At a glance
Clauses
- Main clausestands alone
- I stayed at home.
- Coordinate clausesmain + main with and, but, or, so
- I was tired, but I went out.
- Dependent clauseneeds a main clause
- Noun clauseI know that she is right.
- Adjective clauseThe boy who won is my son.
- Adverb clauseI stayed home because I was ill.
- Start
- Can you put "it" or "something" in its place?YesNoun clauseI know what you mean. (I know it.)
- Does it describe the noun just before it (who, which, that)?YesAdjective clausethe book that I bought
- Adverb clause: when, why, if, how…When it rains, we stay in.
Main clauses
A main clause (also called a principal clause) is a complete sentence: The sun rose. We went to the beach.
Noun clauses
What he said was true. (subject)
I believe that he is honest. (object)
It depends on what you want. (after a preposition)
Noun clauses often start with that, what, who, where, when, why, how, if, whether.
Adjective clauses
The boy who won the race is my son.
This is the book that I told you about.
That's the house where I was born.
Adverb clauses
| Meaning | Starts with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time | when, while, after, before, until | When I got home, I ate. |
| Reason | because, as, since | I left because I was tired. |
| Condition | if, unless | If it rains, we'll stay in. |
| Contrast | although, though | Although it was late, he kept working. |
| Purpose | so that | I left early so that I could rest. |
| Result | so … that | It was so cold that we stayed in. |
| Place | where, wherever | Sit wherever you like. |
| Comparison | than, as | She is taller than I am. |
Practice
Answer the questions. Get 7 out of 10 to finish this lesson.