Grammar Smart 3rd Edition - Princeton Review 2014

E. Clauses
Part 2. The Sentence

Clauses are like phrases, but with one big difference. A clause has a subject and a verb, a phrase does not. Clauses fall into two categories: independent and dependent.

An independent clause can stand by itself as a whole, complete sentence. A dependent (or subordinate) clause, on the other hand, is dependent on the rest of the sentence; it can’t stand by itself. Let’s look at some examples.

Wanda wore the dress that she had bought on Tuesday.

What’s the subject? Wanda. What’s the predicate? wore the dress that she had bought on Tuesday.

So far so good. Notice that our predicate has two verbs in it—one of them, wore, has Wanda as its subject. The other, had bought, has she as its subject. Two clauses, each with a subject and a verb. Which clause can stand by itself?

Wanda wore the dress.

That she had bought on Tuesday.

The first clause is independent—it looks and feels like a sentence, doesn’t it? The second clause is dependent—it needs to be attached to the other clause; it can’t stand by itself.

How do you tell the difference? A dependent clause will be introduced either by a relative pronoun (that, which, who) or a lining conjunction (after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, while).

Rule For Dependent Clauses

Be careful not to try to pass off a dependent clause as a complete sentence unless you are writing informally or you are doing it intentionally for emphasis. A dependent clause that is not attached to an independent clause is called a sentence fragment, and nothing drives teachers and professors crazier than sloppy, unintended sentence fragments.

More On Dependent Clauses

A dependent clause can have a variety of functions. It can act as an adjective: that she had bought on Tuesday describes the dress, which make it an adjective clause. Dependent clauses can also function as nouns or adverbs.

Noun Clauses

Below are some examples of noun clauses.

I can’t explain what he did. (what he did is the object of explain)

Whoever broke the lamp must pay for it. (Whoever bore the lamp is the subject of must pay)

Bob realized that he was a clumsy ox. (that he was a clumsy ox is the object of realized)

Rules For Noun Clauses

1. A noun clause generally goes after the verb; however, if the clause is the subject of the sentence, it may begin the sentence.

2. A noun clause may function in a sentence any way that a noun functions; that is, it may be the subject of a verb, or the object of a verb or preposition.

3. Noun clauses are usually introduced by that. They may also be introduced by what, which, who, whom, where, when, whoever, whatever.

Adjective Clauses

Below are some examples of adjective clauses.

The lamp, which was a priceless heirloom, lay smashed on the floor. (which was a priceless heirloom modifies lamp)

Bob leaned over to gather up the glass that was on the rug. (that was on the rug modifies glass)

Bob went to see the woman who owned the lamp. (who owned the lamp modifies woman)

Rules For Adjective Clauses

1. Put an adjective clause right after the noun it modifies; otherwise, it may be unclear what is being modified. Look back at the adjective clause examples. See how nothing comes between the noun and modifying clause?

2. Adjective clauses begin with the relative pronouns who, whom, whose, which, or that. Another name for a adjective clause is a relative clause—you can think of it as a clause related to the noun it modifies.

Adverb Clauses

Below are some examples of adverb clauses.

Bob felt sick when she told him the value of the lamp. (when she told him the value of the lamp tells when Bob felt sick, so it modifies the verb felt)

If he had known how much the lamp was worth, he would have been more careful. (the clause modifies would have been)

He was in more trouble than he ever thought possible. (the clause modifies more)

Rules For Adverb Clauses

1. Put adverb clauses right before or right after the independent clause. Avoid ambiguity.

2. Adverb clauses may be introduced by when, before, after, until, since, while, where, when, as, as if, because, although, while, if, unless, so, so that. Adverb clauses, just like adverbs, modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Adverb clauses tend to explain when, where, how, and if.

Word of Reassurance: You do not have to memorize the introductory words for the various types of clauses. You do have to be able to spot a dependent clause when you see one, and to understand the distinction between independent and dependent clauses.

Word of Warning: If you write essays full of dependent clauses that begin with capital letters and end in periods, you will not impress your teacher. You will be marked as a Sentence Fragmenter, you will get low grades, and you will not have glory in your academic life. Not good.

The functions of clauses are exactly the same as the parts of speech functions you have already learned. If you are having a great deal of trouble with this, go back to Part 1 and review parts of speech, particularly noun, adjective, and adverb. The same functions apply to clauses; the only difference is that clauses are strings of words instead of only one word.

Quick Quiz #23

Identifying Dependent Clauses

In each of the following sentences, note the dependent clause and label it as a noun, adjective, or adverb clause.

1. When the party was assembled at the table, Rocky raised his glass and called for a toast, and everyone gleefully threw pieces of toast at him.

2. The wedding, which was scheduled to take place at midnight, had been called off 16 times so far.

3. What made the couple so uncertain was not entirely clear to those at the party.

4. Because the wedding was to be held at midnight, some of the older guests began nodding off during dessert.

5. After they had eaten, the bride and groom drew mustaches on the sleeping guests.

Click here to download a PDF of Quick Quiz 23.

Summary

■ Subject: The word or group of words that is doing the action of the verb. You must have a subject, or an implied subject, to have a sentence. Find the subject by first finding the verb, and then asking yourself, who or what is doing this action? (Reginald danced; Dancing is fun; Where are you?)

■ Predicate: The part of a sentence that is not the subject. The predicate includes the verb and any words or phrases modifying the verb. (The boys were dancing on the roof. In the moonlight they looked like ghosts.)

■ Phrase: A group of words. A phrase does not have a subject and a verb.

■ Prepositional Phrase: A group of words that bgins with a preposition and ends

■ Verbal: A phrase that acts a noun, adjective, or adverb. A verbal looks like a verb but doesn’t act as a verb. The three kinds of verbal phrases are gerunds, infinitives, and participles.

■ Gerund: A gerund always ends in -ing, and always acts as noun. (Running is tiring; His complaining gets on my nerves.)

■ Infinitive: The verb form that begins with to. Infinitives can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. (to run; to think; to have; to have been creeping)

■ Participial Phrase: The present participle is the -ing form of the verb (is sneezing; was sleeping). The past participle goes with have, and usually ends in -ed (have sneezed; have danced). A participle is the -ing or -ed part of the verb without its helper (sneezing, sleeping, sneezed, danced, slept). A participial phrase always acts as an adjective.

■ Clause: A group of words that has a subject and a verb. Clauses can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

■ Independent Clause: A clause that can stand by itself as a sentence. (The man fell and the lamp broke. Because he was crazy, the man laughed at adversity.)

■ Dependent Clause: A clause that can’t stand by itself as a sentence. Dependent clauses are also called subordinate clauses, and they may act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. (Because he was crazy, the man laughed at adversity. Pull up your pants before you leave the house. The woman who wrote the book has six toes.)