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Sentences - Clauses PDF

The document explains the difference between clauses and phrases, highlighting that a clause contains a subject and a verb while a phrase does not. It also discusses the types of clauses, including main clauses that can stand alone and dependent clauses that cannot. Additionally, it provides examples and notes on the co-existence of clauses and phrases in sentences.

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14 views9 pages

Sentences - Clauses PDF

The document explains the difference between clauses and phrases, highlighting that a clause contains a subject and a verb while a phrase does not. It also discusses the types of clauses, including main clauses that can stand alone and dependent clauses that cannot. Additionally, it provides examples and notes on the co-existence of clauses and phrases in sentences.

Uploaded by

lindo.khumalo1402
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sentences -

Clauses
Clauses
A clause is a group of words in a sentence which contains a subject
and a verb.
The boy is playing.

• A clause might also contain an object along with the subject,


which makes it stand alone as a complete sentence.
• One of the easiest ways to distinguish between a clause and a
phrase is that a clause is a set of words that makes complete sense
and does not require any additional helping words to complete it.

A single sentence might have one clause like in the above example,
but there can exist a sentence which contains more than one clause
in it.

I looked everywhere but the cat was gone.

There are two clauses in the example. (I looked everywhere) + ( (the


cat was gone)`
Phrases

A phrase is a group of words in a sentence that


does not contain a subject and a verb.
 The part of the sentence that has the subject
and verb is the clause – the rest of it without the
subject and verb is a phrase.

On the wall, in the water, over the horizon

The above are examples of phrases because


they are void of a subject and verb.
Co-existence

 A clause and phrase may co-exist in a sentence:

He is playing in the field.

 Clause?
 Phrase?

 Clause = He is playing (because it has a subject


and a verb!)
 Phrase = in the field. (no subject or verb and
doesn’t make sense on its own)
REMEMBER YOUR FINITES
Remember that when AUXILIARY verbs join
ACTION verbs, they make FINITE verbs.

be, is, am, are, was, were, can, could, will, would,
may, might, have, had, do, does, did
Clause types

Dependent
clause

 Some clauses can  Other clauses


stand alone and cannot stand
make sense as a alone. They
sentence. The depend on the
have a subject main clause for
and a finite verb. their meaning.
These are called These are called
main clauses. dependent
clauses.
Main Clauses

 Stand alone
 Have subject & finite verb
 Make sense as sentence
Finite verb
Subject

Most newspapers have comic strips.

*Notice that the sentence makes complete


sense on its own and it has a finite verb.
Dependent Clauses

Most newspapers have comic strips which make


readers laugh.

 Thedependent clause can come before or after


the main clause
 I read a comic while I was waiting.
 While I was waiting I read a comic.
 Sometimes dependent clauses can come inside
the main clause
 Comics that make me laugh are hard to find.
 Sometimes there is a comma between the main
clause and the dependent clause.
 After Tom finished the comic, he gave it to me.
Exercise

 Recap by reading page 71 and complete


the exercise on page 72 in your Oxford
books.

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