grammar-clauses by eguriase s. m. okaka

Grammar: Clauses

By Eguriase S. M. Okaka A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. Examples • Sade slapped the boy. (subject) (predicate) • The teacher punished the erring student. (subject) (predicate) • A clause is a group of words. (subject) (predicate) A clause may be either a sentence (an independent clause) or a sentence-like construction within another sentence (a dependent clause). Examples • I saw him/while I was coming. • In order to pass his exams,/(Luke studies every night. • All animals are equal,/ but some are more equal than the others.. Note that a clause is a construction which contains a verb. An expression (construction) that contains no verb is regarded as a phrase. Examples of Phrases • the newly appointed minister • many drivers • a student in an examination hall at night • several students in the school Examples of Clauses • I am proud of you. • It is a tribute to your expertise. • We have toiled over the years. • Our critics now praise us. • We welcome you and your entourage. Exercise Read the following expression and write whether they are clauses or phrases. The first one has been done for you. 1. We were delayed for thirty days. (clause) 2. Because he has no money ------------------ 3. Nigeria must increase the allocation -------------------- 4. Posting of teachers is on merit -------------------- 5. He resigns ------------------ 6. The NURTW spokesman -------------------------- Types of Clauses There are two types of clauses: • Main clause • Subordinate clause The main clause is known as an independent clause. This clause can stand on its own and make sense. An independent clause is a simple sentence. (a simple sentence is a sentence containing one idea). Examples of Main clause (independent) • I can believe anything. • Freedom may be restored by force. • Freedom may never be recovered. The subordinate clause is also known as a dependent clause. It does not stand on its own and does not make sense until it is joined to a main clause. Examples • provided that it is quite credible • when liberty is taken away by force • when relinquished voluntarily If we merge the main and independent clauses above, we would have the following: • I can believe anything provided that it is credible. • When liberty is taken away by force, it can be restored by force. • Freedom may never be recovered when it is relinquished by force. Exercise Divide the following sentences into main clause and subordinate clause using MC or SC. • I can believe anything/ provided that it is quite credible. • Even though I cannot sing, I love music. • We want to thank you for being with us. • Before writing, study the question carefully. • Bala woke early because it was his birthday. • If you spit into the well, you will drink it back as water. Types of Subordinate Clauses Subordinate clauses are classified according to the form of verb they contain. • To-infinitive You must come early to supervise the workers. • Bare infinitive They made Ade lose the competition. • -ing participle The kidnapper’s trick is enticing children with biscuits. • -ed participle Neglected by the society, the poor can hardly survive. • If- clause If you pay, I will go. • That – clause I know that I will succeed. These main subordinate clauses are tested in examinations. These are: • Noun (Nominal) clause • Adjectival (Relative) clause • Adverbial clause Noun (Nominal) Clause Noun clauses perform the same functions in sentences as nouns. A noun clause is a dependent clause which relies on other parts of the sentence. Noun clause as the subject of the verb • What Joseph did shocked everyone. • That Joseph ran away from sin was greatly commended. • Whoever fails to plan is planning to fail. • The motion to remove the subsidy was rejected by Nigerians. • That a government will succeed depends on how much the people are considered. The verbs in the above sentences are shocked, was commended, is planning, was rejected, depends. The underlined words are like subjects of the various verbs. For example, the underlined words in the first sentence are noun clause and subject of the verb. Noun clause as object of a verb • He knew that the plan would fail. • He did not consider how many people died. • The dictator did not say why he did not want to leave power. • No one knows where Moses was buried. • We were not told when the examination would start. Reminder The object answers the question who or what after the verb. The signposts how, why, where, when in the sentences above did just that. They are not adverbials. Adverbials show manner, reason, place or time. • He knew what? • He did not consider what? • The dictator did not say what? • No one knows what? • We were not told what? Exercise The following underlined expressions are noun clauses. What is the function of each in the sentence? • Ade did not ask whether Ngozi could cook before he married her. • The judge remembered that he had seen the accused before. • What a boy of ten will do with N10 million is unclear to everyone. • The disease that the doctor diagnosed has no medical name. • We were not told how they would tackle the security issues. Noun clause as the object of a preposition • Shola did not listen to what his parents said. • Uwem wants to learn whatever can fetch her money. • Give the envelope to whoever you meet in the office. • Janet planned to stay with whoever would allow her to squat for the year. • The commander got wind of what the rebels were planning to do. Adjectival (Relative) clause An adjectival clause and a relative clause are the same thing. a) A relative clause must contain a verb in order to be called a clause. b) It will begin with a relative pronoun – who, whose, which, and that –or a relative adverb – why, where, when. c) It will function as an adjective answering the questions: • What kind? • How many? • Which one? d) It will follow a noun or a pronoun. e) It cannot stand on its own as a sentence but depends on another clause. Examples • The vegetables that people leave uneaten. • The children who are on the bus are going to visit the museum. • The church where my grandparents were married is old. • The man who wants the book is here. • The car that she is driving is not hers. • The book which I like is on the table. • The man whose wallet I found is not happy. • I will never forget the day when I graduated. • The building where I work is new. • He did not tell us the reason why he abandoned school. Defining Relative Clauses The defining (or restrictive) relative clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence it is in because it defines the subject by telling us which one or which person/thing we are talking about. • Which vegetable? • Which children? • Which church? • Which car? • Which man? a) The children that went on an excursion had arrived. b) These are the vegetables which I planted on my farm. c) The church which had just been completed is open for service. d) The man who lost his wife was given a huge charity. Non-defining relative clauses The defining (or restrictive) relative clause adds extra information to the person or thing in the main clause that was already sufficient and clear. Such extra information is not necessary to make sense of the sentence. Non-defining relative clauses are separated by comma from their main clause. Examples • Geometry, about which I know nothing, is a difficult subject. • Smoking, which is dangerous to health, is popular among Nigerians youths. • Mr. Ajibola, who has just been posted to the school, is a disciplinarian. • The scholarship, which we all eagerly await, has been put on hold. • The new teacher, who reported for duty only last month, has resigned his appointment. Exercise 1 Add the appropriate pronoun from the list to fill in the blanks in the sentences below. Why when where who whose which that • This is the house ----------------- my father build. • The fish ------------------ I ate yesterday taste bad. • I know the man ---------------stole the goat. • We did not remember the time ------------------ we started. • Sadia could not locate the book ------------------ she saw in the picture. • Can someone tell us the reason ------------------ we study English? Exercise 2 Identify the type and state the function of each of the underlined clauses in the following sentences. One has been done for you. That he is rich is a known fact. Answer: A noun clause functioning as the subject of the sentence. • She married John who is a good doctor. • The government wants to talk about whatever they can do to help the poor. • I didn’t hear what you said. • The man who won the award has arrived. • What he did was wrong. By Eguriase S. M. Okaka