Clauses

Clauses

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What is a clause?

A clause is a group of words that consists of a subject and a predicate. There are two major types of clauses:

• Independent clauses
• Dependent clauses

Independent clauses

An indpendent clause, also called a main clause, is like a sentence. It consits of a subject and a predicate and can stand alone like a sentence.
Examples:

• She died last week
• He likes her.

Dependent clauses

A dependent clause, also called subordinate clause, has a subject and a verb but, unlike a dependent clause, it cannot stand alone as a sentence.

• because I am in love.
• that you lent me.
• who is over there.

Conditional Sentences

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Conditional Sentence Type 0

Conditional type zero is used to talk about general truths, scientific facts or things which always happen under certain conditions.

Form:

If + Simple Present, + Simple Present

Use:

The zero conditional is used to talk about things which are always true, scientific facts, general truths:
Examples:

If you cross an international date line, the time changes.
Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air.
If I wake up early, I go jogging.
NOTE: you can use "when" instead of "if".

Conditional Sentence Type 1

Often called the "real" conditional because it is used for real or possible situations. These situations take place if a certain condition is met. It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form:

If + Simple Present, + Simple Future

Use

Conditional Sentences Type 1 refer to the future. An action in the future will only happen if a certain condition is fulfilled by that time. We don't know for sure whether the condition actually will be fulfilled or not, but the conditions seems rather realistic – so we think it is likely to happen.
Example:

If I have enough time, I'll watch the football match.

I may have time to watch the match but I'm not sure about it.

Conditional Sentence Type 2

Often called the "unreal" conditional because it is used for unreal impossible or improbable situations. This conditional provides an imaginary result for a given situation. It is very unlikely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form:

if + Simple Past, + would + base verb

Were / Was

In conditional type 2, we usually use in the if clause "were" instead of "was" even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it. "were" here is a subjunctive form.
NOTE "was" is also a possible form.

Example:

If I were a millionaire, I would buy a castle.

Use

Conditional Sentences Type 2 refer to an action in the present that could happen if the present situation were different. I don't really expect the situation to change because it is very unlikely.

Example:

If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.

Conditional Sentence Type 3

It is impossible that the condition will be met because it refers to the past.

Form:

if + Past Perfect, + would + have + Past Participle

Use

Conditional Sentences Type 3 refer to situations in the past. They express hypothetical results to past given situations.

Example:

If he had been careful, he wouldn't have had that terrible accident.
Sometimes in the past, he was careless. He drove so fast. So he had a terrible accident

Things to remember

1. The main clause can also be at the beginning of the sentence. In this case, don't use a comma.

Examples:

"Phosphorus burns if you expose it to air."
" I will send her an invitation if I find her address."
" I would travel around the world if I had a million dollars."
"He wouldn't have had that terrible accident if he had been careful."

2. Main clause and/or if clause might be negative.

Example:

If I don’t see him this afternoon, I will phone him in the evening.
If he had been careful, he wouldn't have had an accident.

Relative Clauses

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What are relative clauses?

A relative clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or a noun phrase.
Example:

The man who is smoking is the murderer

The noun the man is modified by the relative clause who is smoking.
Relative clauses give essential information to define or identify the person or thing we are talking about.

How to use relative clauses

They are used to provide extra information. This information can either:

• define something (defining clause),
  Example:
  The girl who is standing there is a world champion in karate.
• or provide unnecessary, but interesting information (non-defining clause).
  Example:
  Michael Jackson, who was a famous singer, died of an overdose.

Relative clauses can be introduced by:

1. A relative pronoun: who, whom, which, that, whose.
   
   Example: "The man who is standing there is a famous writer."
   
   
2. A relative adverb: where, why and when.
   
   Example: " The restaurant where I have dinner is nice."
   
   
3. None of them.
   
   Example: "The man I met is extremely wealthy"

Relative Pronouns

who - subject or object pronoun for people

They caught the lady who killed her baby.

which - subject or object pronoun

I read the book which is on the table.
I visited the town which you told me about.

which - referring to a whole sentence

They were unsuccessful which is disappointing.

whom - used for object pronoun for people, especially in non-restrictive relative clauses (in restrictive relative clauses use who)

The boy whom you told me about got the best grades in mathematics.

that - subject or object pronoun for people, animals and things in restrictive relative clauses (who or which are also possible)

I like the vase that is over there.

Relative adverbs

where - referring to a place

The restaurant where I usually have dinner is nice.

when - referring to a time

There are times when I feel so lonely.

why - referring to a reason

This is why she refused the offer.

Subject Pronoun or Object Pronoun?

You can distinguish subject and object pronouns as follows:

• If the relative pronoun is not followed by a noun or pronoun, it is a subject pronoun. Subject relative pronouns can never be omitted (dropped.)
  Example:
  The apple which is lying on the table is sweet.
  The teacher who lives next door is nice.
  
  
• If the relative pronoun is followed by a noun or pronoun, the relative pronoun is an object pronoun. Object relative pronouns can be omitted (dropped) in restrictive (defining) relative clauses.
  Example:
  The film (which) we watched yesterday was fantastic.
  The writer (who/whom) we met last weekend is very famous.

Restrictive Relative Clauses

1. Restrictive (identifying or defining) relative clauses give detailed necessary information. They are not put between commas.

I know the man who is standing there

2. These clauses are often used in definitions.

A novelist is someone who writes novels.

3. Object pronouns in these clauses can be omitted (dropped.)

Example:
The boy (who/whom) we met yesterday is from New York.

Non-Restrictive Relative Clauses

Non- restrictive (non-identifying or non- defining) relative clauses give interesting additional information which is not necessary to the meaning of the sentence. These clauses are put between commas.

Example:
Martin Luther king, who was known for his fight for the civil rights, was assassinated in 1968.

Note:
In non restrictive relative clauses:
1. who/which may not be replaced with that.

Example:
Jim, who we met yesterday, is very nice.
NOT
Jim, that we met yesterday, is very nice.

2. Object relative pronouns cannot be dropped.

Example:
Jim, who we met yesterday, is very nice.
NOT
Jim,we met yesterday, is very nice.