A
clause is a part of a sentence and has a subject and verb of its own but which
acts as a single element.
I know him > I know his name > I know what his name is
(him = object > his name = phrase > what
his name is = clause
Classification of Clauses:
1) Principle or Independent
clause
2) Subordinate or Dependent
clause
a) Noun clause
b) Adjective clause
c) Adverb clause
3) Coordinate clause
Discussion in Details:
1) Principle Clause: The
principle clause is a clause which is not depended on other clause for
expressing the meaning, is called principle clause. The main characteristic is
that principle clause can able to make sense if it’s separated.
I have a cow which is red (I have a cow = Principle clause because
it’s able to make sense)
The boy who is playing
football is my brother (the boy is my brother =
principle verb)
2) Subordinate Clause: The clause which can not make sense alone without the help of
principle clause is called subordinate clause.
Pinku
comes to me when he has time (when he has time = subordinate clause)
Dina
wanted a pen which was costly
He
worked hard so that he could succeed
in life
I
know how you do it.
I
know why he went there.
I
don’t know where she lives.
According
to the above mention that subordinate clause starts with – who, when, how,
where, which, if, as, that, why, so that, in order that, whom, hardly,
scarcely, barley, no sooner, etc.
a) Noun Clause: The noun clause which acts as a noun (subject, object, complement, and case in apposition) in a sentence is called noun clause.
a) Noun Clause: The noun clause which acts as a noun (subject, object, complement, and case in apposition) in a sentence is called noun clause.
He says that he went there
In
the above sentence “that he went there”
is an object of the verb “say”
More
Examples:
Noun Phrase used
as subject of verb.
That he has much money is know to all
Who has done this will be punished.
Noun Phrase used
as object of verb.
I
know that he has done it
He
asked me if I would go with him.
Noun Phrase used
as object of preposition.
I
cannot understand the meaning of what
he said Our prosperity depends on
how hard we work.
Noun Phrase used
as complement of verb:
This
is what we said (“is” is
a linking verb and “what we said” is
a complement because “this = what we
said”)
The
matter is that we had gone there
L.V. N.C.
Noun
Phrase used as an apposition of pronoun or noun:
The
fact that he is a thief is
clear to all.
N.C.
Note: “the fact = that he is a thief”
The
news that he was ill is not
true.
b) Adjective Clause: An adjective clause is a
subordinate clause which functions as an adjective in a sentence and qualifies
a noun or noun equivalent.
The
boy is my brother + The boy came here = The boy who came here is my brother. (who came here = Adjective
clause)
I
don’t know the reason why he came
here (why he came here = adjective clause)
c) Adverbial Clause: An adverbial clause is a
subordinate clause which, used in a sentence, acts as an adverb. Generally we
know that adverb answers these questions – when? How? Where?
3) Coordinate Clause: When one or more clauses joins together through coordinating
conjunction, is called coordinate clause.
He came and he saw every thing.
C.C.
(p.c) C.C. (p.c) C.C. =
Coordinate clause and P.C = principle clause
We
know that he dances and sings and thus earns money
She
heard the news
and (she) cried out in grief.
C.C. C.C.
