Dependent Clauses
Dependent clauses are clauses that cannot form sentences on their own. In this lesson, we will learn all about dependent clauses.
What Are Dependent Clauses?
Dependent Clauses (also called subordinate or embedded clauses) are words that are placed beside each other but cannot express a complete thought. Therefore, they need another clause to imply a meaningful concept. Dependent clauses are not used on their own.
Types of Dependent Clauses
We can categorize dependent clauses into two main groups and each has different subcategories:
Finite Dependent Clauses
Finite dependent clauses contain a conjugated verb and can function as a predicate. We have three types of finite dependent clauses:
- Subordinating Clauses
- Relative Clauses
- Expletive Clauses
Subordinating Clauses
Subordinating clauses do not express a complete unit of thought on their own; they depend on independent clauses to form a complete idea.
Subordinating Clauses: Form
Subordinating Clauses begin with subordinate conjunctions, such as:
Subordinating Clauses: Function
All dependent clauses that are created by subordinate conjunctions act as an adverb in a sentence. Take a look at some examples:
The streets were flooded
In this sentence, 'because of all the rain' functions as an adverb of reason.
In this sentence, 'when the meal was finished' functions as an adverb of time.
Relative Clauses
Relative clauses are typically clauses that modify a noun or noun phrase and give more information about a noun.
Relative Clauses: Form
Relative clauses are introduced by a relative pronoun, a relative adverb, or a relative determiner, such as:
- relative pronouns: who, which, that, whom, whose
- relative adverbs: when, where, why
- relative determiners: what, which, whose
Relative Clauses: Function
Relative clauses can have three main functions in a sentence:
- function as a noun: nominal relative clause
- function as a adjective: adjectival relative clause
- function as a adverb: adverbial relative clause
Nominal Relative Clauses
Nominal relative clauses are introduced by nominal relative pronouns. They are nominal because they act as objects, subjects, or complements for the main clause.
'When you saw me' acts as a subject for 'doesn't matter.'
Call it
'What you want' is the complement of 'it is.'
I do
'Whatever you say' is the object of 'do.'
Adjectival Relative Clauses
Adjective clauses modify a preceding noun or a noun phrase. In other words, they act as an adjective for the independent clause.
This is my father
The book,
Adverbial Relative Clauses
Relative adverbs have an adverbial part of speech in a sentence and they introduce adjectival clauses that act as an adjective for the preceding noun/noun phrase. Relative adverbs are as follows: when, where, why, and how. For example:
I don't remember the day
I know the school
Expletive Clauses
Expletive clauses are a type of noun clause that is placed into a sentence to fulfill the basic meaning of the sentence.
Expletive Clauses: Form
Expletive clauses are special types of noun clauses that begin with expletives:
Expletive Clauses: Function
they are nominal, therefore they can at as a noun or adjective in a sentence:
The fact
In this sentence, 'that he is here now' is an adjective modifying the noun 'fact.'
I don't know
In this sentence, 'if it is snowing' is the object of the sentence.
Non-finite Dependent Clauses
A non-finite clause is a dependent or embedded clause that has no tense, i.e. it does not show whether a state or event takes place before, during, or after the time o speaking. We have two types of non-finite dependent clauses:
Infinitive Clauses
Infinitive clauses are a kind of dependent clause in which there is no grammatical subject and therefore the verb is not conjugated.
Infinitive Clauses: Form
There are two types of to-infinitive clauses based on having or not having the preposition 'to.'
- with 'to': To-infinitives
- without 'to': Bare infinitives
To-infinitives: Functions
To-infinitive clauses can have three different functions:
- Nominal to-infinitives
- Adjectival to-infinitives
- Adverbial to-infinitives
Now, take a look at some examples for each of these functions:
I have decided
nominal, object of the sentence
nominal, subject of the sentence
He is disappointed
adjectival, modifying the adjective 'disappointed'
adverbial, telling about the reason of the action of the verb
Bare Infinitives: Functions
Bare infinitives can only function as nouns and therefore can be used as objects in the sentence. Look at some examples:
Let us
He made me
Participle Clauses
Participle clauses are subordinate, non-finite clauses that begin with a participle. They take a long sentence or structure and make it shorter.
Participle Clauses: Form
There are different types of participles, therefore, different types of participle clauses. We have:
- Present participle clauses clauses
- Past participle clauses
- Perfect participle clauses
Present Participle Clauses: Functions
Present participle clauses begin with a present participle and they act as:
- nouns
- adjectives
- adverbs
Take a look at an example for each function:
present participle clause as a noun
Look at that three old men
present participle clause as an adjective
present participle clause as an adverb
Past Participle Clauses: Functions
Present participle clauses begin with a past participle and they act as:
- adjectives
- adverbs
Take a look at an example for each function:
Alan,
past participle clause as an adverb
I was left with my heart
past participle clause as an adjective
Perfect Participle Clauses: Functions
Present participle clauses begin with have + a past participle and they act as:
- adjective
- adverbs
Take a look at an example for each function:
perfect participle clause as an adverb of reason
The girl
perfect participle clause as an adjective
Position in a Sentence
As you can see, based on the sentence, the dependent clauses can be used at the beginning, at the middle, or at the end of a sentence. For example:
She entered the class,
The man
Punctuation Rules
If the dependent clause comes first, it is followed by a comma; but when the independent clause comes first, it is not followed by a comma.
Non-restrictive dependent clauses are put between two commas. Check out the examples:
Make sure you switched off the lights
Those people,