What are Clauses? Definition, Types & Examples

In English, sentences are built from smaller structural units that combine to convey meaning. One of the most important building blocks is the clause, which serves as a foundation for expressing complete thoughts, adding details, and linking ideas together. By understanding what clauses are, how they function, and how to distinguish between their different types, you can greatly improve your writing and speaking skills.

Table of Contents

What Is a Clause?

A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate (verb), and that functions as a unit within a sentence. Clauses differ from phrases in that a phrase does not contain both a subject and a verb, while a clause does.

Key Points:

• Every clause must have a subject (the doer or topic) and a verb (action or state of being).
• Clauses can stand alone as complete sentences (independent clauses) or can be dependent on another clause to make sense (dependent clauses).

Examples:

• “She ran.” (A simple sentence that is one independent clause with a subject “she” and a verb “ran.”)
• “When I arrive, we will start the meeting.” (The first part “When I arrive” is a dependent clause; the second part “we will start the meeting” is an independent clause.)

Types of Clauses

Clauses are broadly categorized into two major types: Independent Clauses and Dependent (Subordinate) Clauses.

1. Independent Clauses

An independent clause (also known as a main clause) is a clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought.

Characteristics:

• Has a subject and a verb.
• Conveys a complete idea.
• Can be a simple sentence on its own.

Examples:

• “I cooked dinner.”
• “They played soccer in the park.”
• “The rain stopped.”

2. Dependent Clauses (Subordinate Clauses)

A dependent clause (also known as a subordinate clause) cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on an independent clause to form a complete idea.

Characteristics:

• Has a subject and a verb but does not form a complete thought on its own.
• Often introduced by subordinating conjunctions (e.g., because, although, if) or relative pronouns (e.g., who, which, that).
• Must be attached to an independent clause to make sense.

Examples:

• “Although it was raining, we went for a walk.”
  (Dependent clause: “Although it was raining” + Independent clause: “we went for a walk.”)
• “We can leave after you finish your meal.”
  (Dependent clause: “after you finish your meal” modifies when we can leave.)

Types of Dependent Clauses

Dependent clauses can be further categorized based on the function they perform in a sentence. The three primary types are:

1. Adverbial Clauses
2. Adjective (Relative) Clauses
3. Noun Clauses

1. Adverbial Clauses

An adverbial clause functions like an adverb in a sentence, modifying a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It provides information such as time, reason, condition, or manner.

Common Subordinating Conjunctions:

• Time: when, before, after, while, since, until
• Reason: because, since, as
• Condition: if, unless, provided that
• Contrast: although, though, even though
• Purpose: so that, in order that

Examples:

• When I woke up, the sun had already risen. (Adverbial clause of time)
• We stayed inside because it was raining heavily. (Adverbial clause of reason)
• If you study hard, you will pass the exam. (Adverbial clause of condition)

2. Adjective (Relative) Clauses

An adjective clause (also known as a relative clause) functions like an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. These clauses begin with relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) or relative adverbs (where, when).

Examples:

• The book that I borrowed from you was fascinating.
  (“that I borrowed from you” describes “the book”)
• She admired the painting which hung on the wall.
  (“which hung on the wall” describes “the painting”)
• I know the person who won the competition.
  (“who won the competition” describes “the person”)

Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive Clauses:

• Restrictive Clause: Provides essential information about the noun. No commas are used.
  • The car that is parked outside is mine. (Essential detail)
• Non-Restrictive Clause: Adds extra, non-essential information. Commas are used.
  • The car, which is red, is mine. (Extra detail, not essential)

3. Noun Clauses

A noun clause functions as a noun within a sentence. It can act as a subject, object, or complement. These clauses often begin with words like that, what, whatever, who, whoever, whom, whomever, how, when, where, why.

Examples:

• What you said surprised me. (Subject noun clause)
• I don’t know where she lives. (Object noun clause)
• The problem is that we have no money left. (Complement noun clause)

In each of these examples, the entire clause acts as a noun in the sentence.

Combining Clauses: Compound and Complex Sentences

Compound Sentences:
A compound sentence is formed by joining two or more independent clauses, usually with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) or a semicolon.

Examples:

• She studied hard, and she passed the test.
• It was late, so we went home.

Complex Sentences:
A complex sentence is formed by combining one independent clause with one or more dependent clauses.

Examples:

• When I called her, she was sleeping. (Dependent adverbial clause + Independent clause)
• She offered me help because I looked confused. (Independent clause + Dependent adverbial clause of reason)

Compound-Complex Sentences:
Contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Example:

• Although I was tired, I finished my work, and I took a short walk.
  (Dependent adverbial clause: “Although I was tired” + Two independent clauses: “I finished my work” and “I took a short walk.”)

Example Sentences of Clauses

Here are 30 example sentences using different types of clauses:

Independent Clauses (Complete sentences)

1. She enjoys playing tennis.
2. They went to the movies last night.
3. The sun is shining brightly today.
4. I finished my homework.
5. He bought a new car.

Dependent Clauses (Incompletes sentences)

6. Because she was tired, she went to bed early.
7. If I study hard, I will pass the exam.
8. Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
9. When the bell rings, we will leave.
10. Since I didn’t have enough money, I couldn’t buy the ticket.

Noun Clauses (Act as a noun in a sentence)

11. I don’t know what she wants.
12. She didn’t tell me where she was going.
13. I wonder why he left early.
14. That she passed the test surprised everyone.
15. I don’t care how you do it.

Adjective Clauses (Modify a noun or pronoun)

16. The book that I borrowed is interesting.
17. The man who helped us is a hero.
18. The house where I grew up is now for sale.
19. She has a dog that barks loudly.
20. The girl whom I met yesterday is my cousin.

Adverb Clauses (Modify a verb, adjective, or adverb)

21. He was smiling because he won the game.
22. We stayed home because it was too cold outside.
23. She sings better than anyone.
24. I will call you when I get home.
25. You should leave before it starts raining.

Relative Clauses (Type of adjective clause)

26. The woman who lives next door is a teacher.
27. The movie which we watched last night was great.
28. I have a friend whose brother is a doctor.
29. The building that was damaged will be repaired.
30. The students whose exams were postponed are happy.

Tips for Identifying and Using Clauses

1. Find the Subject and Verb:
   Look for a subject-verb pair to identify a clause. If both are present, you’ve found a clause.
2. Check for Completeness: Ask: Does this group of words express a complete idea?
   • If yes, it’s likely an independent clause.
   • If no, it might be a dependent clause needing more information.
3. Use Punctuation Correctly:
   • When an adverbial dependent clause comes before an independent clause, use a comma: “Although it rained, we continued.”
   • When the dependent clause follows the independent clause, a comma is not always necessary: “We continued although it rained.”
4. Vary Your Sentence Structure: Incorporate a mix of independent and dependent clauses to create more interesting and dynamic sentences. This variation enhances your writing style and clarity.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Identify the clauses in the following sentences and state whether they are independent or dependent.

1. “I left early because I had a dentist appointment.”
2. “When the movie ended, we went out for coffee.”
3. “He plays the guitar that his father gave him.”

Suggested Answers:

1. “I left early” (Independent Clause); “because I had a dentist appointment” (Dependent Clause)
2. “When the movie ended” (Dependent Clause); “we went out for coffee” (Independent Clause)
3. “He plays the guitar” (Independent Clause); “that his father gave him” (Dependent Adjective Clause)

Exercise 2: Write one sentence that contains an adverbial clause, one that contains an adjective clause, and one that contains a noun clause.

• Adverbial Clause Example: “I will call you when I arrive.”
• Adjective Clause Example: “The student who sits in the front row asks many questions.”
• Noun Clause Example: “I wonder what time the train arrives.”

With practice and attention to detail, you’ll find that using clauses effectively can greatly enhance both your written and spoken language, allowing you to express nuanced thoughts and create more dynamic prose.