In English grammar, a clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. There are two main types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses.
An independent clause, also known as a main clause, can stand alone as a sentence, expressing a complete thought. Here’s an example:
I love to read books.
This sentence has a subject (“I”) and a predicate (“love to read books”), making it a complete thought.
A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence. It relies on an independent clause to form a complete thought. Here’s an example:
Because I love to read books.
This clause has a subject (“I”) and a predicate (“love to read books”), but it can’t stand alone as a sentence. It relies on an independent clause to complete the thought, such as “Because I love to read books, I spend a lot of time at the library.”
3 Types of Dependent Clauses
There are also three types of dependent clauses: noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverbial clauses.
1. A noun clause functions as a noun in a sentence.
Example:
I don’t know what to do.
In this sentence, “what to do” is a noun clause that functions as the direct object of the verb “know.”
2. An adjective clause gives more information about a noun or pronoun in a sentence.
Example:
The book that I read last night was really good.
In this sentence, “that I read last night” is an adjective clause that describes the noun “book.”
3. An adverbial clause functions as an adverb in a sentence, modifying the verb, adjective, or other adverb.
Example:
I’ll go to bed when I finish this chapter.
In this sentence, “when I finish this chapter” is an adverbial clause that modifies the verb “go.”
