Clauses - Definition, Types  & Examples

Lesson Overview

• What Are Clauses?
• What Are the Types of Clauses?
• How to Use a Clause in a Sentence
• Examples of Clauses
• Clauses Assessment

Clauses are the foundation of sentence construction. Understanding clauses helps us construct varied sentences, allowing us to create simple, compound, and complex sentences to express complex ideas. 

By connecting thoughts and showing relationships between them, clauses improve our writing by enhancing clarity, flow, and sophistication.

What Are Clauses?

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. The subject is typically a noun or pronoun that performs the action or is being described. The predicate contains the verb and provides information about the subject.  

Key Characteristics:

• A clause must have both a subject and a predicate to be considered a clause.
• Clauses can stand alone as simple sentences or be combined to form compound or complex sentences.

Example:

• "The dog barked loudly."

This is an independent clause because it has a subject ("dog") and a predicate ("barkedloudly"), and it expresses a complete thought.

What Are the Types of Clauses?

Understanding the different types of clauses is essential for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences.  

Independent Clauses

An independent clause, also known as a main clause, is a complete sentence that can stand on its own. It expresses a complete thought by containing a subject and a verb that work together to convey a message.  

Examples:

• The cat sat on the mat.  
• She is a talented musician.  
• I love to travel.

Dependent Clauses

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is an incomplete sentence that cannot stand alone. It relies on an independent clause to provide the complete meaning. Dependent clauses typically begin with a subordinating conjunction (such as because, although, since, if, when) or a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, which, that).  

Examples:

• Because she was tired, she went to bed early.  
• The book that I borrowed is on the shelf.
• I know the person who won the lottery.

Dependent clauses can be further classified into three main types based on their function within a sentence:  

Adverbial Clauses: These clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs, providing information about time, place, manner, reason, or condition.  

Examples:

• When she arrived, we started the meeting.
• Although he studied hard, he failed the exam.  
• Because it was raining, we stayed indoors.

Adjectival Clauses: These clauses modify nouns or pronouns, providing additional information about them.  

Examples:

• The book that I borrowed is on the shelf.
• The woman who lives next door is a doctor.
• The car that I bought is red.

Noun Clauses: These clauses function as nouns within a sentence, serving as subjects, objects, or complements.  

Examples:

• What she said surprised everyone.
• I don't know where he went.
• ]The fact that he apologized made her happy.

Combining Clauses

Independent and dependent clauses can be combined to create more complex sentences. This is done using coordinating conjunctions (such as and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so) or subordinating conjunctions. 

Examples:

• She went to the store, and he stayed home.
• I wanted to go for a walk, but it started raining.
• Because it was cold, we stayed indoors.
  
  

How to Use a Clause in a Sentence

Knowing how to use clauses is essential for clear and sophisticated communication. Here's how to use them effectively:

1. Creating Emphasis and Rhythm with Clause Positioning

• Placing a clause at the beginning of a sentence (known as "fronting") gives it prominence and can create a dramatic or persuasive effect.

Example: "Though the journey was long and arduous, they persevered with unwavering determination."

In the example, "Though the journey was long and arduous, they persevered with unwavering determination," the fronted clause emphasizes the challenge of the journey before highlighting their perseverance, creating a stronger impact.

• End Focus: Placing a clause at the end can build anticipation or emphasize the final point.
  • Example: "She finally achieved her dream, after years of hard work and dedication."

• Balance and Rhythm: Varying the length and placement of clauses creates a more dynamic and engaging rhythm in your writing.
  

2. Connecting Clauses for a Cohesive Flow

• Use coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so) to link independent clauses, creating compound sentences that show the relationship between ideas.

Example: "The evidence was overwhelming, and the jury quickly reached a verdict."

• Use subordinating conjunctions (because, although, since, if, when, while) to connect dependent clauses to independent clauses.

Example: "While I enjoy reading fiction, I also appreciate a good non-fiction book."

• Use conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore, moreover, furthermore) to connect ideas across sentences, creating smooth transitions and a logical flow.

Example: "The evidence was inconclusive. However, the investigation continued."

3. Crafting Concise Sentences

• Use clauses strategically to avoid unnecessary repetition and wordiness.

Example: Instead of "He was a man who was known for his honesty," use "He was a man known for his honesty." (reducing a relative clause)

• Clauses allow you to combine related ideas into a single, well-structured sentence.

Example: "She studied diligently for weeks, and as a result, she aced the exam."

4. Adding Variety While Using Clauses

• Combine simple, compound, and complex sentences to create a varied and engaging writing style.
  
• Explore different ways to arrange clauses within a sentence to achieve specific effects and emphasize different aspects of your message.
  

5. Punctuation with Clauses

• Use a comma after a dependent clause when it comes at the beginning of a sentence.

Example: Because it was raining, we stayed indoors.

• Generally, do not use a comma before a dependent clause when it comes at the end of a sentence.

Example: We stayed indoors because it was raining.

Examples of Clauses

Here are a few examples of clauses to help you understand how to use them better - 

• The train arrived late.
• When the music stopped, everyone applauded.
• The car that he bought last week is already making strange noises.
• She wanted to go to the beach, but it was raining heavily.
• Because they were tired, the hikers decided to set up camp for the night.
  
  

Clauses Assessment

Exercise 1: Identify whether the underlined group of words is an independent clause (IC) or a dependent clause (DC).

1. The dog barked when the doorbell rang. ____
2. Although she was tired, she finished her homework. ____
3. He went to the store because he needed milk. ____
4. The sun is shining, and the birds are singing. ____
5. I will go to the party if you go too. ____
6. She is a talented musician who plays the piano beautifully. ____
7. While I was walking home, I saw a beautiful sunset. ____

Answers:

1. IC
2. DC
3. IC
4. IC
5. IC
6. IC
7. DC

Exercise 2: Identify the function of the underlined dependent clause in each sentence: adverbial (ADV), adjectival (ADJ), or noun (N).

1. When the bell rang, the students left the classroom. ____
2. The book that I borrowed is on the shelf. ____
3. I don't know what he is talking about. ____
4. Although it was raining, they went for a walk. ____
5. The car that he bought is red. ____
6. She is happy because she passed the exam. ____
7. Whoever said that was mistaken. ____

Answers:

1. ADV
2. ADJ
3. N
4. ADV
5. ADJ
6. ADV
7. N