Definition

Contains a subject and a verb.

Types

  • Dependent clause(Subordinate clause)

    Cannot stand as a complete sentence.

    • The Adjective Clause

      Dependent clause acting as adjective.

      • Examples:

        The car which your wife sold me last week has broken down.

    • The Adverbial Clause

      Dependent clause acting as Adverb.

      • Examples:

        He literally stiched mail sacks until his fingers bled. (The dependent clause until his fingers bled modifies the verb to stitch. It is an adverbial clause.)

    • The Noun Clause

      Dependent clause acting as Noun.

      • Examples:

        Whoever turned the ovens off is keeping quiet.

  • Independent clause

    Can stand as a complete sentence.

  • Coordinate clause

    A coordinate clause is a clause belonging to a series of two ro more caluses which are

    1. are not syntactically dependent on one on another, and
    2. are joined by means of
      1. a coordinating conjuction
      2. a connective or
      3. parataxis

    • Examples:

      • I will go home and he will go to work.
      • John likes hamburgers, but Mary prefers hot dogs.
      • We might go to Seattle, or we might go to California.

When a dependent clause is used as an adjective or an adverb, it will usually be part of a complex sentence (i.e., a sentence with an independent clause and at least one dependent clause).

The link between a dependent clause and an independent clause will often be a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.

For example:

  • He literally stitched mail sacks until his fingers bled.

  • (subordinating conjunction in bold)

  • The car which your wife sold me last week has broken down.

  • (relative pronoun in bold)

    Here are some more common subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns:

Common Subordinating conjunctions

after although as because before even if even though if provided rather than since so that than though unless until whether while

Relative pronouns

how that what when where which who whom whose why

The relative pronouns above are the simple relative pronouns. You can also have compound ones. A compound relative pronoun is formed by adding either ever or soever to a simple pronoun.

whoever (who + ever) whosever (whose + ever) (Spelling rule: Don’t allow ee.) whosoever (who + soever) whosesoever (whose + soever)