The Forms and Functions of Clauses in English

Verb Clauses, Noun Clauses, Adjective Clauses, and Adverb Clauses

© Heather Marie Kosur

Jun 22, 2009

Clauses are defined as grammatical structures that contain a subject and a predicate. The English language has four forms of clauses:

1. Verb clause
2. Noun clause
3. Adjective clause
4. Adverb clause

Each grammatical form of clause in English performs distinct grammatical functions. The following sections explain the forms and functions of clauses that both native speakers and ESL students must learn to fully and correctly construct sentences in English.

Verb Clauses

Verb clauses are defined as independent clauses formed by a subject and a predicate. For example, the following italicized clauses are examples of verb clauses:

• The puppy is barking.
• Did you take out the garbage?
• Wash your hands!

Verb clauses perform verbal functions. Verbal functions correspond to the forms of sentences in English: declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, and imperative sentences. The three verbal functions in English grammar are:

1. Declaration or statement (declarative sentence)
2. Question (interrogative sentence)
3. Command (imperative sentence)

All sentences contain at least one verb clause. Verb clauses are also referred to as main clauses.

Noun Clauses

Noun clauses are defined as subordinate clauses formed by a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause. The subordinating conjunctions in English that introduce noun clauses are that, Ø, if, whether, wh- words, and wh-ever words. For example, the following italicized clauses are examples of noun clauses:

• The library will send a bill to whoever damaged this book.
• Whether you will pay for the damage is not even a question.
• The judge has given that you behaved well after your arrest some consideration.

Noun clauses perform nominal functions, or functions prototypically performed by noun phrases. The eight main functions of noun clauses in English grammar are:

1. Subject
2. Subject complement
3. Direct object
4. Object complement
5. Indirect object
6. Prepositional complement
7. Adjective phrase complement
8. Appositive

For more information on the functions of noun clauses, please see The Eight Functions of Noun Clauses in English: The Nominal Functions of Subordinate Clauses in English Grammar and The Forms and Functions of Noun Clauses in English.

Noun clauses are also referred to as content clauses.

Adjective Clauses

Adjective clauses are defined as subordinate clauses formed by a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause. The subordinating conjunctions in English that introduce adjective clauses are who, whom, that, which, whose, when, and where. For example, the following italicized clauses are examples of adjective clauses:

• The woman that works in the bakery is my neighbor.
• The car you hit belongs to the man whose daughter is my classmate.
• The restaurant where you left you purse is known for its unique pasta dishes.

All adjective clauses perform the grammatical function of noun phrase modifier. Noun phrase modifiers are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that describe or modify a noun phrase. Adjective clauses are also referred to as relative clauses. The subordinating conjunctions that introduce adjective clauses are also called relative pronouns.

Adverb Clauses

Adverb clauses are defined as subordinate clauses formed by a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause. Some of the more common subordinating conjunctions in English that introduce adverb clauses include:

• after
• although
• because
• before
• even though
• if
• once
• since
• so that
• though
• unless
• until
• when
• whereas
• while

For example, the following italicized clauses are examples of adverb clauses:

• After she gave the baby a bath, she decided to take a nap.
• The girl cannot usually eat beef stew because she is allergic to carrots.
• The couple has been saving money so that they can go on a vacation.

All adverb clauses perform the grammatical function of adverbial. Adverbials are defined as words and phrases that modify an entire clause by providing additional information about concession, condition, manner, place, purpose, reason, result, and time.

The four forms of clauses in English are verb clause, noun clause, adjective clause, and adverb clause. Verb clauses perform three grammatical functions: declaration, question, and command. Noun clauses perform eight functions: subject, subject complement, direct object, object complement, indirect object, prepositional complement, adjective phrase complement, and appositive. Adjective clauses perform the single function of noun phrase modifier. Adverbs perform the single function of adverbial. Both native speakers and ESL students must learn the four grammatical forms of clauses and the grammatical functions of those clauses to correctly construct sentences in both spoken and written English.

Sources

Hopper, Paul J. A Short Course in Grammar. W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 1999.

Huddleston, Rodney. Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1984.

Noun Clause as Noun Phrase Complement

Noun Clause as Adjective Phrase Complement

Adverb Clause as Adverbial

Verb Clause as Declaration

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