ClausesHow to improve your writing through

combination of sentences

What are clauses?

• Groups of words that have a subject and a verb• Main or independent clauses—can stand aloneEX: He hopes to receive his college acceptance

letter soon.• Dependent or subordinate clauses—can not

stand alone; fragmentsEx: Because he hopes to receive his college

acceptance letter soon

Why use clauses?

• Makes your writing less common, more sophisticated in syntax (arrangement of words in sentences)

GoodEx: He hopes to receive his acceptance letter soon.

He waits for the mailman anxiously each day.BetterBecause he hopes to receive his acceptance letter

soon, he waits for the mailman anxiously each day.

Types of subordinate (dependent) clauses

•Adverb•Adjective•noun

Adverb clauses

• Begin with a subordinate conjunction• Refer to list on page 84 in grammar book • Copy list• Tells how, when, where, why, to what extent, or

under what condition• Ex: Because several locations have been

attacked near the Olympic site in Russia, many athletes are hiring their own security agents. (why)

How clauses improve the writing

good• Several locations have been attacked near the Olympic

site in Russia, and many athletes are hiring their own security agents. Does not show clear relationship between the two incidents.

Better• Because several locations have been attacked near the

Olympic site in Russia, many athletes are hiring their own security agents. (Shows why and demonstrates cause/effect relationship between the two ideas._

Finding adverb clauses in given sentences

• Locate subordinate conjuctionEX: While President Putin of Russia claims there

is no real danger, terrorists have been posting threats daily on the internet.

Follow through to the end of the thought

Elliptical adverb clauses

• A clause where part of the clause that is deleted because the meaning can be understood from the context of the sentence.

• EX: Martin asked more questions than he. • Martin asked more questions than he did.

Joining ideas using adverb clauses

• Simple sentenceEX: Take the subway. You will get there faster than

by taxi.Compound sentenceEX: Take the subway, and you will get there faster

than by taxi.Complex sentence:EX: If you take the subway, you will get there

faster than by taxi

How to join

1. Determine which relationship the ideas have• how, when, where, why, to what extent, or

under what condition2. Choose a subordinate conjunction from the

list that demonstrates that relationship.3. Join the sentences4. If the clause is at the beginning of the

sentence, separate with a comma.

EX:

• President Putin wants to reassure all of the countries sending athletes to the Olympics. He has sent 80,000 troops to Scosi Russia.

• Which relationship: how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what condition

• Which subordinate conjunction would best fit

Example

Demonstrates whyBecause President Putin wants to reassure all of

the countries sending athletes to the Olympics , he has sent 80,000 troops to Scosi Russia