word order

Accordingly, there are five types of subordinate clauses: the subject clause, the predicative clause, the attributive clause, the object clause, and several types of adverbial clauses..

Word Order in Complex Sentences

There are five parts of a sentence: the subject, the predicate, the attribute, the object, and the adverbial modifier Accordingly, there are five types of subordinate clauses: the subject clause, the predicative clause, the attributive clause, the object clause, and several types of adverbial clauses Subordinate clauses are also called dependent clauses because they can't be used without the main clause Word order in subordinate clauses is first the subject, then the verb Compare these pairs of simple and complex sentences:

I bought a book on history

I bought the book that you asked for

I know the way to his house

I know where he lives

He went home after work

He went home after he had finished work

The subject clause

The subject clause functions as the subject of the sentence Subject clauses are introduced by the words "who, what, how, when, where, that, whether" Who brought the roses is a secret

What you told me was interesting

How it happened is not clear

The subject clause is often placed after the predicate, and the formal subject

"It" is used in such sentences

It is not known who brought the roses

It is not clear how it happened

It is doubtful that he will come back today

The predicative clause

The predicative clause functions as part of the predicate and usually stands after the linking verb BE

The problem is that he is rude

The question is where I can find enough money for my project

This is what he said to her

This is how it happened

The attributive clause

The attributive clause performs the function of an attribute and stands after the noun that it modifies Attributive clauses are introduced by the words

"who, whom, whose, which, that, when, where, why"

The man who helped her was Dr Lee

The bag that he bought cost forty dollars

Here's the book that I am talking about

The place where she lives is not far from here

The time when they were friends is gone

The object clause

Object clauses function as objects (Object clauses are described more fully

in Sequence of Tenses in the section Grammar.)

He told us that he had already bought a car

I know where we can find him

I asked how I could help him

Types of adverbial clauses

Adverbial clauses function as adverbial modifiers Adverbial clauses include several types of clauses that indicate time, place, purpose, cause, result, condition, concession, manner, comparison

The adverbial clause of place

He went where I told him to go

This cat sleeps wherever it wants

Go down this street and stop where the road turns right

The adverbial clause of time

When she arrived, they went home

She left while he was sleeping

He hasn't called me since he arrived

He left before I returned

Call me as soon as you receive the report

No future tense is used in subordinate clauses of time referring to the future (after the conjunctions "when, till, until, after, before, as soon as, as long

as, by the time", and some others) The present tense, usually the Simple Present, is used instead of the future in clauses of time

He will call you when he returns

I'll help you after I have dinner

I will wait until he finishes his work

I said that I would wait until he finished his work

The adverbial clause of condition

We will go to the lake on Saturday if the weather is good

If the plane left on time, they should be in New York now

If he has already seen the report, he knows about our plans

No future tense is used in subordinate clauses of condition referring to the future (after the conjunctions "if, unless, in case, on condition that", and some others)

If he calls, tell him the truth

I will talk to him if I see him

I won't be able to go with you unless I finish this work soon enough

The adverbial clause of purpose

He works hard so that he can buy a house for his family

He gave her detailed directions so that she could find his house easily They should call her in advance so that she may prepare for their visit

We left early in order that we might get there before the beginning of the wedding ceremony

The adverbial clause of result

My car was repaired on Thursday so that on Friday I was able to leave

I have so much work this week that I won't be able to go to the concert

It was so cold that I stayed home

He was so tired that he fell asleep

The adverbial clause of reason

I can't come to the party because I have a cold

I went home because I was tired

I called you because I needed money

Since she didn't know anyone there, she stayed in her room most of the time

As there are several possible answers to this question, let's discuss all of them

The adverbial clause of comparison

He works as quickly as he can

Tom is older than I am

It looks as if it is going to snow

You sound as if you have a sore throat

Note that after "as if; as though", the subjunctive mood is used in cases expressing unreality

He looks as if he were old and sick

She described it as if she had seen it all with her own eyes

She loves them as though they were her children

(See more examples with "as if, as though" at the end ofSubjunctive Mood Summary in the section Grammar.)

The adverbial clause of concession

Though he was tired, he kept working

Although it was already dark, he could still see the shapes of the trees

He didn't convince them, although he tried very hard

No matter what she says, call me at nine o'clock

Whatever happens, you must help each other

Find him, whatever happens

Note: Commas

A comma is generally not used between the main clause and the adverbial subordinate clause if the subordinate clause stands after the main clause But a comma is used between them if the subordinate clause stands at the beginning of the sentence before the main clause Compare:

She went for a walk in the park after she had finished her work on the report After she had finished her work on the report, she went for a walk in the park

A comma is used before the adverbial subordinate clause if the subordinate clause refers to the whole main clause (not only to the verb in it) Such situations often occur in the case of the clauses beginning with "though, although, whatever, no matter what" and "because" Compare:

She was absent because she was ill

They must have been sleeping, because there was no light in their windows

Types of subordinate clauses in English sources

There are some differences in the way English and Russian linguistic sources describe subordinate clauses, which may present some difficulty for language learners

In English grammar materials, subordinate clauses are divided into three main types: noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverb clauses Adjective clauses (attributive clauses) and adverb clauses (adverbial clauses) are described similarly in English and Russian materials

Noun clauses are described differently in English materials Noun clauses include three types of subordinate clauses described in Russian materials: the subject clause, the predicative clause, and the object clause

She says that he will come back tomorrow (Noun clause "that he will come back tomorrow" is a direct object.)

He is not interested in what she is doing (Noun clause "what she is doing"

is a prepositional object.)

Relative clauses

The term "relative clauses" in English materials refers to noun clauses and adjective clauses introduced by the relative pronouns "who (whom, whose), which, that, what"

Relative clauses in the form of noun clauses are introduced by the relative pronouns "who (whom, whose), which, what"

Who will be able to do it is still a question

I don't know which of these bags belongs to her

I didn't hear what he said

Relative clauses in the form of adjective clauses are introduced by the relative pronouns "who (whom, whose), which, that" "Who" refers to persons; "which" refers to things"; "that" refers to things or persons To avoid possible mistakes, language learners should use "who" (not "that") when referring to people

The boy who is standing by the door is her nephew Or: The boy standing by the door is her nephew

The man to whom she is speaking is her doctor Or: The man she is speaking

to is her doctor

The house in which he lived was too far from the center of the city Or: The house he lived in was too far from the city center

The people whose house he bought moved to Boston

I lost the pen that you gave me Or: I lost the pen which you gave me Or:

I lost the pen you gave me

She likes the stories that he writes Or: She likes the stories which he writes Or: She likes the stories he writes

Relative clauses that have parenthetical character (i.e., nonrestrictive clauses) are separated by commas Such clauses are usually introduced by the relative pronouns "which" and "who" (whom, whose), but not by "that" She lost his book, which made him angry

She doesn't study hard, which worries her parents

My brother, who now lives in Greece, invited us to spend next summer at his place

The war, which lasted nearly ten years, brought devastation and suffering to both countries