Grammar Rules Questions Long
In grammar, a clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. It can function as a complete sentence or as a part of a sentence. Clauses are essential components of sentence structure and help convey meaning and information.
There are two main types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses.
1. Independent Clauses:
An independent clause, also known as a main clause, is a clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not rely on any other clause to convey its meaning. Independent clauses typically contain a subject and a predicate.
Example:
- "Sheila is studying for her exams." (This is a complete sentence that can stand alone.)
2. Dependent Clauses:
A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on an independent clause to complete its meaning. Dependent clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions such as "because," "although," "when," "if," etc.
Example:
- "Because it was raining, they decided to stay indoors." (The dependent clause "Because it was raining" cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and relies on the independent clause "they decided to stay indoors" to convey its meaning.)
There are different types of dependent clauses based on their functions within a sentence:
a) Adverbial Clauses:
Adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs and provide information about time, place, manner, condition, reason, or purpose.
Example:
- "He left the party when it started raining." (The adverbial clause "when it started raining" modifies the verb "left" and provides information about the time of the action.)
b) Adjectival Clauses:
Adjectival clauses, also known as relative clauses, modify nouns or pronouns and provide additional information about them. They are introduced by relative pronouns such as "who," "whom," "whose," "which," or "that."
Example:
- "The book that I borrowed from the library is very interesting." (The adjectival clause "that I borrowed from the library" modifies the noun "book" and provides additional information about it.)
c) Noun Clauses:
Noun clauses function as nouns within a sentence. They can act as subjects, objects, or complements.
Example:
- "What she said surprised everyone." (The noun clause "What she said" acts as the subject of the sentence.)
In summary, clauses are essential components of sentence structure. Independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences, while dependent clauses rely on independent clauses to convey their meaning. Dependent clauses can be adverbial, adjectival, or noun clauses, depending on their function within a sentence.