Module 9 - Subordinate Clauses

Functions and Uses of That

'That' really gets around In English, the word that has a number of different grammatical functions. For this reason, it's especially important that you learn to tell the difference between the grammatical functions of that as a result of its location in different phrases and clauses. Functions of 'That' Demonstrative Pronoun When "that" is functioning as a demonstrative pronoun, it replaces the noun it refers to. - I want that. - That is a delicious cake. - How about that? Central Determiner As a central determiner, "that" locates in front of the head noun it specifies. - I want that book. - That cake is delicious. - How about that game? Subordinate Conjunction in a Noun Clause When it functions as a noun clause subordinate conjunction, it signals a completeness of meaning (complementizer) - He said that he wanted a book. - That the cake had too much salt was obvious. - One disappointment was that the game ended early. Subordinate Conjunction in a Relative Clause In the relative clause, "that" serves as a relativizer, connecting the modifying clause to the head noun it describes. - One cat that you adopted is six weeks old. - The pizza that we ordered was delivered unsliced. - Another place that we plan to visit is Paris.

Activity Page

1. I am almost finished. Adverb 2. You talk too fast. AdvP 3. This exam is so hard. Adverb 4. When we finish, it will be dawn. Adverbial Clause 5. Although I like you, I want to be alone. Adverbial Clause 6. My head hurts because I laughed too much. Adverbial Clause 7. Your sister's parakeet is my favorite since it does tricks. Adverbial Clause 8. They are seldom working when they should be. (seldom) Adverb; (when...be) Adverbial Clause 9. You will still have time after you get home. Adverbial Clause 10. My son eats too quickly. AdvP 11. This job is extremely difficult. Adverb 12. Atlanta is my favorite place even though I don't visit often enough. (even though ... enough) Adverbial Clause; (often enough) AdvP

Noun Clause Functions: 2. Direct Object

2. Direct Object Function Compare the location of the noun phrase with the location of the noun clause in the following sentences: Noun Phrase Direct Object: the weather. Noun Clause Direct Object: He reported that it was raining. You'll notice that both the noun phrase and the noun clause are located immediately following the main lexical verb and the main lexical verb is TRANSITIVE. Examples of Noun Clause Direct Objects: We know who has been eating the candy. Jaymon understands where he is going. They announced that the speaker was sick. ​Don't forget the "it" test to see if the subordinate clause is a noun clause: We know it. Jaymon understands it. They announced it. How to Identify a Noun Clause with Direct Object Function: To identify the noun clause functioning as a direct object, follow these steps: locate the subordinate conjunction locate the embedded subject and the embedded predicate in the noun clause look to see if the main lexical verb of the predicate precedes the noun clause is the main lexical verb transitive? Transitive Verbs that usually require a Noun Clause Direct Object: Some transitive verbs require a noun clause direct object. For example, "think and " "say," often take noun clauses as their complements (direct objects): -- I think that you are wrong. --He says that he will be late. Other transitive verbs that license noun clause direct objects are below: notice tell decide understand report announce believe feel see know explain hear

Noun Clause Functions 3. Prepositional Complement

3. Prepositional Complement Function Compare the location of the noun phrase with the location of the noun clause in the following sentences: Noun Phrase Prepositional Complement: We left with our things. Noun Clause Prepositional Complement: We left with what we had. You'll notice that the noun phrase "our things" and the noun clause "what we had" are both located in the same place: immediately following the preposition "with." Examples of Noun Clause Prepositional Complements: Roberta is concerned about what we said. Jennah returned to wherever she started. How to Identify a Noun Clause with Prepositional Complement Function: To identify the noun clause functioning as a prepositional complement, follow these steps: 1. locate the subordinate conjunction 2. locate the embedded subject and the embedded predicate in the noun clause 3. look to see if the noun clause immediately follows a preposition 4. ascertain whether or not the preposition and the noun clause are both parts of a prepositional phrase

Noun Clause Functions: 4. Subject Complement

4. Subject Complement Function Compare the location of the noun phrase with the location of the noun clause in the following sentences: Noun Phrase Subject Complement: His problem is his illness. Noun Clause Subject Complement: His problem is that he is ill. You'll notice that the noun phrase "his dad " and the noun clause "that he is ill" are both located in the same place: immediately following the main lexical verb: a form of to be, a process verb, or a perception verb (INTRANSITIVE VERBS). (in brown font in the examples below). Examples of Noun Clause Subject Complements: 1. My fear was whether she would be late. fear = (whether) she would be late 2. Their complaint seems to be that Tim is unfair. their complaint = (that) Tim is unfair 3. The argument became whether they could still go. the argument = (whether) they could still go How to Identify a Noun Clause with Subject Complement Function: To identify the noun clause functioning as a subject complement, follow these steps: 1. locate the subordinate conjunction 2. locate the embedded subject and the embedded predicate in the noun clause 3. look to see if the noun clause immediately follows the main verb (a to be verb, a process verb, or a perception verb) 4. ascertain if the noun clause refers back to and completes the meaning of the subject. Are they co-referential?

Review: Structure of Subordinate Clauses

A. Review of Clause Structure Before you start working in this module on the special types of subordinate clauses in English, take a minute to review the basics of clause structure. A clause consists of a subject and a predicate. The predicate tells you something about what the subject is or what the subject is doing. B. Subordinate Conjunctions and their effect on Clause Structure All clauses are not complete sentences, however. The addition of the subordinate conjunction creates a loss of meaning and a sense that the speaker or writer's thought is incomplete. Clearly more information is needed. To avoid confusion, the subordinate clause needs to connect to a complete sentence. C. Combining Clauses to form Complex Sentences A subordinate clause can never stand alone as a sentence because it is an incomplete thought. When a subordinate clause is linked to a complete sentence, the resulting form is called a complex sentence. Notice that the subordinate clause can be placed either at the end or the beginning of the main clause.

Adverbial Clause Meanings and Uses

Adverbial clauses express a number of different meanings. Several of these are listed below with example sentences. Time, Duration, Sequence 1. When I see that, I get angry. 2. The bridge was icy until the sun shone. 3. After this is over, we'll all be relieved. Simultaneous Actions 1. While you were out, your sister called. 2. Trousers can be altered while you wait. 3. We watched the movie while you were sleeping. Place 1. Wherever we go, our little sister follows. 2. I will go where you go. 3. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Manner 1. She behaved as if she knew something. 2. I ran as though my life depended on it. 3. Say it this time like you mean it. Causality 1. I love you because you are so sweet. 2. Since you are already up, get me a drink. 3. As long as you are here, you may as well stay. Item 2 shows "since" with a causal meaning, but "since" can also be used to express time: Since you lost your job, you have seemed sad. Condition 1. If you were my kid, I would be proud. 2. In case you didn't know, that is my car over there. 3. Even if it snows, we will be there. Concession 1. Even though I studied, I didn't make enough effort. 2. Although the dress was too orange, it did look good on you. 3. I liked the cake although you were the one who made it. Adverbial clauses of concession usually indicate the speaker is conceding or agreeing with what is evident. Contrast 1. Rather than you lose this money, you should put it in the bank now. 2. Although we eat enough, we are always hungry. 3. Even though we slept for hours, we were still tired. Adverbial clauses of contrast generally express the speaker's acknowledgment that something is counter to their understanding, expectation, or preference.

Adverbial Clauses

Any clause that behaves like an adverb. Adverbial functions is to modify a verb, giving further information about the action, such as time, place, manner, or reason.

Shared Subordinate Conjunctions

Distinguishing between the three types of subordinate clause can be difficult because many of them share the same subordinate conjunctions. Since the form of a noun clause or relative clause is identical, the only way to tell the difference is by location of the clause in the main sentence. Table 1 shows the subordinate conjunctions shared by noun clauses and relative clauses. The subordinate conjunctions that are shared by both noun clauses and relative clauses are in the first column; those that are exclusive to noun clauses are in the second; the third column shows "whose" which occurs in relative clauses only. Table 2 shows the internal structure of the relative clause. Note the differences between the noun clause structure and the relative clause structure. Table 1: Table of Shared Subordinate Conjunctions http://ple.odu.edu/courses/202010/engl350/uuid/e45c0f6280c12c6f5fdf5b7c03f7149c08fffa57b781078f615c5831e98d32f38437b409/_assets_/table_of_noun_and_relative_clause_subordinators.pdf Table 2: Table showing the Internal Structure of the Relative Clause http://ple.odu.edu/courses/202010/engl350/uuid/eb24f0ed0092ab0478b25c2b7463885045ea782d387e9a321a7dc9a5c94f8cc15a4360e5/_assets_/dependent_clause_structure_relative_clause_table_(15r).pdf

Examples of Adverbial Clauses as Modifiers

Examples of Adverbial Clauses as Modifiers As with adverbs and adverb phrases, adverbial clauses can modify other parts of speech. Most frequently, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs; and since adverbial clauses function as adverbs, they are able to modify the same lexical categories. Modifying verbs: 1. I tripped after my shoe came untied. 2. We left as the sun came up. 3. He lost the match although he practiced. Adverbial Clauses that modify adjectives and adverbs are often comparative clauses. Modifying adjectives: 1. You are taller than my sister is. 2. My room is as comfortable as it is stylish. 3. This tie looks more blue than the first one does. Modifying adverbs: 1. I ran faster than my teammates did. 2. They fell further than I did. 3. We ate more quickly than you ate.

Extraposition of Noun Clause Subjects

Extraposition and Noun Clauses Lengthy noun clause subjects are not favored in many styles of writing and speaking. One reason is that the syntactic arrangement sounds awkward to most speakers since it creates a heavy subject. Most styles of English prefer end-weight or end-focus sentences. To counter such awkward arrangement, the noun clause is extraposed. This means the clause is shifted to the end of the sentence and the neuter pronoun "it" is used as the subject. The use of "it" as the subject when the noun clause is moved to the end of the sentence is referred to extraposition. Noun Clause Subject: That you are my daughter is evident. If he makes this point decides the match. That workers wear masks has been suggested. Extraposed Noun Clause: It is evident that you are my daughter. It decides the match if he makes this point. It has been suggested that workers wear masks.

Finite vs. Nonfinite Verbs

Finite vs. Nonfinite Verbs Besides classifying verbs by their status as primary or secondary, we can go even further and describe them by their freedom of movement. Freedom of movement refers to whether or not the verb form can move outside of the predicate and function as something other than a verb. Primary verbs are finite. Finite means they are restricted to one location: the predicate. To see how this works, let's consider the verb "eat." - Present tense (plain form): eat - Present tense (3rd person singular: eats - Past tense (irregular paradigm): ate English restricts these three forms of the verb "to eat." They can only function as lexical verbs in the predicate. They can't move into a noun phrase and function as an adjective or as a noun; for example: eat pizza *a big juicy eat *an ate lunch Secondary verbs are nonfinite. Nonfinite means they have flexibility of location. They can move outside of the predicate and function as a noun or as an adjective. Consider the secondary forms of "to eat": - Past Participle: eaten - Gerund & Present Participle: eating The past participle {-en} can be a main lexical verb; for example, His lunch was eaten by someone else, but it can also function adjectivally when located in the pre-modifier position of a noun phrase: He refused the half eaten lunch. The present participle {-ing} form "eating" can be a main lexical verb: I am eating. But the present participle can move out of the predicate and function like a noun: Eating is necessary.

Adverbial Clause Functions

Functions of Adverbial Clauses - Can modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs - Often can be interpreted as "modifying" the entire main clause. 1. He drove as if he were a NASCAR driver. (modifies the verb "drove") 2. She felt hungrier than she had at lunch. (modifies the adjective "hungrier") 3. The tenor sang loud as he could. (modifies the flat adverb "loud") 4. Although I feared the worst, I was wrong. (modifies the main clause "I was wrong") Typically are Adjuncts - Adjuncts provide added information about the situation in the main clause, but that information is not required for the main clause to be grammatical. 1. We watched a movie while the baby slept. 2. Before you leave, you need to do the dishes. 3. Bring me some water since you are up. 4. If you had been on time, you could have eaten with us. How to tell if an Adverbial Clause is functioning as an Adjunct to the Main Clause Move to the Beginning or End of the Sentence To test whether or not an adverbial clause is an adjunct, move it to the beginning or end of the sentence. If it can be moved to before or after the main clause without loss of meaning, it is an adjunct to the main clause. After we eat, let's go home. Let's go home after we eat. Omit the Adverbial Clause Completely A second test is to omit the adverbial clause completely. If the main clause still conveys meaningful information, the clause is an adjunct. Let's go home after we eat. Let's go home after we eat. See if the Adverbial Clause Adds Information A third test is to determine whether or not the adverbial clause adds information about time, place, manner, cause, condition, or concession. Let's go home after we eat. Let's go home. When? After we eat.

Grammatical Case and Relative Pronouns

Grammatical Case of Relative Pronouns Although only "whom" and "whose" are morphologically marked to show case, other relative pronouns also express case. Examples of Relative Pronouns and their Grammatical Case Nominative (subject) case: He is the guy who fixed my lunch. "who" is nominative case *Also uses "which" Accusative (object) case: For whom did you leave this note? "whom" is accusative case *Also uses "which" Genitive (possessive) case: Call the man whose wife died. "whose" is genitive case Locative Case (grammar varies depending on type of subordinate clause) This is the hospital where I was born. "where" expresses place Temporal Case (grammar varies depending on type of subordinate clause) Do you remember the day when we got married? "when" expresses time

Relative Clauses

Helps to describe or identify a noun phrase.

Misplaced Relative Clauses

Misplaced Modifiers As you've learned so far this semester, the location of a form inside a phrase or clause gives the form its grammatical function. So in order for a relative clause to modify the head noun, it must follow that head noun. If the relative clause changes location, it's no longer modifying the noun. A relative clause in the wrong place is one type of misplaced modifier. A misplaced relative clause results in structural ambiguity, and that ambiguity leads to confusion and sometimes, humor. Even if the reader can figure out the message, the syntax is often awkward and difficult to follow. Study the following misplaced relative clauses (subordinate conjunction + embedded subject + embedded predicate) and their corrected location behind the head noun they modify: - *An objection was raised at the meeting that I thought was unfair. - An objection that I thought was unfair was raised at the meeting. - *An issue will be discussed at Friday's meeting that you should find interesting. - An issue that you should find interesting will be discussed at Friday's meeting. - *The author was honored at a luncheon who was lecturing on unhealthy food. - The author, who was lecturing on unhealthy food, was honored at a luncheon. - *For Christmas, I gave gifts to all my friends that I bought with my winnings. - For Christmas, I gave gifts that I bought with my winnings to all my friends.

That or which?

Most speakers don't distinguish between when it is prescriptively correct to use "that" or "which" in a relative clause, but you may be surprised at what is considered prescriptively incorrect. Prescriptive rule favors "that" for restrictive relative clauses (those that are required for meaning) and "which" for nonrestrictive uses: Prescriptively Correct: I have reasons that I can't go into. According to the prescriptive rules, this sentence would be incorrect grammar: Prescriptively Incorrect: *I have reasons which I can't go into. Traditionally, which is to be reserved for nonrestrictive relative clauses (relative clauses that are added for extra information but that are not required for the full meaning of the noun): Prescriptively Correct: There are problems, which is not good.

Differentiating Noun Clauses and Relative Clauses

Noun Clauses and Relative Clauses as Prepositional Complements Noun clauses and relative clauses both function as prepositional complements, and both of them share many of the same subordinate conjunctions. As you'll see in the last part of this module, some of those same subordinate conjunctions are also shared by adverbial clauses. So how do you know if the prepositional complement is a noun clause or a relative clause? It's actually very simple. Start by looking at some examples of noun clauses functioning as prepositional complements: Examples of Noun Clause Prepositional Complements: - She has voted for who she wants. - Roberta is concerned about what we said. - Jennah returned to wherever she started Examples of Relative Clause Prepositional Complements: - The man with whom you spoke earlier has called again. - The river along which we run is polluted. - The park from where we began hiking is two miles south. Differentiating Between Noun Clause and Relative Clause Prepositional Complements Grammar is formed through patterns and choices. To distinguish noun clauses from relative clauses that function as prepositional complements in the prepositional phrase, simply look at the pattern. In other words, look at the form in front of the preposition: Noun Clause: She has voted for who she wants. Relative Clause: The man with whom you spoke earlier has called again. If the subordinate clause prepositional complement is a noun clause, the preposition will be preceded by a verb. On the other hand, if the subordinate clause is a relative clause, the form in front of the preposition will be a noun. The patterns to look for are: Noun Clause Prepositional Complement: Verb + Preposition + Noun Clause Relative Clause Prepositional Complement: Noun + Preposition + Relative Clause In each pattern, the verb and noun precede a prepositional phrase which has one of the subordinate clauses as prepositional complement.

Distinguishing If-Clauses

Noun clauses and Adverb clauses can both take "if" as the subordinate conjunction. Because the clause forms are identical, the only way to distinguish whether or not the clause is nominal or adverbial is to analyze its location. If-Clause as a Noun Clause The "if" subordinate conjunction is a complementizer in the noun clause. This means its purpose is to connect the meaning in the noun clause to the rest of the predicate. Here's an example of a noun clause with "if" as the subordinate conjunction: I wonder if we can get fries with that. In the example above, the noun clause "if we can get fries with that" functions as the direct object of the verb "wonder." We can test for a noun clause by substituting the pronoun "it" or "this": I wonder it. I wonder this. What does the speaker wonder? "if we can get fries with that" If-Clause as an Adverbial Clause The subordinate conjunction "if" in the adverbial clause may be located before a verb or behind it, but the clause will never function as the direct object. Instead, the if-clause adverbial clause will have more flexibility of location than the noun clause will. For example, the adverbial "if" clause can be located at the beginning of the main clause or at its end: If we get home early, I want to fix dinner. I want to fix dinner if we get home early. It can also be deleted without a loss of main clause meaning: I want to fix dinner if we get home early The noun "if" clause does not have the same flexibility. Moving it before the main clause results in awkward syntax: ?If we can get fries with that I wonder.

Noun Clauses

Noun clauses occur as subjects, direct objects, and complements.

Who or Whom?

One prescriptive choice that is rapidly becoming obsolete among speakers is the distinction between who and whom. The use of "who" and "whom" dates back to the earliest periods of English. That is why the two forms have two different grammatical functions, and it is also why those distinctions are less important in Present Day English than they were before the 11th century. In the Old English inflected system, word order was less important because the inflection carried the grammatical information. "Whom" is the inflected dative (indirect object) case form of "who," the nominative (subject) case form. With a highly flexible and varied word order, the distinction between "who" and "whom" was an important one for understanding. But since English no longer is a fully inflected grammar system, it doesn't affect meaning whether we say who or whom. "Who" is sufficiently clear for us to understand. So what does that mean for prescriptive choices today? Very simple. If you need to speak or write in a formal register, be sure to make the following distinctions: - The person whom I saw was taller. The transitive verb 'saw' requires an accusative (direct object) case pronoun: I saw whom. - The person who wrote this is Max. "Person" is the subject of the clause, so the relative clause requires a nominative (subject) case pronoun: person who wrote...

Whose

Prescriptive Rule for Whose Earlier you learned that for strict prescriptionists, the relative pronoun "whose" was prohibited for non-human nouns. The roots of this prescriptive rule also run deeply into older forms of English. Once the exclusive meaning of "whose" was:of whom, belonging to whom, or what person (Oxford English Dictionary). This prohibition is less strict now, and it's very easy to find many respected publications using "whose" for animals and non-animate nouns. Regardless, some persons who were educated in the 1940s to early 1960s continue to apply the rule, especially when using a more formal register. Prescriptive Rule prohibits: - *The car whose tires are flat is over there. - *the dog whose toys are missing - *The mirror whose frame is broken fell again. Common Usage allows each of the above.

Choosing Relative Pronouns

Pronoun choice demonstrates the conflict between prescriptive, traditional rules of grammar and common usage or dialect grammar. Even speakers who feel confident they are speaking according to prescriptive rules, may find that in reality, they are using a grammar more aligned with casual usage. Look at the following traditional grammar rules for relative pronoun choice: Things: that, which People: that, who, whom, whose Notice that "whose" is not allowed for animals or things under the traditional rule of pronoun choice. More on that rule on a later page in this topic. The prescriptive rules for selecting which relative pronoun to use are even more restrictive than the categories for things and people above. There is often no linguistic or grammatical reason why one relative pronoun should be prescriptively correct. In common usage and casual speech, certain relative pronouns are used interchangeably.

Relative Clauses as Prepositional Complements

Relative Clauses Functioning as Prepositional Complements The neighborhood in which we live has too many noisy dogs. Notice here that the preposition "in" is connected to the relative clause "which we live." As the prepositional complement, the relative clause completes the meaning and purpose of the preposition "in." Next, look at the full noun phrase (below), but this time notice that the prepositional phrase is located inside a noun phrase and functions as the post-modifier of the head noun "neighborhood": Noun Phrase: the neighborhood in which we live Head of the NP: neighborhood Determiner: the Post-Modifier: in which we live (Prepositional Phrase) Prepositional Phrase: in which we live Prepositional Complement: which we live (Relative Clause) You learned earlier that an important function of the relative clause is to modify the head noun it follows; it accomplishes the same function from inside the Prepositional Phrase because the relative clause is still post-modifying the noun: neighborhood in which we live One way to test the relative clause as modifier of the head noun is to move the fronted preposition to the end of the sentence: neighborhood which we live in

Restrictive vs Nonrestrictive Relative Clauses

Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive Relative Clauses Relative clauses that modify a head noun are sometimes necessary to complete the full meaning of the head noun, but other times they provide useful extra information that can be omitted. These differences are specific to relative clauses. Relative clauses that are required for full meaning of the head noun are called obligatory or essential relative clauses. Other relative clauses add optional, nonessential information about the head noun. However, they are not required for full meaning, so they can easily be omitted. Obligatory or essential relative clauses are called restrictive, and optional or nonessential relative clauses are called nonrestrictive relative clauses. Comparison of Restrictive vs. Nonrestrictive Relative Clauses The following sentences show the meaning differences between restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses. Restrictive: My daughter who is a doctor visited me. (meaning: I have more than one daughter, and the one who's a doctor visited.) Nonrestrictive: My daughter, who is a doctor, visited me. (meaning: my daughter visited me, and she also happens to be a doctor.) In Example 1, the speaker uses the restrictive relative clause to show that she has more than one daughter, and the one that is a doctor is the one who visited. In other words, the information provided by the relative clause is essential for full meaning. The relative clause restricts the scope of the noun "daughter." In Example 2, the nonrestrictive clause provides extra information, but it is not essential to the full meaning of the sentence. One way to test for whether or not the clause is nonrestrictive is to connect it to the main clause by a conjunction: My daughter visited me, and she is a doctor. Punctuating Relative Clauses Nonrestrictive Clauses Because nonrestrictive relative clauses are not essential to the understanding of the main clause, they are set apart by commas. 1. Simmons, who is an expert player, won. 2. We went to Sweden, which was delightful. 3. I made Spanish rice, which is my best dish. Restrictive Clauses Restrictive clauses are never separated by commas. Relative Clauses beginning with "that" are always restrictive, so when "that" is the subordinate conjunction, it should never follow a comma. Correct: I missed the train that departs at 7:00 daily. Incorrect: *I missed the train, that departs, at 7:00 daily Correct: My mom drives a car that burns oil. Incorrect: *My mom drives a car, that burns oil.

Who or Which?

Similar distinctions are made for the relative pronouns "who" and "which." According to prescriptive rules, "which" and "who" are not interchangeable. Further, the prescriptive rules require that who and which both be reserved for nonrestrictive uses. So if we follow the prescriptive rules, we would do this: - There are people that gamble too much. - A plant that needs very little water is a succulent. The following are considered prescriptively incorrect: - *There are people who gamble too much. - *A plant which needs very little water is a succulent.

Interactive Quiz

Subject - What you implied about him was hilarious Direct object - I thought that we could go to Florida Subject compliment - The question is if she is willing to relocate Preposition complement - I will agree with whatever you say

Modifier of a Head Noun Function (B)

The Function of Relative Clauses in the Prepositional Phrase To understand the function of the relative clause in a Prepositional Phrase (PP), it's important to first review some basics from previous lessons. As you learned in Module 3, the Noun Phrase can be as simple as one noun head: dogs are barking Or a noun phrase can include the head and dependents in the form of determiners, pre-modifiers, and post-modifiers: A couple of my neighbor's four dogs are barking under my window In Module 6, you learned that a noun phrase is often the complement of the preposition in a prepositional phrase: under my window However, you also learned earlier in this module that a noun phrase is not the only form that can fill the prepositional complement function. A subordinate clause can also function that way. The noun clause functions as a prepositional complement, but the relative clause does too. You will learn how to tell them apart in subsequent pages, but first go to the next page to see how the relative clause still modifies a head noun from inside the prepositional phrase.

Identifying Noun Clause Structure

The form of the noun clause can be understood by more closely examining its structure; i.e., the internal organization of the clause constituents or members. Click on the link below for a table showing the internal structure of the noun clause. Note: how and however are not in the table below; regardless, "how" and "however" are sometimes used in certain dialects as noun clause subordinate conjunctions, but their use is less prototypical than the subordinate conjunctions in this table. Noun Clause Structure: http://ple.odu.edu/courses/202010/engl350/uuid/fb842da12177e00713fe6202be3ece747e79af0b025fbdc7d1591895397b189bb3e455ff/_assets_/noun_clause_structure_table.pdf

Modifier of a Head Noun Function (A)

The primary grammatical function of the relative clause is to modify the head noun that it follows. In that sense, the relative clause functions the same way as an adjective in postposition behind the noun. In the following examples, the relative clause is located directly behind the head noun it modifies (Module 5). You will also notice that the use of "who" and "which" as restrictive (required for meaning) relative pronouns demonstrates common usage, not hyperformal prescriptive rules. Relative Clause as Modifier of Head Noun Ex 1: We saw the bird that Talia found. Main clause: We saw the bird [...] Rel Cl: that Talia found "that Talia found" modifies Head Noun "bird" Ex. 2: I photographed a cat which we saw in a tree. Main clause: I photographed a cat [...] Rel cl: which we saw in a tree "which we saw in a tree" modifies Head noun "cat" Ex. 3: The hot dogs that we cooked are still raw. Main clause: The hot dogs [...] are still raw Rel Cl: that we cooked "that we cooked" modifies head noun "hot dogs" Ex. 4: The woman whom you suspected was arrested. Main clause: The woman [whom you suspected] was arrested. Rel cl: whom you suspected "whom you suspected" modifies Head Noun "woman" Ex. 5: Jon, whose painting won first place, was invited to New York. Main Clause: Jon was invited to New York. Rel cl: whose painting won first place "whose painting won first place" modifies "Jon"

Introduction to the Adverbial Clause

The third type of subordinate clause is the adverbial clause. Adverbial clauses (sometimes referred to as adverb clauses) function the same way adverbs do. As with the adverbs, many of the adverbial clauses express time, place, or manner (how something is done). The examples below show how an adverbial clause can replace an adverb in the main clause: Adverb: Meet me afterwards. Adverbial Clause: Meet me after you leave work. Notice that the adverbial clause "after you leave work" contains the subordinate conjunction "after" followed by the embedded subject "you" and the embedded predicate "leave work." This is the same structure present in the noun clauses and the relative clauses. For more details about the form of adverbial clauses, go to the next page.

Functions of Noun Clauses

This topic covers four noun clause functions: - Subject - Direct Object - Prepositional Complement - Subject Complement (one of the two types of Predicative Complement) Subject Function Compare the location of the noun phrase with the location of the noun clause in the following sentences: Noun Phrase Subject: The sun rises each morning. Noun Clause Subject: That the sun rises each morning is true. You'll notice that the noun phrase "the sun" and the noun clause "that the sun rises each morning" are both located in the same place: immediately before the main lexical verb (in parenthesis below). Examples of Noun Clause Subjects: That we misjudged him (is) embarrassing. Whatever you spilled (needs) to be wiped up. Whether he can sing well (seems) important. How to Identify a Noun Clause with Subject Function: To identify the noun clause functioning as a subject, follow these steps: 1. locate the subordinate conjunction 2. locate the embedded subject and the embedded predicate in the noun clause 3. look to see if the main verb of the predicate follows the embedded predicate in the noun clause 4. omit the noun clause and read the predicate aloud...is it missing its subject?

Nonfinite Noun Clauses

Types of Nonfinite Noun Clauses You may recall from Module 4 Verbs and Verb Phrases, that verbs can be classified as finite or nonfinite. Because the secondary verb forms (nonfinite verbs) have "freedom of movement in or out of the predicate," some of them can function as nonfinite noun clauses and locate where nouns and noun phrases can locate (to function the same ways grammatically). Before reading further, open the following link for a table of the Secondary Verb Forms pertinent to a discussion of nonfinite noun clauses: NonFinite Verbs as Noun Clauses Gerund as Noun Clause Because the secondary verb form gerunds can locate outside of the predicate where they function as nouns, they are said to be noun clauses by analogy; that is, the full noun clause is reduced to a gerund form: - They recommend that you swim. (noun clause) - They recommend swimming. (gerund as noun clause) "To Infinitive" as Noun Clause There is one more verb form that can be said to have freedom of movement: the "to infinitive." Look at the examples of "to infinitives" functioning as nouns in the following sentences: - To be or not to be is the question. - To sleep this late is embarrassing. - She likes to sing. ​Notice that in examples 1 and 2 the "to infinitive" verb forms take a subject function. In example 3, the "to infinitive" verb is functioning as the direct object of the transitive verb "likes." As with gerunds, to-infinitives are said to function as noun clauses through analogy as in the following examples: - I wonder when we should start (noun clause) - I wonder when to start. (to infinitive as noun clause) "Bare Infinitive" as Noun Clause Verbs such as hear, see, watch, help, let, or make often require a following "bare infinitive" nonfinite noun clause; that is, a plain form verb, one in which the "to" has been omitted. Here are two examples: - I let the candle burn out. What did you let the candle do? (to) burn out - The kids will help make breakfast. What will the kids help do? (to) make breakfast

Zero Relative Pronoun

Understanding the Zero Relative Pronoun in a Relative Clause One of the variations allowed in the system of English grammar is the ability to omit or ellipt certain morphemes or words in contexts where they would be understood. In Module 3, you learned about the zero plural marker: sheep (plural) sheep (singular) moose (plural) moose (singular) And the zero central determiner head when no visible central determiner appears: predeterminer: a flock of geese post determiner: ten children Omitting words in grammatical clauses is sometimes referred to as "reducing" the clause. In Module 4, you learned that we can sometimes omit the noun phrase direct object in certain clauses where the context is clear: My dad cooks for the Jeffersons. ⇒ My dad cooks meals for the Jeffersons. I iron every morning before work. ⇒ I iron my clothes every morning before work. English allows zero relative pronouns serving as place holders for the ellipted subordinate conjunction (relative pronoun) in relative clauses: I gave gifts I bought with my winnings. ⇒ I gave gifts that I bought with my winnings. The man you saw is my dad. ⇒ The man whom you saw is my dad. The day you and I met. ⇒ The day when you and I met.

Introduction to Noun Clause Form

What is a Noun Clause? A noun clause is any subordinate clause that functions exactly the way a noun or other nominal* would. In the following examples, the nominals are in parenthesis: - Noun Phrase: (The cats) are meowing loudly. - Gerund (verbal noun): (Meowing) is annoying. - Noun Clause: (That the cats are meowing loudly) is annoying. Each nominal (noun phrase or noun clause) functions as the subject of the main clause in our examples. We know each nominal is functioning as the subject for two reasons: - The nominal precedes the main lexical verb - The predicate tells us something about the nominal Noun Clause Forms In order to know if we have a noun clause or another type of subordinate clause, we need to learn which subordinate conjunctions can locate at the beginning of the embedded subject and embedded predicate to form. Noun Clauses will begin with one of these subordinating conjunctions: 1. Complementizer** whether if that 2. Wh-subordinator who (m) what when where why how And any of the wh-subordinators above paired with -ever; for example: whoever, whomever, wherever, whatever, etc.

Introduction to Relative Clause Forms

What is a relative clause? Relative clause is one name for a type of subordinate clause that functions adjectivally. That means that the relative clause can function much the way an adjective functions: to modify or describe a noun. Relative clauses have a number of different names: adjective clause, adjectival clause, and modifying clause are three common ones. Unlike noun clauses, relative clauses only have two main grammatical functions: - post modifier of a noun - main clause complement Example: The dress that I wore Sunday is at the cleaners. dress: head noun that I wore Sunday: relative clause post-modifying the head noun "dress"

Subordinate Conjunctions for Adverbial Clauses

When? Time, Duration, Sequence, Simultaneous Action when, before, after, since, until, during, while Where? Place where, wherever How? Manner as(if) as though, like Why? Causality because, since What? Condition if, even if, in case What? Concessional though, even though, What? Contrast despite, in spite of, rather than Noun clause and relative clause subordinate conjunctions are single words; adverbial clause subordinate conjunctions can be more than one word. For the internal structure of adverbial clauses, click on the link: http://ple.odu.edu/courses/202010/engl350/uuid/2ac41c08070136e89fac51fcb901c5719ed07b1cfb3a4a7c08fca3fe156168543a8c5de9/_assets_/dependent_clause_structure_adverbial_clauses.pdf