Clauses

Clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.

Ther two kind of clauses. They are an independent clause and a dependent clause.

1.   An independent clause (main clause)

It is a complete sentence that contains the main subject and verb of a sentence.

2.  A dependent clause (subordinate clause)

It is not a complete sentence. It must be connected to an independent clause.

Kinds of Dependent Clause

A.  Noun Clause

It is used as a subject or an object.

a.   Noun Clause with “Question Word”

The pattern: 

_______ Question word + S + V (determined by tensis)

Example :

1.   I don’t know where she lives

2.  I didn’tknow what she wrote

3.  Please tell me what happened

4.  What she said surprised me

5.  What they should do is obvious

Whether and if also usually used in noun clause pattern.

Whether is more formal acceptable in formal english.

If is quite commently used, especially in speaking.

The pattern :

--------------- + Whether/ if + S + V

Example :

1.   I don’t know whether she will come

2.  I don’t know if he needs help

3.  I wonder whether or not she will come

4.  I wonder if she come or not

5.  Whether she comes or not is unimportant to me

b.   Noun Clause with “That”

-------------- That + S + V

Example :

1.   I think that he is a good actor

2.  That she understand spoken english is obvious

3.  That the word is round is a fact

4.  It is a fact that the world is round

B.  Adjective Clause

Adjective clause is dependent clause that modifies a noun. It describes, identifies or gives further information about noun.

It is a clause that describe noun clause is an adjective. It is positioned directly after the noun that is described.

It is like “Relative Pronouns”

Subject	Relative Pronouns	Object
People People People Thing	Who Whom Whose Which	Verb S + Verb Noun S + V or V
	People	Things
As subject As object Preposition Possesive Pronoun	Who Whom Whom Whose	Hich Which Which Of which

Example :

1.   The car which i bought yesterday from Mr. Agung

2.  I know Mr. Amir whose car is under tree here is new.

C.  Adverb Clause

It is dependent clause that can not stand alone as a sentence in written english. They mustbe connected to an independent clause.