Oh, Boy! Adverbial Clauses!

If you weren’t thrilled enough by the post on adjectival clauses last week, just wait until you read this post on adverbial clauses! 

To quickly review:

1. A clause is a group of words with both a subject and a verb.
2. Independent clauses are complete sentences. 
3. Subordinate, or dependent, clauses cannot stand alone and are not sentences. They are added to sentences.
4. The types of subordinate clauses are adjectival, adverbial, and noun. Adjectival clauses act like adjectives, telling which ones or what kind. Adverbial clauses act like adverbs, telling where or when or how. And noun clauses are used like nouns: as subjects or objects of a sentence.
5. Adjectival clauses begin with that, who, which, whom.
6. Noun clauses begin with what, whom, who, whoever, whomever, whatever

Now let’s talk about adverbial clauses.

Adverbial clauses begin with words known as subordinate conjunctions. These are not the same words we usually think of as conjunctions: and, but, so, or, etc. Those conjunctions are called coordinating conjunctions; they tie things together, but they don’t actually belong to any other words in the sentence. 

Subordinate conjunctions actually belong to the clause they begin. These conjunctions include the following: because, although, until, after, before, whenever, since, as if, as though. Here are some sentences with adverbial clauses:

• Because the weather is stormy, we won’t be going out.
• Although I haven’t read that book yet, it is on my list.
• Can you give me a ride since you are going anyway?
• I am not lending you money until you prove you can pay it back.
• I will feed the dog after I make my own dinner.
• Whenever I see that movie, I cry.

As you can see, these clauses have to be added to independent clauses (sentences) to be complete. Otherwise, they are called fragments. Especially troublesome with students is because. Students are sometimes told not to start a sentence with because. Why? They will often stop after the dependent clause and think it is done: Because I didn’t finish my work. Nope. Not a sentence. Because I didn’t finish my work, I am grounded. Yes. Sentence.

There appears to be a new trend, making because a preposition: I can’t go because homework. (Not recommended)

If you look at the examples above, you will also notice that the sentences can be turned around; the subordinate clause can appear at either the beginning or the end of the sentence. (It can also appear in the middle.) Enter problem #2: the comma.

There is always a comma following an adverbial clause that begins a sentence. Generally, there is no comma if the adverbial clause ends the sentence. Why? Introductory elements (words that come before the subject of the sentence) are generally followed by a comma. 

However, adverbial clauses are usually essential, so there is no comma before them when they are at the end of the sentence. Once in a while you will find one that is not really essential, especially those that begin with although:

• I was thinking of going to the movies, although I might not if I find something else to do. (not really essential)
• I cannot buy this coat until I get paid. (essential)

Figuring out whether or not to put the comma in can be a shade of gray. Often, this is a case where you can test it out with a pause. If you find yourself pausing before the clause, you can probably put a comma in. Most of the time you won’t pause.

Let’s look at some of the examples in the list above:

• Because the weather is stormy, we won’t be going out. We won’t be going out because the weather is stormy. (essential)
• Although I haven’t read that book yet, it is on my list. That book is on my list, although I haven’t read it yet. (debatable)
• Whenever I see that movie, I cry. I cry whenever I see that movie. (essential)

Note that some of those subordinating conjunctions can also be used as prepositions. In that case, they are not introducing a clause, but a simple prepositional phrase. Look at the differences:

After the game is over, we can eat dinner (clause). After the game we can eat dinner (phrase, no comma needed).

I can stay until 8 o’clock (phrase). I can stay until the clock strikes eight (clause).

 

Noun clauses are pretty simple, so we won’t wait until next week. Here are some examples of noun clauses:

I know who you are. (I know what? The clause is the object of the sentence, but who is the subject of the noun clause.)

Whoever is watering the plants should hold off for a few days.(Whoever is watering the plants is the subject of the sentence. And Whoever is subject of the noun clause.)

I don’t know what you are talking about. (What you are talking about is the object of the sentence: I don’t know what?  And what is the object of the clause; the subject is you.)

Do you know whom he is talking about? (The clause is the object of the sentence? And whom is the object of the clause: He is talking about whom.

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Grammar Diva News

Next week: What Is Going on With Amazon? (Besides Jeff Bezo’s divorce).

What is going on with this blog? I have been writing this blog for six years now. Every single week. I have run several “Best of” months and weeks here and there — and I have had three or four guest posts — but basically, I have been writing a new post every week for six years. I am just about out of ideas. If you have any, or anything YOU want to write about, please let me know at info@bigwords101.com OR bigwords101@yahoo.com. I would like to run the weekly posts at least through 2019. I can only write so many things about grammar, but if there are things you want me to write about, please let me know. I could find interesting articles and link you to them. I could find funny pictures. I could give you quizzes. I could write reviews.  I could have Q&A, except getting any contributions would be like pulling teeth 🙂 I could have more guest posts. I could write about other topics. I could write biographies of some of my readers.  What do YOU think. You are the important ones, since you are my readers. Any ideas??? Thank you!