Clauses

Independent Clauses An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It is a complete sentence.

Dependent Clauses A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. It is depending on an independent clause. A dependent clause by itself is a sentence fragment.

Adjective Clauses. Adjective clauses modify a noun or pronoun. An adjective clause tells what kind, which one, how many, or how much. Adjective clauses are usually introduced by relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, that, which. Example: Student volunteers read stories to the children who were in the daycare center.

Adverb Clauses An adverb clause modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. An adverb clause might tell where, when, how, why, to what extent, or under what conditions. Adverb clauses are introduced by subordinating conjunctions such as if, because, even though, than, so that, while, where, when, as if, and since.

Examples: They were happy because they were going to the zoo Examples: They were happy because they were going to the zoo. (The adverb clause modifies the adjective happy.) The zoo closed earlier than they expected. (The adverb clause modifies the adverb earlier.) When the field trip ended, the volunteers took the children back to the daycare center. The volunteers took the children back to the daycare center when the field trip ended.

Noun Clauses Noun Clauses are used as a noun. They can serve as a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, an object of a preposition, or a predicate noun. Words that introduce noun clauses: that how, when, where, whether, why, what, whatever, who, whom, whoever, whomever, which, whichever. If you can substitute the word something or someone for a clause in a sentence, it is a noun clause.

Examples: Volunteers know that physically challenged people do not want special treatment. (Volunteers know something.) Christopher will tell whoever is volunteering the locations of the elevators. (Christopher will tell someone.)