Types of dependent /Subordinate Clause

Types of dependent /Subordinate Clause

Adjective Clause

An adjective clause (also called relative clause) is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or pronoun. It tells which one or what kind. Adjective clauses almost always come right after the nouns they modify.

There is the mountain that we are going to climb.
My blue tennis shoes, which used to be my mom's, were under the bed.
Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English.

Using dependent clauses is a way of combining sentences.

Daniel was late again today + Daniel sits next to me in English = Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English.

With relative pronouns - An adjective clause generally begins with a relative pronoun (that, which, who, whom, whose) that connects the clause to the noun or pronoun it modifies. The relative pronoun shows the relationship between the clause and the antecedent.

There is the mountain that we are going to climb. (Antecedent = mountain. That connects the clause we are going to climb that with the antecedent.)
My blue tennis shoes, which used to be my mom's, were under the bed. (Antecedent = shoes. Which is a pronoun replacing shoes in the dependent clause shoes used to be my mom's and relating it to the subject of the independent clause.)
Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English. (Antecedent = Daniel, Who = Daniel, so the dependent clause means Daniel was late again today. Who is replacing Daniel in the second clause and relating it to the subject of the independent clause.)

The relative pronoun has a grammatical function in the sentence.

There is the mountain that we are going to climb. (That is the direct object of the infinitive to climb.)
My blue tennis shoes, which used to be my mom's, were under the bed. (Which is the subject of the verb used.)
Daniel, who was late again today, sits next to me in English. (Who is the subject of the dependent clause.)

Hint:: When choosing between who and whom, consider how the pronoun is used in the dependent clause, not the independent clause.

Those are the students for whom I bought the tickets. (Whom is the object of the preposition for.

Those are the students. I bought the tickets for whom. (I bought the tickets for them.)

With understood pronouns - Sometimes the relative pronoun is understood and not written in the sentence.

Have you seen the book I lost?
Have you seen the book [that] I lost?
The teacher I had in fifth grade really inspired me.
The teacher [whom] I had in fifth grade really inspired me.

With prepositions - If the relative pronoun is the object of a preposition and is left out, the preposition has no choice but to dangle. In informal, spoken English, this is fine. It is also fine in spoken English to end the clause with the preposition. However, in formal English it is better to put the preposition before the pronoun. Note that the preposition is part of the dependent clause.

This movie was the sequel we had been waiting for. (Informal)
This movie was the sequel, which we had been waiting for. (Informal)
This movie was the sequel for which we had been waiting. (Formal)
Do you know the actor Shelly is talking about? (Informal)
Do you know the actor that Shelly is talking about? (Informal)
Do you know the actor about whom Shelly is talking? (Formal) (Note that that becomes whom or which.)

With relative adverbs - Adjective clauses can also start with the relative adverbs where, when, and why. They connect the dependent clause to a noun in the sentence. The relative adverb modifies the verb in the dependent clause.

That is the bench where you and I were supposed to meet.
Six o'clock was the time when we were supposed to be there.
That is the reason why I couldn't meet you.

Restrictive and Non restrictive Adjective Clause

An adjective clause is restrictive (also called essential) if it narrows down the word it modifies. It tells which one of the noun you are writing about. A restrictive adjective clause is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. It is not separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.

The players who are wearing the red uniforms are winning the game.

If we take out the clause, we won't know which players are winning the game. It's a restrictive or essential clause.

An adjective clause is nonrestrictive (also called nonessential) if we know exactly who is being written about without it. A nonrestrictive adjective clause is simply adding extra information. Nonrestrictive adjective clauses need commas around them.

Those girls, who have been friends for years, are all going to the same college.

Without the clause, we still know that those girls are going to the same college. The clause is nonrestrictive.

A proper noun is usually followed by a nonrestrictive clause.

Amanda, who is my best friend, is on the honor roll again.

Without the clause, we know that it is Amanda who is on the honor roll.

That versus Which

The relative pronoun that always begins a restrictive clause. That can be used to replace who, whom, or which in restrictive clauses, but many teachers prefer students to use that only with non-human antecedents.

The oranges that you need for this recipe are on the table.
The workers who built this bridge did a good job.

The relative pronoun which generally begins a nonrestrictive clause. It can begin a restrictive clause, but most style manuals prefer writers use it only for nonrestrictive clauses.

The oranges, which have been sitting on the table for a week, are starting to look brown.

Adverb Clause

An adverb clause is a dependent clause that describes a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. An adverb clause tells when, where, how, why, to what extent, or under what conditions something happened.

We will not have school today because it snowed last night.
Until it stops raining, we will stay inside.
When your father gets here, we will go.

An adverb clause begins with a subordinating conjunction.

Some common (but not all) subordinating conjunctions

after
although
as
as if
as far as
as long as
as soon as
as though
because
before
even if

even though
how
if
in order that
once
provided (that)
rather than
since
so long as
so (that)
than

that
though
unless
until
when
whenever
where
wherever
whether
while
why

We will not have school today because it snowed last night.
Until it stops raining, we will stay inside.
When your father gets here, we will go.

Commas with adverb clauses - When an adverb clause is at the beginning of the sentence, it is an introductory clause and needs a comma separating it from the independent clause. If the adverb clause comes after the independent clause, the conjunction is enough to hold the two clauses together.

We will not have school today because it snowed last night.
Because it snowed last night, we will not have school today.

Locating adverb clauses - Adverb clauses modifying verbs can move around the sentence.

I missed the bus because my alarm didn't go off. Because my alarm didn't go off, I missed the bus. (The dependent clause because my alarm didn't go off modifies the verb missed. The dependent clause is adverbial because it tells why you missed the bus.)
Whenever it rains, my little sister loves to jump in the puddles. My little sister loves to jump in the puddles whenever it rains. (The dependent clause whenever it rains modifies the verb loves. The dependent clause is adverbial because it tells when your little sister jumps in the puddles.)

Adverb clauses modifying adjectives or adverbs must come after the word modified.

Playing football is dangerous if you don't have the right equipment.
We walked to class quickly as if we were going to be late.

Elliptical adverb clauses have missing words that are understood.

When finished this building will be the tallest in the city.
When [it is] finished this building will be the tallest in the city.

Noun Clause

A noun clause is a dependent clause that acts as a noun. It can be used as the subject, direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, subject complement, or appositive.

Subject: What I had forgotten was that I had a test today.
Direct object: You must choose which flavor of ice cream you want.
Indirect object: I will tell whoever will listen my frightening story.
Object of a preposition: Josie is not interested in whatever Kyle says.
Subject complement: Michael's excuse was that he had forgotten to set his alarm.
Appositive: It seems to bother the teacher that all the students are being too quiet.

(That the students are being too quiet seems to bother the teacher. Note that the appositive renames It, but does not follow immediately like other appositives.)

It can also be used as an adverbial noun (a.k.a. an adverbial objective or adjective complement), which is a noun that acts like an adverb modifying a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.

I'm afraid that we don't carry that ice cream flavor any longer. (The dependent clause modifies the predicate adjective afraid.)

Noun clauses often begin with pronouns, subordinating conjunctions, or other words. The introductory word generally has a grammatical function in the sentence.

Relative pronouns: that, which, who, whom, whose, what
Indefinite relative pronouns: whoever, whomever, whatever, whichever, whether, if
Interrogative pronoun: who
Interrogative adjective: what
Interrogative adverb: how
Subordinating conjunctions: how, if, when, whenever, where, whether, why

Hint:: Whoever/Whomever - the correct choice in formal writing is whichever pronoun is correct in the subordinate sentence. In informal speech, using the correct pronoun often sounds pretentious.
Whoever is responsible for this mess needs to clean it up. (Whoever is the subject of the verb is.)
Whomever you hit accidentally deserves an apology. (Whomever is the direct object of the verb hit.)

Sometimes the introductory word is understood.

Daria told me she was going to be late.
Daria told me (that) she was going to be late.

Some noun clauses, especially those used as subjects, begin with that, which seems to serve no function. It makes sense if you include the fact or the idea before it. Some modern English constructions that seem to make no sense are the result of our dropping words.

That we were late to class really upset the teacher.
The fact that we were late to class really upset the teacher.

Question clauses - In a noun clause, even if the main clause is a question, the dependent clause is written as a declarative.

Where is your father?
Do you know where your father is?
Not: Do you know where is your father?

When did you assign that?
We all asked when you assigned that.
Not: We all asked when did you assign that. (Unless the noun clause is in quotation marks.)