Adverb Clause Mini-Lesson

Connection Writers, you’ve been making comparisons and contrasts in your writing this week on Social Inequality issues in Education. Can you identify two points where you have shown cause, contrast, or condition in your journal or persuasive essay? For example in True Story of a Part Time Indian, what are some comparisons made between the high school on the reservation and the one off the reservation?  The reservation high school has old textbooks.  The town high school has brand new books. If you wanted to write one complex sentence combining these points, could you? How?

Teaching Points What part of a sentence is an Adverb Clause? What does an Adverb Clause do? How is an Adverb Clause formed? Where in the sentence is the Adverb Clause located?

Types of Sentences  A sentence which contains just one clause is called a simple sentence.  A sentence which contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses is called a complex sentence. (Dependent clauses are also called subordinate clauses.)  There are three basic types of dependent clauses: adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and noun clauses. (Adjective clauses are also called relative clauses.)  This lesson contains information about adverb clauses.

What do Adverb Clauses do? Adverb clauses show relationships such as time, cause and effect, contrast, and condition (Watch this 7 minute movie on Adjective Clauses for homework.) CLM

How to create a sentence with an Adverb Clause? 1. You must have two clauses with a related subject:  Arnold lived on the reservation.  He went to high school in town. (contrast) 2. Add a subordinating conjunction to the beginning of the clause you want to make dependent:  Although Arnold lived on the reservation.  He went to high school in town. 3. Place the two clauses next to each other.  Although Arnold lived on the reservation, he went to high school in town.

How are Adverb Clause Sentences Punctuated? When the independent clause precedes the adverb clause, there is usually NO comma:  Arnold went to high school in town although he lived on the reservation. When the adverb clause precedes the independent clause, there IS usually a comma:  Although he lived on the reservation, Arnold went to high school in town.

Subordinating Conjunctions  The subordinators in adverb clauses are called subordinating conjunctions. They cannot be omitted. They cannot be subjects. Here are some of the subordinating conjunctions:  Time: after, before, when, while, as, by the time, whenever, since, until, as soon as, once, as long as  Cause and effect: because, since, now that, as, as long as, inasmuch as, so (that), in order that  Contrast: although, even though, though, whereas, while  Condition: if, unless, only if, whether or not, even if, providing (that), provided (that), in case, in the event (that).

Student Engagement Look at the first drafts of your journal or persuasion essay. Where can you use Adjective Clauses to show-  Time?  Cause & Effect?  Contrast?  Condition?

Off You Go! Look back over your first draft. Where can you combine two simple sentence that show a relationship between time, cause & effect, contrast, or condition of a common subject? Make a list of these sentences and try combining- 1. Decide which sentence will be the independent clause and which will become the adverb clause. 2. Add a Subordinating Conjunction to the Adverb Clause. 3. Be sure to add a comma after Adverb Clauses that come at the beginning of the sentence. 4. Check back in with the teacher after you have tried writing one sentence to see how you did.

References Fleming, J. (2005). Adverb Clauses. Retrieved from DeAnza College, Cupertino, Faculty website: The Sentence Center. (2012, April 26). Adverb Clauses- English Grammar and Writing. [Youtube]. Retrieved from