In our previous
lesson, we discussed the relationships between phrase and its usage. Now we shall
discus extensively how clause relates with sentence.
Def: A clause is a
group of words that has a finite verb, when we say finite verb; we meant verbs
required to make words meaningful while constructing them to be a sentence.
Examples: if I say
‘there is a fire'
2.' in the bush. Here
in the second sentence, it is a phrase but once I joined the two groups of
words together; I bet we will have a rational meaning. Now let's try joining
them. OK!
'There is a fire in
the bush. Now we have formed a clause because its finite verb is IS. Other
examples are: I kept my pen under the bed. My mother gave me bouquet of
flowers. I hope we can all draw out the finite verbs in the above two examples?
Now let's move to the
next session which is to analyze the relationships between a clause and the
parts of speech. There are different forms of clause under the parts of speech,
but we are going to buttress the main ones which are mostly asked in your SSCE
examinations.
ADVERBIAL CLAUSE
Examples:
1. They rested at
sunset (rested when)
2. They rested when
evening comes. ( rested when)
Sentence 1 is an
adverbial phrase (at sunset) while sentence 2 is an adverbial clause.
Def: An adverbial
clause is a group of words that forms part of a sentence; it does the work of
an adverb and contains a subject and a predicate on its own.
Remember, we have
different types of adverb, which means a clause is applicable to each type.
Therefore, whenever you see a sentence with either adverbial phrase or clause, you
must relate it to its types.
N. B a clause has its
own subject and predicate which makes it to stand alone in most cases. If you
look at example 2 above, ' they rested when evening comes.
In this term' when
evening comes’ when evening is the subject while comes is the predicate.
Therefore, its grammatical name is ..... Adverbial clause of time while it functions
is...
It modifies the
verb.... What verb comes before the underlined clause? Correct! Rested.
More examples can be
found in the past questions, you can also check November WAEC, 2007.
ADJECTIVAL CLAUSE
Examples:
1. The umbrella with a
broken handle is mine. (Which umbrella)
2. The umbrella which
has a broken handle is mine.
Here, sentence 1 is an
adjectival phrase while sentence 2 is an adjectival clause.
Def: An adjectival
clause is a group of words that forms a part of a sentence; it does the work of
an adjective and contains a subject and a predicate on its own.
We know an adjective
qualifies a noun or a pronoun or an adjective which means it direct its focus
towards these parts of speech, in that case, we can say they are relating. This
is where relative clause comes in. We can say a relative clause is also an
adjectival clause because its tools are used for the same purpose. The relative
tools are: who which, whose, whom and so on. Therefore, sentence 2 in the above
example has a relative tool which is "which “because it shows the
relationship between the antecedent (noun or pronoun in the first part of the
sentence) and what is qualified in the second part of the sentence. Hope you
get my message?
Now let's go back to
the example again.
The umbrella which has
a broken handle is mine.
The grammatical name
is adjectival clause while its function is' it qualifies the noun .... What noun? Correct! Umbrella. You can as
well say its grammatical name is relative clause (due to its tools) while its
functions are... It qualifies the noun umbrella.
More examples are in
the past questions one of which is WAEC JUNE, 2010.
NOUN CLAUSE.
Examples:
1. I expect to get a
prize.
2. I expect that I
shall get a prize.
Here, sentence 1 is a
noun phrase while sentence 2 is a noun clause.
Def: A noun clause is a
group of words that forms part of a sentence; it does the work of a noun and
contains subject and a predicate on its own.
Noun clause as it implies
focus on the noun in the clause and shows the relationship between it and the
verb in the first part of a sentence. Most times, it is always in neutral form
such that when it occurs in a sentence, you won't see any related tools of
other clauses in it.
Example:
I expect that I shall
get a prize.
Its grammatical name
is a noun clause, while its function is the verb... What verb? Expect, good!
More examples can be
found in the past questions.
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