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CLAUSE TYPES IN ENGLISH

MUHAMMAD B.S.J.

Introduction
A clause as a grammatical unit is a component of a complex sentence. It is a
group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. The predicate must
contain finite verb. It is to as a component of a complex sentence because a
clause qualifies to be a sentence as if has all the requirements of a simple
sentence. This implies that a clause can either from a sentence or part of a
sentence. There are two types of clause in English namely main and sub-
ordinate clauses.
Main clause:
This is also called Independent / Alpha clause. It contains a finite verb and
makes a complete sense without depending on another clause. Examples
include the following:
A. Alih has moved his family home
B. He arrived yesterday
C. Angela is a white lady
All these three sentences express complete thoughts and are single clause
sentence each.
The main clause can have another clause as its part as either an adverbial
or an object, e.g.

A main clause another object clause (object clause)

Alih explained what the matter was

Subject verb clause adverbial subject of clause verb phrase

B main clause adverbial clause

He will join you which we leave

Subject verb phrase object conjunction subject verb phrase

In these two examples it can be seen that there are two clauses in each. One
express a complete thought where as the other does not. The one that
express a complete thought in the main clause and has the capability of
containing another clause which depends on the main clause for its
meaning. In the first example, the clause contained in the main functions as

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object of the main verb. In the second example the clause contained
functions as an adverbial.
The main can be a statement, an interrogation, an imperative and an
exclamation:
The main clause as:
A. Statement:
a. ‘Tosin has arrived
b. The accreditation panel has finished its assignment.
c. They have been arrested.

B. Interrogation:
I. When is the 1st convocation of KSU going to be held?
II. Are you expecting you parents?
III. Where is your Examination card?
C. Imperative:
I. Move that chair to the next rolw.
II. Don’t enter that car.
III. Get out of my class.
C. Exclamation:
I. What a lot evening!
II. The robbers have been arrested!
III. What a surprise visit!
Subordinate clause:
This is also called a dependent clause. It is so called because it does not
make a complete sense on its own.
This clause con not stand on its own as a simple sentence. Therefore, a
dependent clause does depend on a main clause to make a complete
sense. Examples are:
(a) I will punish him when he comes.
(b) The man whose car was stolen has arrived.
(c) When she arrived at the airport the aircraft had left.
All the sentences above contain two clauses each. Sentences (a) has “when
he come “ as a dependent clause and “I will punish him” as a main clause.
Sentence (b) has “whose car was stolen” as a dependent clause and “The
man has arrived” as a main clause. In sentence (c)”when she arrived at the
airport” is a dependent clause and “The airport had left” is a main clause.
Only dependent clauses can be contained by main clauses and not
vice versa. Main clauses can contain more than a dependent clause, e.g.
The main whose car was stolen arrived when the police had arrived
the robbers.
There are three clauses in this sentence. One is main and the others
are dependent. The dependent ones are contained in the main.
The man arrived –main clause
Whose car was stolen –dependent clause
When the police had arrived the robbers – Dependent clause.
Subordinate clauses are of different clauses. This classification is
based on the function they perform in the main clause. They include, Noun
clause, relative clause comment clause, comparative clause, and adverbial
clause.

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Noun clause: A noun clause is a subordinate clause that to occupies

the position or plays the role of a noun or a noun place. This means that it
can take the position of a subject or complement in a main clause.
There are four kind of noun clause in English. They are: that – clause,
Wh – clause, infinitive clause and – ing clause.
That clause: it is a kind of subordinate clause, which is introduced by
‘that’, e.g. that he was there is unthinkable. That he was there is the noun
clause introduced by ‘that’ in the main verb.
wh –clause : this is a clause that is often introduced the fire wh-words-
where, who, when, what and why. E.g.
a. What he came for was not known
b. Where he sent the boy was not stated
c. Who he was is the dispute
d. Why he was arrested is not the issue
e. When the car was stolen was really a puzzle.
Infinitive clause: This is a subordinate clause introduced by to infinitive.
e.g. One intention is to remove him.
-ing clause : This is a subordinate clause that is introduced by a word
ending in –ing, e.g. , you are announced of stealing a goat.
Adverbial clause: An adverbial clause is a subordinate clause, which
acts as an adverbial part of a main clause in a sentence. It functions as
adverb of time of place, reason, names, direction, etc e.g.
(a) Although he does not go to school, he knows a lot.
(b) He ran away because he slapped his brother.
(c) When he traveled to the UK he bought this car.
(d) If you want to pass you work hard..
In most cases adverbial clauses begin with conjunctions such as if, Because,
and when. The examples above include clause of contrast, conditional
clause, time and reason. Other meanings expressed by adverbial clauses
include propose, result, etc. Examples are:
(a) We have to go tonight in order to catch up with the first flight. (purpose).
(b) Move to the next position so that you can see well (result).
In the examples so for we can see that adverbial clause can come
before the main clause or after the main clause except the one of result. For
the others it is a matter of style to put it before or after the main clause.
Comparative clause : This is a dependent clause that is used in both
equal and unequal composition. They are of two kinds (a) those beginning
with (As) known as As- clause and (b) those beginning with (than) known
as than –clause.
As – clause: this expresses an equal composition, e.g
The convocation ceremony will begin at eight,
The prayer will be held at eight.
Comparison in these two sentences is an equal one as can be seen below:
“The convocation will begin as soon as the prayer is held.”
As – clauses have different patterns. There are some that begin with (as)
and there are some that begin with words or phrases such as the same,
such, not, etc. before ‘as’. They are exemplified as follows:
Beginning with as: Ann moves as fast as Jane does.
Beginning with not: Ann is not as fast as Jane is

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Beginning with the same: Angela has the same shoes as her colleague;
‘’ ,, - such ; / have never had such a wonderful experience as I have had
today.
Than- clause: This is a kind of imperative clause which expresses an
unequal relationship. it begins with comparative word, which may end in –
er, more, or worse
Example include:
(a) Thee boy is growing stronger than he seemed in the beginning.
(b) He is more handsome than I was told.
(c) Anita is worse than his elder sister.
(d) He is less intelligent than his father
Relative clauses:
Relative clause is as well a subordinate clause, which gives extra
information about one of the nouns in the main clause. It is situated
immediately after the noun it relates to. hence it is termed a relative clause.
They are introduced by relative pronouns such as who, whom, whose,
which, and that. These relative pronouns serve as subjects or objects of
relative clauses. As subjects of relative clauses they appear as the following
example:
1 (a). The man is around. The man’s car was stolen.
(b) The man whose car stolen is around.
“The man is around” is the main clause and ‘Whose car was stolen ‘ is a
subordinative clause. The pronoun ‘whose’ occupies the position of the.
Noun phrase ‘ the man’ which served as the subject of the second sentence
in 1(a) thereby rendering that simple sentence subordinate clause under a
main clause in 1(b). As objects of relative clauses relative operate as in the
following examples:
a. Here is James I saw him yesterday.
This will be linked as follows:
b. Here is James that I saw yesterday ‘that’ is (b) is a
subordinate for the object “him” in.
(a) In this case ‘that’ is a relative pronoun ‘that’ is a relative
pronoun, which serves as an object of a relative clause.
Relative pronouns can be omitted freely without obliterating the
sense in the world if relates to in clauses only when they do not serve as
subjects of relative clauses, as exampled below.
Here is James I saw yesterday.
The dash in the above example blows where the relative pronoun
should be. Functions of relative clauses.
There are two different functions performed by relative clauses. Some
add essential information to the main clause for thee sake of making reduce
what or who is being talked about. This land of relative clause is called a
designed or restructure relative clause. “The man whose car was stolen is
around” earlier noted in this paper has two clauses. ‘The man is around’ is
the main clause. ‘Whose car was stolen’ is a relative clause, which adds
extra information to the main clause to make readers know who the man is.
There are clause that give more information but not necessarily for the
sake of identifying what who is being talk about. These clauses are called
non-defining or non-restrictive relative clauses. E.g. I offered him ten Naira,

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which is enough to feed him a day. The underlined clause does not make
readers identify the person being discussed. It rather adds extra –
information to the main clause.
Comment clauses: There are clauses which are added as comment to
what have been said in main clauses. They are often small and made
up of a subject and verb.
D. g. 1. The boy is malevolent, I guess.
The underlined clause adds a comment to what has been said about the
boy as merely a guan.
I am going there, as discussed.
“As discussed” is a comment made about the main clause that the action
of going had been discus before verbless clause as the title implies
verbless clause are clauses that contain no verb. Although a clause
should be containing a finite verb their group of words cannot be called
any thing else but a clause. The reason is that they have (a). The
meaning of a verb and (b). They are capable of having elements such as
subject, object complement, etc. they consist of both main and
subordinate forms.
Example of verblem main clause include:
(a) What a lot afternoon!
(b) What about the show?
(c) Sorry about the insult.
A look at the examples shows that none contain a verb; they mean greatly
what clauses mean. The verbs even though are not stated are implied and so
quality to be called clauses. The express things like exclamation, suggestion
and apology.
Example of verbless subordinate clauses:.
(a) If possible, make yourselves available for the screening
(b) When necessary, contact the Dean.
The verbs in these two examples are also omitted without distorting the
meaning of there expressions. “If possible” in (a) should ordinarily read ‘
if it is possible’ and ‘ when necessary’ should read ‘when it is necessary.
In conclusion, in this paper we have discussed various types of
clauses, ranging from main to subordinate and the different kinds of
subordinate clauses. Lastly we discussed verbless clauses featuring as
both main and subordinate clauses and why they deserve to be called
clauses and nothing else.

Exercises
(a) What the function of verbless clause?
(b) Mention and discuss the various types of development clauses you …
with examples.
(c) What is a restrictive relative clause?
(d) Give four examples of non-defining clause.

Bibliography
1. R Quick and s. Greenbaum (2000) A University Grammar of English.
Pearson Education.

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2. R. Quick (1968) Essays on the English Language: Medieval and Modern

London.
3. J. Anderson (1971) The Grammar of Case cup. Cambridge.
4. N. Chomsky (1957) Syntactic Structures. The Hague.
5. ___________(1965) Aspects of theory of Syntax Mass Cambridge.
6. R. Quick etall (1972) A Grammar of contemporary English; London.
7. O.O. Idowu et al (1998) Round-up English for west Africa senior School
certificate Examination Longman. Nigeria.
8. B. O. A. Oluikpe (1981) The use of English for Higher Education. Africana
Fep. Publishes Nigeria
9. G. leech, C. cruickshank, and R. Ivanic (2000) An A-Z of English grammar
& usage pearson Education. Edinburgh.

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