Grammar Rules Questions Medium
A subject adverbial clause and an object adverbial clause are both types of dependent clauses that function as adverbs within a sentence. However, they differ in terms of their placement and the role they play in the sentence.
A subject adverbial clause, as the name suggests, functions as the subject of the main clause. It provides information about the subject of the sentence and usually begins with subordinating conjunctions such as "when," "where," "why," "how," or "if." For example, in the sentence "When the sun sets, the sky turns orange," the clause "When the sun sets" acts as the subject of the main clause "the sky turns orange."
On the other hand, an object adverbial clause functions as the direct object of the main clause. It provides information about the action or verb in the sentence and typically begins with subordinating conjunctions such as "that," "whether," "if," or "when." For instance, in the sentence "I wonder if it will rain tomorrow," the clause "if it will rain tomorrow" acts as the object of the verb "wonder."
In summary, the main difference between a subject adverbial clause and an object adverbial clause lies in their placement and the role they play within a sentence. The subject adverbial clause functions as the subject of the main clause, while the object adverbial clause functions as the direct object of the main clause.