1. Clauses Ed McCorduck English 402--Grammar SUNY Cortland

2. slide 2: clauses vs. sentences
clause - a phrase consisting of one of the ten sentence patterns
sentence - at least one clause beginning with a capital letter and ending in stop punctuation (e.g., a period, exclamation mark or question mark)
All (complete) sentences are clauses, but not all clauses are sentences.
English 402: Grammar

3. slide 3: independent clauses vs. dependent clauses
There are two main types of clauses:
independent clause (a.k.a. “main clause”) – can be a sentence by itself
dependent clause – cannot be a sentence by itself (must be combined with an independent clause in a sentence)
subordinate clause – a dependent clause joined to an independent clause by a subordinator (e.g., when, after, before, while, whereas, because, since, if)
English 402: Grammar

4. slide 4: simple sentences
There are four main types of sentences:
simple (contains only one independent clause) ex
Dexter is kind.
independent clause
Pattern II
English 402: Grammar

5. slide 5: compound sentences
compound (two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinator, e.g., and, but, or) ex
Dexter is kind, and he never cusses.
independent clause independent clause
Pattern II Pattern VI
English 402: Grammar

6. slide 6: complex sentences
complex (an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses in one sentence) ex
Dexter is kind when he’s sober.
independent clause subordinator independent clause
Pattern II Pattern II
cf. When he’s sober.
a “sentence fragment” and an “error” in prescriptive grammar
English 402: Grammar

7. slide 7: examples of complex sentences that are even more complex
exx
Dexter never cusses when he’s sober or
independent clause subordinator dependent clause
(when) his probation officer is in the room.
subordinator dependent clause
after his probation officer enters the room.
subordinator dependent clause
English 402: Grammar

8. slide 8: compound/complex sentences
compound/complex (two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause) ex
Dexter is kind and he never cusses when he’s sober.
independent clause coordinator independent clause dependent clause
English 402: Grammar

9. slide 9: false compound/complex sentences
cf.
Dexter is kind and considerate when he’s sober.
independent clause coordinator coordinate adjective dependent clause
complex sentence
Dexter never cusses when his probation officer or
independent clause subordinator coordinate subject
his mother-in-law is in the room.
coordinate subject
(when his probation officer or his mother is in the room – dependent clause)
English 402: Grammar

10. slide 10: clauses as adverbials
As noted in my “Adverbs and Adverbials” lecture, clauses—especially dependent clauses—can function as adverbials in sentences.
English 402: Grammar

11. slide 11: examples of clauses functioning as adverbials
She slapped him because he was getting annoying.
main (independent) clause dependent clause (with subordinator because, subj he and predicate was getting annoying) functioning as an adverbial
(answers the question “Why?”)
Because he was getting annoying, she slapped him.
adverbial m.c.
English 402: Grammar

12. slide 12: more examples of adverbial clauses
She slapped him when he crawled home late.
main (independent) clause dependent clause (with subordinator when, subj he and predicate crawled home late) functioning as an adverbial
(answers the question “When?”, or maybe “Why?”)
When he crawled home late, she slapped him.
adverbial m.c.
(more likely “Why?” than “When?”)
English 402: Grammar

13. slide 13: Reed-Kellogg diagrams of sentences with adverbial clauses
In Reed-Kellogg diagrams, dependent clauses functioning as adverbials are diagrammed using a dashed/dotted slanted line that runs from the horizontal line of the main clause—starting underneath the main verb, as adverbials of other types that we have seen have done—to a position close to but not touching a separate diagram of the clause. For example, here is the Reed-Kellogg diagram of the sentence She slapped him when he arrived:
English 402: Grammar

14. slide 14: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagram of a sentence with an adverb clause
English 402: Grammar

15. slide 15: Reed-Kellogg diagrams when an adverbial clause comes first in a sentence
Note that even if on the surface the adverbial dependent is moved to the beginning of the sentence, in the Reed-Kellogg diagram the adverbial clause still occurs in its normal position as an adverbial, i.e., joined by a dashed/dotted slanting line to under the main horizontal line after the subject/predicate vertical dividing line. Only the capitalization of the first letter of the subordinator indicates the relative position on the surface of the dependent and main clauses. Thus, here is the Reed-Kellogg diagram of the sentence When he arrived, she slapped him:
English 402: Grammar

16. slide 16: example of a Reed-Kellogg diagrams when an adverbial clause comes first in a sentence
English 402: Grammar