Opinion Deductions: clauses - SS2 English Lesson Note

Introduction to clauses

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It can be a complete sentence, or it can be part of a sentence.

Features of a clause

A clause has two main features:

• Subject: The subject of a clause is the person or thing that the clause is about.
• Verb: The verb of a clause tells what the subject is doing or being.

In addition to a subject and a verb, a clause may also have other parts, such as objects, modifiers, and clauses.

Types of clauses

There are two main types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses.

• Independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences. They have a subject and a verb, and they express a complete thought.
• Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as complete sentences. They need to be attached to an independent clause in order to be grammatically correct.

Dependent and independent clauses

Dependent clauses are also known as subordinate clauses. They are clauses that cannot stand alone as complete sentences. They need to be attached to an independent clause in order to be grammatically correct.

There are many different types of dependent clauses, but some of the most common ones include:

• Adjective clauses modify nouns or pronouns. They usually start with relative pronouns such as "who," "which," "that," or "when."
• Adverb clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They usually start with subordinating conjunctions such as "because," "since," "when," or "while."
• Noun clauses function as nouns in a sentence. They usually start with words like "that," "whether," or "what."

Examples of clauses :

• Independent clause: I went to the store.
• Dependent clause: When I went to the store, I bought some milk.
• Adjective clause: The store that I went to was closed.
• Adverb clause: I went to the store because I needed milk.
• Noun clause: What I bought at the store was milk.