It’s Clauses Month (LAST Month Was Santa Claus Month)

This post is the first in a four-part series about clauses. Clauses cause a lot of problems in grammar and punctuation, as we shall see in the weeks ahead. But first what is a clause?

A clause is a group of words. But then, a phrase is also a group of words. (Then there is the use of the word phrase to mean an idiom or saying, which is a little different from a grammatical phrase).  So what is the difference between a phrase and a clause? A clause is a group of words that must have both a subject and a verb. A phrase doesn’t need both a subject and a verb. Here are some phrases:

• my next-door neighbor
• inside the box
• running around
• during the afternoon thunderstorm

Here are some clauses:

• who is my next-door neighbor
• A toy is inside the box.
• Running around the house is great exercise for my dog!
• Because the cat hid during the afternoon thunderstorm

Notice that the second and third clauses are complete sentences, but the first and last are not. But each of them has a subject and a verb somewhere: who is, toy is, running is, cat hid

A clause can be a complete sentence. Those clauses are called independent because they can stand alone. But many clauses are not complete sentences. Those clauses are called dependent (or subordinate) because they cannot stand alone.

All sentences are made up of clauses. Simple sentences contain one independent clause. Compound sentences contain two or more independent clauses. Complex sentences contain at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

Simple sentence: I went to the movies with my friends.

Compound sentence: I went to the movies with my friends, and my friends paid my way.

Complex sentence: I went to the movies with my friends, who paid my way.

So what possible problems could arise from clauses?

1. Well, sometimes people pass off dependent clauses as complete sentences. For that reason, many school children are taught not to begin a sentence with because. Now, of course it is fine to begin a sentence with because, but some people end the sentence after the dependent clause and don’t add the independent clause that is necessary to make a complete sentence.

Because I already saw that movie. NOT A SENTENCE. (sentence fragment)

Because I already saw that movie, I don’t really want to see it again. SENTENCE.

If you are writing dialog, of course you can use fragments. You can also sometimes use fragments in your writing to emphasize something. But it helps if you know you are using a fragment and not a complete sentence!

“Why do I have to clean my room?” her daughter asked.

“Because I said so!” replied Mrs. Smith. 

That dialogue is fine. This fragment used for emphasis in informal writing is also fine:

Please try to write in complete sentences when you are writing formal letters. Why? Because we said so!

2. In adjective clauses (subordinate clauses that we will talk about next week), we run into the problem of who, whom, that, and which. Which one do we use for what?  We also run into the problem of “commas or no commas?” Adjective clauses function as adjectives: they describe nouns. For example:

That girl, who is a friend of my cousin’s, is going to Harvard next year. 

3. In adverb clauses (also subordinate clauses), we run into the problem of when to use commas. Adverb clauses function as adverbs: they tell where or when or why. For example:

After we come home from the game, we will eat dinner. 

Then, there are also noun clauses, which hardly anyone ever talks about . . .but we will.