Clauses Flashcards
Dependent
A dependent clause (also known as a subordinate clause) is a group of words containing a subject and a verb or verb phrase. A dependent clause cannot stand as a sentence by itself. It must be combined with one or more independent clauses to form a sentence. Dependent clauses can function either as noun clauses, adjective clauses, or adverb clauses in a sentence.
E.g. Damian won’t be able to play in the game because he injured his foot
Independent
An independent clause is a group of words that can stand on its own as a sentence: it has a subject, a verb, and is a complete thought.
E.g.: He ran.
The soprano sang the aria perfectly.
Subordinate
A subordinate clause, (also known as a dependent clause), is typically introduced by a conjunction, that forms part of and is dependent on a main clause E.g. She answered the phone when it rang.
Relative
A relative clause is attached to an antecedent by a relative pronoun such as who, which, or that.
E.g. The girl who is wearing a red dress is Italian.
Defining
The defining relative clause gives us important information that helps us identify the subject preceding it. Defining relative clauses are composed of a relative pronoun (sometimes omitted), a verb, and optional other elements such as the subject or object of the verb. Commas are not used to separate defining relative clauses from the rest of the sentence.
E.g. The girl who is wearing the red dress is Italian.
Non-defining
Non-defining relative clauses give additional but not identifying information about the subject. These are composed of a relative pronoun, a verb, and optional other elements such as the subject or object of the verb. Commas or parentheses are always used to separate non-defining relative clauses from the rest of the sentence.
E.g. Gina, who is Italian, is wearing a red dress.
Reported
A reporting clause is a clause which indicates that you are talking about what someone said or thought. E.g. in ‘She said that she was hungry’, ‘She said’ is a reporting clause.
Conditional
Conditional sentences consist of a main clause and a conditional clause (sometimes called an if-clause). The conditional clause usually begins with if or unless. The conditional clause can come before or after the main clause.
E.g. We’ll be late if we don’t leave now.
We’ll be late unless we leave now.
Subject
The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is doing or being something. You can find the subject of a sentence if you can find the verb. Ask the question, “Who or what ‘verbs’ or ‘verbed’?” and the answer to that question is the subject.
E.g.: Pierre puts a lot of garlic in his food. (Pierre is the subject, and puts a lot of garlic in his food is the predicate
Object
The object of a sentence is the person or thing that receives the action of the verb. It is the who or what that the subject does something to. E.g. Terry carried out the trash. (The trash is the object as Terry did something to the trash.)
Compliment
Complement is the term used for a word or words that are needed to complete the meaning of an expression. Most phrases and clauses will include a complement of some kind. If you can’t remove it from your sentence, then it’s likely to be a complement. E.g. The box is a present. (‘The box’ is the subject, ‘is’ the main verb, ‘a present’ is the subject complement as it identifies or describes the subject). An object complement follows a direct object. It may be a word or phrase that gives further meaning to the direct object. In a sense, it explains what the direct object has become. E.g. He made her happy. (‘He is the subject, ‘made’ is the main verb, ‘her’ is the direct object, ‘happy’ is the object compliment.)
Direct Object
A noun phrase denoting a person or thing that is the recipient of the action of a transitive verb. E.g. Jeremy fed the dog.
Predicate
The predicate is the part of a sentence (or clause) that tells us what the subject does or is. To put it another way, the predicate is everything that is not the subject. At the heart of the predicate is a verb. E.g. The girls in our office are experienced instructors. (‘The girls’ in our office is the subject of the sentence while the rest of the sentence is the predicate.)
Indirect Object
A noun phrase referring to someone or something that is affected by the action of a transitive verb (typically as a recipient), but is not the primary object. E.g. Tommy gave him the book. (‘The book is the direct object and ‘him’ is the indirect object.)
