as my older brother is.
He was such a lovely man that every girl in the room wanted to dance with him.
The idea that the girls had was really risky.
The idea that we could play a joke on the teacher was very risky.
Weve all decided that well speak with the principal tomorrow.
We havent seen our boss since he decided to go on holidays.
Since we dont have time to finish the research tonight, well meet again tomorrow.