PHRASES AND CLAUSES
KINDS OF PHRASES
1. Adjectival clauses 2. Adverbial clauses. 3. Noun clauses.
Noun phrase: Look at the following sentences:
He has broken two of my best glasses.
Some of the mangoes were rotten.9
The italicized groups of words function like a noun. They are therefore noun phrases. A noun phrase answers the question what? He has broken what? Two of my best glasses.
Adjective phrase:
Look at the following sentence:
He sent me a basket full of mangoes.
Here, the group of words full of mangoes does the work of an adjective as it qualifies the noun a basket. It is therefore an adjective phrase.
Adverbial phrase:
Look at the following sentences:
He waited for him for along time.
You will find potatoes in all countries in all countries.
She sang like a nightingale.
The italicized groups of words do the work of adverbs as they modify the verbs. As such they are adverbial phrases. He waited how long? - for a long time.
for a long time is, therefore, an adverbial phrase of time. Similarly, in all countries is an adverbial phrase indicating place and like a nightingale is an adverbial phrase indicating manner.
CLAUSES: NOUN CLAUSE
Look at the following sentences:
I know his date of birth.
I know when he was born.
The group of words his date of birth is a noun phrase because it does the work of a noun here.
I know what?- his date of birth. It does not have a subject or a predicate of its own. In the second sentence, the group of words when he was born is a noun clause because it does the work of a noun here.
I know what ?- when he was born.
It is a clause because it has both a subject (he) and a predicate(was born).
It has been introduced by the word when.
I don't know what his name was.
He can tell you where his brother has gone.
Do you know when he will come.
I believe that he is honest.
Can you tell me who the principal here is?
I asked him why he was absent yesterday.
Tell me how you do it.
such words as what, where, that, etc. They are noun clauses because they all answer the question what?
A noun clause can be
(1) the object of a transitive verb:
John said that he was leaving soon.
Ask him why he broke that cup.
No one knows where he has
Tell me how much it costs.
Do you know when he left?
He refuses to tell us what he did with the money.
Do you know who has taken the book? We will do whatever is necessary.
(ii) the subject of a verb.
What you say may be right.
That he was present at the time of murder is known
police.
Whether he comes here or not is not my concern. Why he suddenly disappeared is a mystery.
How the train fell in to the river will never be known.
(ii) the object of a preposition:
Listen to what your teacher is saying.
Everything depends on how he behaves.
Let us talk about what we are going to do.
(iv) in apposition to a noun or a pronoun:
Your suspicion that he is a thief is not true. (noun clause in apposition to your suspicion).
The belief that all snakes are dangerous is a superstition.
It is hoped that you will do all the exercises. (noun clause in apposition to the pronoun it)
(v) the complement of a verb:
My fear is that he may fail. (complement of the verb is)
My constant prayer will be that you may do well in life. This is not what really happened.
That is where I used to eat in my bachelor days.
(vi) the object of a missing preposition:
I am certain that he is coming today.
The doctor is hopeful that the operation will be successful.
I am sure that he will return your money.
The boy is afraid that he might slip.
In all these sentences the prepositions necessary to connect the intransitive verb to the noun clause are absent.
I am certain that he is coming today.
I am certain about what? - That he is coming today.
This shows that the clause that he is coming today is an object of the (missing) preposition about and therefore a noun clause.
The missing prepositions in other sentences are, (hopeful) of, (sure) of, and (afraid) of.
ADJECTIVE CLAUSES
A clause which can take the place of an adjective in a sentence is called an adjective clause.
The man whom you saw just now is my uncle. (Which man?) The clause whom you saw just now qualifies the noun man and is therefore an adjective clause.
I have read the book that you gave me yesterday (which book?)
This is the place where I live. (which place?) I remember the day when I first met her. (which day?)
The reason why he disappeared is still not clear. (what
reason?)
As the examples above show, adjective clauses answer the question which person/thing?or what person/thing? The adjective may be introduced by relative pronouns, that, who, whose, whom, which or relative adverbs, where, when and why. For this reason, adjective clauses are also called relative clauses.
4. ADVERBIAL CLAUSES
If a clause can take the place of an adverb in a sentence, it is called an adverbial clause.
Examples
He came at five o'clock.
He came when I was getting ready to go. (came when? Adverbial clause indicating time).
In the first sentence at five o'clock is an adverbial phrase indicating time. In the second sentence, the clause when I was getting ready to go replaces the adverbial phrase and it indicates time. It is, therefore, an adverbial clause.
You can go wherever you like. (adverbial clause of place)
He worked hard so that he might pass. (adv. clause of
purpose) Similarly, there are adverbial clauses of reason, result, comparison, concession, manner, condition
Adverbial clauses of time.
Look at the following sentences:
1. He shouted for help when he saw the fire.
2. Come to me whenever you like.
3. Make hay while the sun shines.
4. Please wait till I come back.
5. As long as he was here, he was cheerful.
The portions italicized in the above sentences are all adverbial clauses of time. They either express a point of time or a period of time. The first sentence has the adverbial clause when he saw the fire which indicates a point of time. But in the third sentence the adverbial clause while the sun shines indicates a period or duration of time. The adverbia! conjunctions that introduce clauses of time are:
1. When, as, before, after, as soon as. (these indicate a point of time.)
2. While, till or until, since, as long as.(these indicate period of time.)
The adverbial clause of time can be placed either before or after the main clause. In sentence 3,the adverbial clause has come after the main clause. But in sentence 5,it comes in the beginning of the sentence.
Adverbial clauses of place. Look at the following sentences:
1. You can go wherever you like.
2. Put it where you can find it later.
3. Where there is a will, there is a way.
4. He takes his dog along wherever he goes.
These adverbial clauses refer to place. They are introduced by the adverbial conjunction where and wherever.
Adverbial clauses of manner.
Look at the following sentences:
1. Children speak as theirfathers do.
2. As you sow so shall you reap.
3. He spoke as well as he knew.
4. He behaved as if he were my boss.
5. He pretended as though he didn't know me.
The adverbial clauses of manner are introduced by the adverbial conjunction as, as if, though.
Adverbial clauses of purpose.
Look at the following sentences.
Soldiers die in order that others might live.
We celebrate birthdays of important persons so that their memory remains fresh.
Leave the party early lest you should reach home late.
The adverbial conjunctions introducing clauses of purpose
are, so that, in order that, lest.
Adverbial clauses of reason. Look at the following sentences:
You have missed your share because you are late.
As you are very late, you cannot take the examination. Now that you have apologized, I would let you go.
Since we can't live with honour, let's die fighting.
The adverbial clauses express reason or cause. They are
introduced by the adverbs because, as, since, now, that,
Adverbial clauses of result.
Look at the following sentences:
The minister spoke for such a long time that the people
began to leave.
There was so much rush at the cinema that we couldn't get a
ticket.
We were so busy that we forgot to take our lunch.
The adverbial clauses of result are introduced by the adverbial
conjunctions so...that, such... that.
Adverbial clause of comparison.
Look at the following sentences:
1. He can't run as fast as I can.
2. Cars are much easier to drive than trucks (are).
3. He hasn't won as many medals as his brother (has).
4. He is not as intelligent as he looks.
The clauses are introduced by the adverbial conjunctions as, so and than.
Adverbial clauses of concession.
Look at the following sentences:
Though he is poor, he is honest.
I will give you the money although you will never be able to
return it.
Even if she loves you, she won't marry you.
However hard you may try, you will not succeed.
Poor as she was, she wouldn't lose her honour. (here,as though).
Whatever you may say, I am not going to change my decision.
In spite of all I have done for him, he does not care for me.
These clauses are introduced by the adverbial conjunctions though, although, even if, as, however, whatever, in spite of.
Adverbial clauses of condition
Look at the following sentences:
(a) possible condition.
If I like a thing. I will buy it.
Unless it rains we will go for a picnic tomorrow.
He will work for you, provided that you pay him more.
All these sentences denote an open condition that can be fulfilled.
Such adverbial clauses are introduced by If, unless, in case, provided
(b) Imaginary condition.
if she were younger, I would marry her.
If I had wings, I would fly round the world in eighty
days.
These sentences express conditions which we don't expect to
be fulfilled. Hence they are called imaginary conditions.
(c) Impossible condition.
If I had gone to him, he would have helped me.
Had he tried, he could have passed.
These sentences express conditions that cannot be fulfilled
now.
They related to the past.