Information AboutClause |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT CLAUSE | |
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In Grammar , a clause is a group of words consisting of a Subject and a Predicate , although, in Non-finite Clause s, the subject is often not explicitly given. In Null Subject Language s there may not be a subject, either explicit or implicit. A clause is either a whole Sentence or in effect a sentence-within-a-sentence. Clauses are often contrasted with Phrase s, which do not express complete thoughts through combinations of subjects and predicates. Phrases generally do not contain verbs except as verbals ( Gerund s, Participle s, and Infinitive s). Example:
INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT CLAUSES There are two basic categories of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses. Independent clauses An independent clause (or '''main clause''', or '''coordinate clause''') can stand by itself as a grammatically viable '' Simple Sentence ''. Multiple independent clauses can be joined (usually with a comma and a coordinating conjunction) to form a '' Compound Sentence ''. Examples:
Dependent clauses A dependent clause (or '''subordinate clause''') cannot stand alone as a sentence. It usually begins with a Subordinating Conjunction or, in the case of an adverb or adjective clause ( See Below ), a Relative Pronoun . A sentence with an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a '' Complex Sentence ''. One with two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a '' Compound-complex Sentence ''. Examples:
The above sentence actually contains two dependent clauses. "When they told me" is one; the other is "(that) I won the contest." The "that" is understood to precede the "I won" and functions as a subordinating conjunction. Types of dependent clauses Dependent clauses are often classified by their part of speech: a ''noun clause'' functions as a noun, an ''adjective clause'' functions as an adjective, and an ''adverb clause'' functions as an adverb. Examples:
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