English grammar - Roger Berry 2012
A10.1 Finite subordinate clauses
A10 Subordinate clauses
Section A. Introduction
As we saw in A9, subordinate (sometimes called ’dependent’) clauses cannot stand alone as major sentences. For example:
Because she is generous.
This is an example of a minor sentence or fragment (see A9).
There are different types of subordinate clause (not to be confused with the different clause types in B9). Some represent a clause element, some a part of a clause element. One of the latter types, relative clauses, is dealt with in detail in B12.
In this book the term ’clause’ generally refers to full, finite clauses: those that have all their ’parts’ (especially the subject and the finite verb). However, we also need to deal with clauses that are incomplete in some way - non-finite and verbless clauses - since they possess some of the characteristics of clauses.
A10.1 Finite subordinate clauses
Nominal clauses
’Nominal’ is the adjective for ’noun’. Nominal clauses are another type of subordinate clause; they take the place of noun phrases, as the subject, object or predicative of a clause; they begin with wh- words or that:
(subject) What I like best is swimming.
That she is brilliant is well-known.
(object) I know what you like.
where you’re going.
how we can do it.
that you’re unhappy.
(predicative) This is what I like best.
Sometimes the use of a nominal clause as the subject may sound unusual; in A11 we will see more common alternatives.
The type of object and predicative possible in a nominal clause is determined by the verb pattern. Know in the above examples has a wide range of nominal clause constructions as direct object.
Nominal clauses also appear as the object of reporting verbs:
She said that she is retiring next year.
’What are you doing?’ I asked.
I told her what you like.
When that introduces an object nominal clause, it may be omitted:
I know you’re unhappy.
She said she is retiring next year.
In this case the subordinate clause has no overt marker. Such clauses are said to be ’contact’ clauses; they are discussed again in B10.
Adverbial clauses
Adverbial clauses function as adverbials in the main clause. They are introduced by subordinating conjunctions:
She got the job because she has a lot of experience.
The adverbial clause here answers the question ’Why (did she get the job)?’ We should analyse the clause pattern of the above sentence as SVOA, not SVO + clause.
Other adverbial clauses answer the question when:
I left before the concert finished. (When . . .?)
Not all subordinate adverbial clauses can be related to wh- questions, however: Although he’s rich, he has few friends.
Another test for adverbial clauses is to substitute them with a prepositional phrase or an adverb:
She got the job for that reason.
I left then.
Despite his wealth, he has few friends.
Adverbial clauses, like adverbials, are generally optional in clauses and can be placed in more than one position. Here are some alternatives to the above examples:
He has few friends although he’s rich.
Because she has a lot of experience she got the job.
In B5 we noted that subordinate clauses with time conjunctions, such as when, before, after, mark future time with the present tense, even though the main clause may have a future time marker such as will:
I’ll leave before the concert finishes.
This also applies to clauses introduced by if (so-called ’conditionals’):
I won’t go if the weather’s bad.
See the two readings in D10 for more on the topic of conditional sentences.
Activity A10.1
The following sentence is ambiguous. Can you explain this using the difference between nominal and adverbial clauses, plus the concept of transitivity?
Tell me when the concert finishes.
Appositive clauses
The above subordinate clauses function as clause elements. There are three types of subordinate clause that do not: appositive clauses, complement clauses (see below) and relative clauses. Relative clauses are dealt with in B10; the general concept of apposition is discussed in A3.
Appositive clauses are introduced by that (which can be omitted), and form the postmodification of noun phrases. They are associated with abstract nouns such as fact and news.
The fact that you are here proves it. (Also The fact you are here proves it.)
The news that he has recovered has cheered everyone up.
In these examples we could omit the fact and the news and still have a complete sentence.
Complement clauses
Subordinate clauses can also appear as complements of adjectives (as we saw in A4) and nouns (see A3), that is, as part of their phrases. They are introduced by that (which can be omitted):
I’m afraid that we’ll be late. (Also I’m afraid we’ll be late.)
I’m sure that you’ll find it satisfactory.
There is a fear that the recession will cause more job losses.
The belief that it prevents ageing is widespread.
Complement clauses preceded by a noun look like appositive clauses, but they are different since we cannot omit the preceding noun. To say ’That it prevents ageing is
widespread’ is meaningless. We can also paraphrase them with a related verb in place of the noun followed by a nominal clause:
They believe that it prevents ageing.
Complement clauses also look similar to relative clauses introduced by that (see B10), but we can see the difference in these two examples:
Somewhere, there is a report that no one has read. (relative)
There is a report that fighting has broken out. (complement)
Here that is not a structural part of the complement clause, while it is in the relative clause. We can still say fighting has broken out, whereas no one has read is incomplete because that supplies the object.
Activity A10.2
Work out whether these clauses with that are nominal, complement or appositive.
1. That the government is corrupt is well known.
2. The idea that we should leave our homes is outrageous.
3. She made a statement that the allegations were false.
4. The boss claimed that we were responsible.