CLASSIFICATION OF SUBORDINATE CLAUSES

I. Classification on the ground of their SYNTACTIC FUNCTION:

1) Subordinate Subject clause:

Eg: That he has got three children doesn’t matter to her.

Why she cried remained the mystery to all of us.

What he had said is too difficult for them to understand.

2) Subordinate Complement / Predicative clause:

Eg: The question is whether she is able to do it herself.

It looks as if it were going to rain.

That was why they called them with their nick names.

3) Subordinate Object clause:

Eg: I should like to know whether it can be done today.

He pointed out who could be the best person for that post.

He wants to know if she still loves him.

4) Subordinate Attribute / Adjective clause:

Eg: He was the teacher who taught me the ABC of English.

I bought the book which you had recommended me to.

It was the most delicious dish that I have ever eaten.

5) Subordinate Adverbial clause:

Eg: I will tell them everything when they come back.

Before he came here, he didn’t know anything at all.

We should like to know the reason why you didn’t come to the party.

II. Classification on the ground of their SIMILARITY with the parts of speech:

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1) The Noun Clause:

The clause doing the same function as a noun is called the Noun clause.

a) Subordinate Subject Clauses have the function of the subject to the predicate of the main clause. They are introduced by:

- Conjunctions: That / Whether

- Conjunctive Pronouns: Who / What /Which

- Conjunctive Adverbs: When/ Where / How / Why

Eg: That he will come is certain.

Who broke the glass window remained unknown.

How she managed to do it seemed a mystery to me.

Sometimes, the impersonal pronoun ‘it’ is used to introduce the subject clause:

Eg: It is necessary that we should all be present.

It is still unknown when we will come.

* The subject clauses are not separated by a comma.

b) Subordinate Predicative Clauses have the function of the predicate. They are introduced by the same conjunctions and “if’, conjunctive pronouns and adverbs as in the subject clauses. The linking verb is in the main clause. The predicative clause together with the linking verb forms a compound nominal predicate to the subject of the main clause:

Eg: The question is whether it may rain or not.

It looks as if it were going to rain.

That is why she is so happy.

*No comma needed when we use the predicative clauses.

c) Subordinate Object Clauses have the function of the object to the predicate of the main clause. They are also introduced by the same conjunctions, conjunctive pronoun and adverbs as in the subject and predicative clauses.

Eg: I want to know whether they will come.

I wonder what made him do it.

She did not remember when she had to make a phone call.

*No comma needed when the object clauses are used in the complex sentences.

2) The Adjective / Attributive Clauses:

An attributive clause serves as an attribute to some nouns or pronouns in the main clause. This noun or pronoun is called an antecedent (tiền tố).

Eg: There is a man downstairs who wants to see you.

I understand almost everything that you tell me.

Attributive clauses are introduced by:

+ Relative pronouns: Who, Whom, Which, That

+ Relative adverbs: When, Where.

Eg: The boy who is playing there is a very good student.

It is the village where I was born and grew up.

Attributive clauses have two kinds:

1- Defining clauses: limit and define more clearly the antecedent. They are usually separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. They are important parts of the sentence and can not be omitted without causing misunderstanding the sentence as a whole.

Eg: The book which you told me about was sold out.

The parcel that I got yesterday is a birthday present.

2- Non-defining clauses: give some additional information about the antecedent. They are separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. They may be omitted without affecting the precise understanding of the sentence as a whole.

Eg: The book, which has pictures in, is good for children.

The taxi driver, who usually smile, is a good and careful driver.

Sometimes, prepositions can be used with relative pronoun to show clearer, better relation and this use is very rare in every speech: to whom, in which, at which, from which, of which, of whom, etc.

Eg: Both of them, neither of whom study hard, got bad marks at exam.

This is the house in which I had lived for 2 years.

Generally, “that” is used instead of “Who” and “Which” in relative clauses, however, “That” is seldom used in Modern English. Nevertheless, “that” is freely used with the reference to persons and things in the following cases:

- With the following pronouns: all, everything, nothing, something, anything, much, little, few.

Eg: Everything that we saw was interesting.

All that glitters is not gold.

Please ask me anything that is not clear to you.

- Often with superlatives or ‘the first’:

Eg: It is most dangerous corner that I have ever passed.

The first book on the shelf that struck me was a novel by Hemingway.

Appositive Attributive clauses refer to some noun (rarely pronoun) in the main clause. They are introduced by the conjunction “That” or the conjunctive adverbs: how, when, where, and why. Care should be taken to discriminate between object clauses which refer to a noun of verbal or adjective nature and appositive clauses, which have the function of an attribute:

Eg: The idea that it could be done in a very simple way did not surprise me.

I have no idea of how I am going to get in touch with them.

We should like to know the reason why he did not come back at all.

3) The Adverbial Clauses: Add the meaning to a verb, an adjective or an adverb of the main clause in the function of an adverbial modifier.

Eg: I will speak to him when he comes. He will follow her wherever she goes.

Adverbial clauses are connected to the main clause by means of conjunctions: when, why, after, because, if, etc. On the ground of their meaning, adverbial clauses are classified into 8 kinds:

1- Adverbial clauses of TIME: broadly answer the question “When?” and can be introduced by the following conjunctions: when, why, after, before, as, as long as, since, etc.

Eg: Please tell him that as soon as he arrives.

She was in the kitchen while the telephone was ringing.

He thought carefully before he decided to do this.

You may enjoy yourself as long as you like to.

To express that action of the subordinate clause closely follows that of the main clause, some negative conjunctive adverbs, such as: hardly, scarcely, no sooner, etc. are used and the main clauses are used in inversion structure.

Eg: Hardly had I reached the station when the train started to leave the platform.

Scarcely had she open the door when all the lights were out.

No sooner had she got home than it started raining cats and dogs.

2- Adverbial clauses of PLACE: answer the question “Where?” and can be introduced by the conjunctions: where, wherever, anywhere, everywhere, etc. Adverbial clauses of Place normally comes after the main clause. Sometimes, they can begin the sentence for the sake of emphasis.

Eg: The house was built where two roads meet.

You can camp wherever you like to.

Everywhere Mary went, she was mistaken by her sister.

The pagoda was built where there had once been a Catholic Church.

3- Adverbial clauses of MANNER or COMPARISON: answer the question “How?” and can be introduced by the conjunctions: as, as if, as though, the more…the more…, the less…the less…, etc. They usually come after the main clause.

Eg: I will do it exactly as you told me.

It sounds as if the situation will become worse.

He worked much better than I had hoped.

4- Adverbial clauses of REASON or CAUSE: broadly answer the question “Why?” and can be introduced by the conjunctions: because, as, since, seeing that, for fear that, etc.

Eg: They decided to give up the trip because the weather had turned out too bad.

Since you insist, we will go together.

As the day was clear and there was sunshine, we decided to go on a camping holiday.

I bought this house at once for fear that they might change their mind.

5- Adverbial clauses of RESULT are used to describe consequences and are introduced by the conjunctions: so that, so…that…, etc.

Eg: The house was surrounded by many trees and bushes so that we couldn’t find it.

The problem is so simple that a child can understand.

We arrived early so that we got good seats.

It was such a cold day that the streets were almost empty.

6- Adverbial clauses of PURPOSE: answer the question “What for?” or “For what purpose?” and can be introduced by the following conjunctions: so that, in order that, less, for fear that, etc.

Eg: We will write down her name so that we may not forget.

We must hurry less we should be late for the train.

She worked hard for her exams in order that she could get good marks.

7- Adverbial clauses of CONCESSION (Contrast): introduce an element of contrast into a sentence and are introduced by the following conjunctions: however, though, although, even though, even if, no matter how, whoever, whatever, whichever, etc.

Eg: Though they could see nothing, they distinctively heard the sound in the distance.

Whatever you say, I would never change my mind.

No matter where you go, you can not escape from yourself.

No matter how hard he tries, he will not get this job.

8- Adverbial clauses of CONDITION: express a condition by which an action can or can not happen. They are introduced by the following conjunctions: if, unless, on condition that, supposing that, so long as, etc.

Eg: If it is late, we should stop our work here.

Supposing that he doesn’t come, what shall we do?

So long as you didn’t work hard, you wouldn’t get this job.

Notice:

- In conditional clauses, there are two types: Real or Open condition and Unreal condition. In unreal condition, the conjunction “IF” can be omitted, and in such cases there are the inversion in the “IF” clause:

Eg: Had she known of it, she would have come.

Did he have time, he would be ready for help.

- Sometimes, the main clause is not expressed, then the “IF” clause (unreal condition) denotes a wish:

Eg: If only it could be avoided!

If only we were at home now!