1. Clauses

Why learn about them?

Learning about clauses helps us to determine whether we have written a complete sentence.

2. Essentially, writing (and speech!) is all about action. We write to explain what, when, how and why things happen.

We also consider thoughts and feelings to be actions.

3. The Main Clause

The main clause (sometimes called an independentclause) must contain:
+
subject
verb
The subject is involved
in the action
The verb is the action

4. Consider this sentence…
Diane
kicked
Diane kicked the habit.

Q. Where is the subject and where is the verb?

MAIN CLAUSE
* The sentence expresses a complete thought
* It contains a subject and a verb
* EVERY SENTENCE MUST HAVE ONE.

5. The Subordinate Clause

Whenever you place a subordinateconjunction in front of a subject and a verb you will no longer have a complete thought.
The subordinate clause is sometimes referred to as a dependentclause.

6. Subordinate Conjunctions
Task: try putting any of the above words in front of Diane kicked the habit.
7. After Amy sneezed all over the tuna salad…
So what happened? Did she eat it or throw it in the bin?
UntilAadesh has his first cup of coffee…
What did Aadesh do when he finished his coffee?
Provided that the baby sleeps in the afternoon…
So what happens if the baby sleeps in the afternoon?
Some examples…
8. Spot the incomplete sentence

The marble floors in the airport are glossy and reflect the light.

If floors reflect the light, they are often made of marble.

Because airports often have marble floors which reflect the light.

While robins are fighting in the garden, other birds eat the food.

In the garden, as the robins fight and other birds eat.

Other birds are eating in the garden, but the robins are fighting.

9. Attaching a Subordinate Clause to a Main Clause

When you place a subordinate clause in front of a main clause we use a comma like this… While robins are fighting in the garden,other birds eat the food.

subordinate clause + , + main clause

10. Attaching a Subordinate Clause to a Main Clause

When you place a subordinate clause at the end you will generally use no punctutationlike this… Susan was late for her history exam because she missed her bus. main clause subordinate clause

What is a main clause?

What is the difference between a main clause and a subordinate clause?

Clauses can be either main or subordinate.

A main clause is one which is independent.

A subordinate clause depends on the main clause which it often modifies. Subordinating conjunctions (as, since, because...) or relative pronouns (who, which, that) usually introduce dependent clauses.

Example:
While I was driving, I noticed the leaves had begun to turn autumn colours.

The first clause, while I was driving, is a subordinate clause introduced by the subordinate conjunction "while." The clause is subordinate because it cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence.

The second clause is the main clause. By itself, I noticed the leaves had begun to turn autumn colours can be a whole sentence.