Subordinate clauses in English cause and effect. Types of subordinate clauses in English

Additional subordinate clauses ( Object Clauses)
Additional subordinate clauses serve as a direct (less often prepositional) complement to a verb or adjective in main sentence. Additional clauses are connected to the main clause:

• unions that, if, whether:

Do you doubt that I can do it? - Do you doubt What I can do that?
Doyouknowif anychanges have been made in your time-table? - Don't you know there were whether have there been any changes to our schedule?
IN colloquial speech union that After verbs and adjectives, as a rule, it is omitted:
I suppose (that) he’ll be there. - I assume he will be there.

• what,who,whom,which,whose:

Idon'tknowwhat youare talking about. - I don't know, about what you say.
I've forgotten whom I gave the book. - I forgot, to whom I gave the book.

• connecting adverbs when,where,how, howwhy:

Iwonderwhy hehasn’ttcome. - Interesting, Why He did not come.
Do you remember where he lives? - Do you remember, Where he lives?
If a connecting word is combined with a preposition, the latter is placed at the end of the subordinate clause:
Ican'tunderstand,what you are laughing at. - I can not understand, above what you're laughing.

• in a non-union way. In this way, additional subordinate clauses are always introduced to the main sentence expressed in words Iwish. In this case, the verb in the subordinate clause is used in the conditional or subjunctive mood:

I wish it was summer now. - It's a pity that it's not summer now.
I wish I hadn't gone there. - It was in vain that I went there.

In colloquial speech, non-union additional subordinate clauses are widely used after various verbs and adjectives:
I hope you are ready now. - I hope you're ready now.
I’m glad you’re with us again. - I'm glad you're with us again.

In additional subordinate clauses after verbs of will, the subjunctive mood with an auxiliary verb is used should:
The family decided that the elder son should become a lawyer. - The family decided that the eldest son should become a lawyer.

Predicate in additional clauses joined by conjunctions when And if, can be expressed by a verb in any future tense:
I don’t know when he will come. - I don't know when he will come.
I don’t know if he’ll be meeting you. - I don't know if he will meet you.

Determinative subordinate clauses ( Attribute Clauses)
A defining subordinate clause performs the function of defining a noun or pronoun in the main clause and answers questions which?what? - Which? The attributive clause takes place after the word that it defines in the main clause and is attached to it:

• connecting pronouns that, who, whom, as, which, whose:

Tom's brother who lives in Moscow is an engineer. - Brother Tom, who lives in Moscow, is an engineer.
His words that he wasn’t coming upsetme.- His words that he would not come upset me.
Relative pronouns whom,whose And which, introducing attributive clauses, can be used with prepositions.

• connecting adverbs where,when,why:

The place where we stopped to rest was very beautiful. - Place, Where we stopped to rest, it was very beautiful.

3) in a non-union way:
Youcantakeanyseatyoulike. - You can sit wherever you like.
I've done all I could.- I did everything I could.
This is the book I told you about. - Here is the book I told you about.
Subordinate clauses are divided into two types: descriptive clauses ( DescriptiveClauses) and restrictive qualifying clauses ( LimitingClauses).

Descriptive qualifying sentences ( Descriptive Clauses)
Descriptive qualifying clauses can be separated into a separate clause or omitted altogether without affecting the meaning of the main clause. Such a qualifying clause is usually separated from the main clause by a comma:
Emily,whothoughtsheknewhimso well,wasalarmed.- Emilia, who thought she knew him so well, was alarmed.

Descriptive Definitive Sentence whothoughtsheknewhimso well can be separated into a separate proposal Shethoughtsheknewhimso well or completely omitted. At the same time, the main sentence does not lose its meaning.
Descriptive attributive sentences are used to describe the person or thing (persons or things) referred to in the main clause and to provide additional information about it:
In the street I met some children, who showed me the way. - On the street I met children who showed me the way.

In descriptive qualifying sentences, the relative pronoun that is not used and relative pronouns cannot be omitted (more on the use of relative pronouns who,which And that.).

This topic is one of the most serious in English grammar. Learning a language on initial stage, you can do without this knowledge for some time. But the higher your level, the more you will have a desire to diversify and complicate your speech, making it closer to what native speakers speak. At this point, there will be a need to study the conditions: their meaning, varieties, methods of formation and examples of use. This article will help with that.

Where are they used?

In English, as in Russian, all sentences are divided into simple and complex. And the latter, in turn, can be complex and complex. The first type does not create great difficulties when learning the grammar of a foreign language. But in the case of the second, there are some nuances.

Consider a typical one in English:

If (when) the weather is fine, I’ll go for a walk - If (when) the weather is fine, I’ll go for a walk.

IN in this case you can easily see two components:

• I'll go for a walk - main clause;
• if (when) the weather is fine - condition clause or time clause.

What do they mean?

In the example discussed above, the main sentence expresses the thought: “What will happen?”, and the subordinate clause expresses the thought “Under what condition (or at what time, when) will this happen?”

Such sentences express an inextricable semantic and grammatical connection between the main and subordinate parts. In general, subordinate constructions can express the most different meanings: mode of action and degree, place, time, condition, cause, effect, purpose, comparison, concession. But in this article we will talk about only two types, expressing situations of time and conditions.

In speech, such constructions express logical, spatiotemporal and cause-and-effect relationships. Therefore, the advanced learner of English needs to understand when to use clauses and clauses.

Used conjunctions

It is characteristic that in complex sentences the main part is invariably one, but there can be several subordinate clauses. All of them are directly dependent (logical and grammatical) on the main component and are attached to it with the help of various conjunctions and allied expressions. Here are the most common ones:

• if - if;
• in case - in case;
• when - when;
• while - while, while;
• as soon as (as long as) - as soon as;
• until - not yet, until;
• after - after;
• before - before;
• unless (if not) - if not.

Please note: the conjunction used does not always help determine A. This is often necessary to apply the grammatical rule discussed later in the article. To accurately confirm that this is a sentence with a subordinate clause or time, you need to ask a question to the subordinate part.

Remember also that a sentence can begin with either a main clause or a subordinate clause. Is it difficult not to get confused? Just pay attention to which part of the sentence the conjunction is in (one or another from the list presented above).

What is a subordinate tense?

This type includes a part that is subordinate to the main one, while answering the questions: “When?”, “How long?”, “How long ago?”, “Since when?”, “Until when?” and so on.

To attach subordinate clauses to the main part, conjunctions are used: when, after, before, until and others with a similar meaning. However, in order to make sure that it is the meaning of time that is being expressed, and not some other, it is most reliable to ask a question.

What is a subordinate clause?

Such grammatical constructions answer the question: “Under what conditions?” They are quite varied and are joined by conjunctions if, in case, unless, etc. But it does not always guarantee that the meaning of the condition is realized in the sentence. Because in many cases, the phrase, for example, with if, is translated not “if”, but “whether”. Compare:

• I’ll come if they invite me - I’ll come if they invite me.
• I don’t know if they will invite me - I don’t know if they will invite me.

Subordinate clauses in English are found in sentences that take place in the past, present or future tense. In addition, the conditions put forward themselves have a gradation: real, unlikely and unrealistic. This is best understood through examples.

Type I

The subordinate condition belonging to the first type describes a real fact. That is, what actually took place in the past, present or future. In this case, the tense forms of the predicate verb in the main and subordinate parts usually coincide.

This can be clearly seen in the examples.

• Past tense:

If the weather was fine, he went for a walk - If the weather was good, he went for a walk.

• Present tense:

If the weather is fine, he goes for a walk - If the weather is fine, he goes (goes) for a walk.

• Future tense:

If the weather is fine, he will go for a walk - If the weather is fine, he will go for a walk.

Only in the last example can you notice that the two parts complex sentence do not agree in time (the subordinate clause is in the form of the present, and the main clause is in the form of the future). This did not happen by chance, but as a result of a special grammatical rule to which subordinate clauses and conditions are subject. The details will be explained below.

For now, let's look at the manifestations of the second and third types of subordinate conditions. They no longer open in three grammatical tenses, but take on the meaning “if, then...”. Moreover, such a hypothetical situation may relate to both the present day and the past.

Type II

When the speaker believes that the reality of fulfilling the condition is quite small, then a separate speech construction is used. Drawing an analogy with the Russian language, this is the subjunctive mood (“if only ...”). Example:

If the weather was fine, I would go for a walk - If the weather was good, I would go (went) for a walk.

Please note that the situation described is happening at the time the person is talking about it. This is not regret about yesterday.

To construct a grammatically correct statement of this type, you need:

• in the subordinate clause, put the predicate verb in the Past Simple form;
• in the main part use would + (but without the particle to).

III type

If compliance this condition(and the commission of an action) is considered talking person As something completely impossible, a subordinate condition of a different type comes into play. The impossibility of realizing such a situation is due to the fact that the action has already taken place in the past, and the speaker is not able to change its result. And therefore, a compound with a subordinate condition of this type usually expresses regret and lamentation about the current circumstances.

If the weather had been fine yesterday, we wouldn’t have stayed home. In that case we would have gone for a walk - If the weather had been good yesterday, we would not have stayed at home. In that case, we would go for a walk.

But there may be another, opposite in meaning, situation. The person thinks about what could have happened, but does not feel regret about it. For example:

If I had overslept, I would have been late - If I had overslept, I would have been late.

Please note that the entire sentence refers to and expresses the impossibility of performing a certain action precisely then, in the past.

The following grammatical structure is formed:

• in the subordinate clause, the predicate verb is put in the Past Perfect form;
• in the main part would + Perfect Infinitive is used.

What tense is used in subordinate clauses?

This question is very serious. A little earlier in the article it was mentioned that it is important to determine the type of subordinate clause. And in this matter, it is necessary to focus not on alliances, but on the questions asked.

The fact is that there is a certain grammatical rule. It is related to the type of clause and the use of present/future tense in it.

If subordinate clauses answer the questions: “Under what condition will the action be performed?” or “At what time (when) will this happen?”, then they express, respectively, a condition or a time. In these types of clauses you cannot use the future tense (with the verb will). The present is used instead. Even when the situation clearly relates to the future and it is at this time that it is translated into Russian.

Compare:

• She’ll make a cake when you come.
• If I get this job, I will be happy.

As is easy to see, in the latter case the example given refers to a variety - subordinate condition of type I. To the other two types of conditional clauses this rule does not apply, since there are completely different constructions for expressing grammatical meaning.

In many situations complex sentences allow you to better express the speaker’s thoughts. Subordinate units join with the help of special unions. The main varieties are subordinate tenses and subordinate conditions.

The English language has certain grammatical rules regarding the use of such structures. In order to reliably learn them, you need to thoroughly understand the theory once, and then perform as many exercises as possible so that an example of correct use is fixed in memory. Subsequently, when the need arises, it will automatically appear in speech.

Types subordinate clauses
Subordinate clauses can perform a wide variety of functions as part of the main clause. They differ from the corresponding members of the sentence in being more expressive, since they contain a predicate that has the ability to represent the whole event.
In English, the following types of subordinate clauses are distinguished: subject subordinate clauses, predicate subordinate clauses, additional subordinate clauses, attributive subordinate clauses, adverbial subordinate clauses.

Subject clauses ( Subject Clauses)
Subordinate clauses perform the function of the subject in a complex sentence and answer questions who? - Who? or what? - What?
The subject clause is usually placed after the predicate, in which case the main clause begins formal subject it. In the absence of an introductory it The subordinate clause always comes before the predicate of the main clause.
Subordinate clauses are added to the main clause:

• what,who,whom,which,whose and connecting adverbs when,where,how, howwhy; in the presence of a connecting pronoun what introductory it not used. For example:

What you don' t understand isthat he’ll never agree to this plan. -You don't understand one thing: He will never agree to this plan.
What's worrying me now is the state of her health. -That, WhatworriesmeNow, this is the state of her health.
Who saved his life remained unknown. -Who saved his life remained unknown.
Why he did not come isstillnot known. -Why didn't he come, is still unknown.

• unions that,whetherif(union that used only with introductory it). For example:

Whether he' ll agree isanother question. -Whether he agrees or not, that's another question.
Is it true that you're going away? - This is true, that you are leaving?
After revolutions itisnecessary,itisstrange,itisimportant etc. in a subordinate clause beginning with a conjunction that, the predicate verb is often used in the subjunctive mood:
It is important that the lettershould be sent today. - Important, toletterwas sentToday.
It is strange that he should have said that. - Strange, WhatHeThissaid.

• in a non-union way (only with an introductory it):

It is a pity you couldn't come. - It's a pity, that you couldn't come.
Subordinate clauses beginning with a conjunction whether/if, should be distinguished from subordinate clauses of time and condition. Unlike the latter, in subordinate clauses the predicate can be expressed by a verb in any of the future tenses:
When I shall come back is hard to say. - Hard to say, WhenII'll be back.
If I shall come back is hard tosay.- Hard to say, I'll be backwhetherI.

Predicate subordinate clauses ( Predicate Clauses)
The predicate subordinate clause in a complex sentence performs the function of a predicate (nominal part of the predicate) of the main sentence. Predicate clauses are not used often. They are entered:

• connecting pronouns what,who,whom,which,whose:

That's what I want to tell you. - That's what I want to tell you.

• connecting adverbs when,where,how, howwhy:

This is where I live. - This is where I live.
That's why I came here. - That's why I came here.

• unions that, whether, if:

Thetroubleisthat we' ve got very little time. - The fact is that we have very little time.
The fact is thathe didn't come at all. - Actually, he didn't come at all.
As in subordinate clauses, in subordinate predicates introduced by conjunctions when And if, the predicate verb can be in any of the future tenses:
That’swhen he will appear. - That's when he will appear.

Predicate clauses are usually attached to the subject using linking verbs tobe,togettobecometogrow etc. For example:
Thetalkwas getting what he called pointless. - The conversation was becoming, he said, pointless.
Predicate clauses also include sentences that are combined in impersonal sentences with linking verbs toseemtoappeartolooktohappen:
It seems that he was late for the train. - It seems he missed the train.

Subordinate clauses in English are found in complex sentences. They differ in that their meaning will not be fully understood without the presence of the main clause.

Types of subordinate clauses

Depending on the grammatical function, subordinate clauses can be subject clause, predicative, attributive, object, and adverbial. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Subjective

Performs the function of the subject. Pay special attention to the structure of the main part, which in this case is devoid of a subject, because this is the subject clause.

What I want to tell you is something very important. – What I want to tell you is very important.

• If the subordinate clause comes after the main one, then the pronoun it is placed at the beginning of the sentence.

  It was always possible that they can break up. “The possibility that they could separate has always existed.

  Please note: in order for the perception of the phrase to remain pleasant to the ear and readable in Russian, the structure can be completely changed during translation.

• If, whether, that, who, which, what, whatever, whoever, where, when, why, how are used as connecting elements, or they may not exist at all.

  What was done could not be undone. – What’s done is done (it can’t be undone).

Subordinate clauses in English

Predicate

Performs the function of a predicate or predicate. The unusual nature of such constructions lies in the fact that the sentence contains only part of the compound nominal predicate (linking verb), and the second part is the entire predicative clause.

• The conjunctions that, if, whether, as if are used as connectives.

  I felt as if someone poured a bucket of water over my head. “I felt as if a bucket of water had been poured on my head.”

• Functional words what, which, who, where, when, how, why.

  That was why you asked him so many questions. “That’s why you asked him so many questions.”

  Please note: as a rule, predicative clauses are not separated by commas, the exception is the presence of several predicative clauses that are consistent with each other.

Additional subordinate clause

They serve as a complement and refer to the word in the main sentence.

I have no idea what he is talking about! – I have no idea what he’s talking about!

Ligaments may be absent altogether.

Definitive

Determinative clauses in English refer to the noun (pronoun) in the principal clause. Depending on the meaning and type of connection, they are divided into relative and appositive. The first type can have both union and non-union connections, the second - only union.

Relative (attributive relative) can be restrictive and descriptive.

• Restrictive ones narrow the meaning of the word being defined, and without their presence the entire meaning of the statement changes. Because of such a close connection with the main clause, they are not separated by a comma and are introduced by relative pronouns - who, whose, which, as, that; relative adverbs – when, where.

  All that could have been done had been done. “Everything that could have been done was done.”(If we remove “that could have been done” from the sentence, the meaning of the phrase changes dramatically.)

• Descriptives do not limit the meaning of the word being defined and introduce Additional information about him, which we can remove without changing the meaning of the phrase. Because the connection here is not as close as in the previous case, then the sentences are separated by a comma. For input use who, which and where, when.

  She, who was always very persistent, gave up. “She, always being very persistent, gave up.

• Appositives serve as an application, revealing the meaning of an abstract noun. If you remove them, the meaning will not change. They are introduced using that, whether, how, why.

  He stopped in the hope that she would say something. – He stopped in the hope that she would say something.(The qualified abstract noun is hope.)

Circumstantial

Adverbial clauses act as adverbs and define a verb, adjective or adverb. Depending on the meaning, adverbial sentences can be associated with:

You can also learn about subordinate clauses from the video:

An English sentence can be compared with a Russian one in that their structure is partially similar, and we are not talking about sentence members, but about parts of one phrase. So, they are found in the language. The second ones, which will be discussed in this article, in turn, are complex, where all parts are equal and independent, and complex. A complex sentence is so called because one or more of its parts are subordinate to another, and these subordinate parts themselves can answer different questions and act as different components of a phrase. These features led to the emergence of such a concept as clauses, and determined the classification of types of clauses in accordance with their role in the sentence. This will be discussed in this article. We will look at what subordinate clauses are in English, what types of them are distinguished and how they differ from each other.

General information about subordinate parts

The translation of the word clause will be “part”, and further we are talking about those parts of a complex sentence that can convey different meaning and answer various questions. In general, there are main / principal - main and subordinate clauses - subordinate clauses in English (parts). This division is very clearly visible in the subjunctive mood, because conditional sentences in English consist directly of the following components: the main sentence carries the main essence, and the subordinate part contains the condition.

It is worth noting that parts of a complex sentence can be connected either through conjunctions or other connecting words, or not have any connecting units. Example of a union connection:
She was sure that nobody would come to see her off“She was sure that no one would come to see her off.”

An example of a non-union connection:
I wish I had been there a few days before– It’s a pity that I wasn’t there a few days before.

It is also impossible not to note the fact that subordinate clauses do not have any specific place, i.e. they can either precede the main parts or come after them:

· It was hard to overcome the problem because the task was too difficult– It was difficult to overcome the problem because the task was too difficult

· When he phoned in the evening, I was watching my favorite TV program – When he called in the evening, I was watching my favorite program

The translation of clauses today can also be considered all subordinate clauses, including those that contain the main members of the sentence. This is perhaps due to the fact that the types of subordinate clauses are very numerous, and when talking about parts of a complex sentence, it is important to emphasize all fragments of the phrase without exception. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the types of clauses in more detail, give examples from different categories, and determine what questions each type answers.

Main types of subordinate parts

It is customary to distinguish the following types of subordinate clauses in English:

1. Subject clause

or, more simply put, a part that contains a subject. It shows the relationship of this clause to the predicate and can appear either at the beginning or at the end and be preceded by various conjunctions or connecting words (who, what, which, where, that, etc.):

What does he want to do is to go away right now – What he wants to do is leave right now

2. Predicative clause - subordinate predicates

They are in many ways reminiscent of the previously described subject clauses, since they also contain one of two main members. In addition, approximately the same conjunctions and connecting elements are also used before them - who, what, that, how, why, etc. The only difference is that those subordinate clauses in English that have a predicative usually appear in the second half:

The problem was how the boys could reach that place- The problem was how the boys could get to that place

3. Object clause - additional clauses

In fact, they serve as a full-fledged supplement. Connect with main part additional subordinate clauses can be used through a variety of conjunctions and connecting elements - that, is, what, who, whatever, whoever, etc. Such parts are also called explanatory and answer the questions of indirect cases: what? about whom? etc.:

He always does what his mother tells him to do– He always does what his mother tells him to do.

4. Attributive clauses

They act as definitions and are associated with either nouns or pronouns that appear in the main clause. Determinative clauses in English can be associated with main clauses through different elements: these can be relative pronouns (who, that, which, etc.), relative adverbs (when, where), and the method can also be non-union. Complex sentences with attributive clauses are quite popular due to the possibility of different ways of coordinating with the main part; Usually the attributive clause answers the question which? and may look like this:

He started in the hope that everyone would support him– He started in the hope that everyone would support him

5. Adverbial clauses

which constitute perhaps the largest subgroup. Complex sentences with adverbial clauses are very common, since they convey a lot of meaning and have several separate subtypes. It is logical to assume that SPPs with adverbial clauses have a part within them in the adverbial function, which can have different meanings and be used to display different situations. So, any table with these types will offer the following options:

a) Adverbial clause of time - subordinate time in English

Quite often, parts of time and conditions stand together, since both subordinate conditions and time are clearly reflected in the subjunctive mood, where they have special grammatical rules education time. Temporal clauses have conjunctions that precede them - as, as soon as, till, until, when, etc.:
As soon as I saw her, I called my friends to tell them this news – As soon as I saw her, I called my friends to tell them this news

b) Adverbial clauses of place

There is usually nothing complicated in them, and the words that precede them are somehow connected with the place - where, wherever:
I feel good where I live– I feel good where I live

c) Adverbial clauses of purpose

Their essence lies in the name itself: they convey the purpose for which the action is performed. They are preceded by such well-known structures as in order, so that, etc.:

I looked at him so that he could understand the seriousness of my intention– I looked at him so that he could understand the seriousness of my intentions

d) Of cause - reasons

This part is designed to show one reason or another in relation to the main part. May begin with conjunctions because, for, since, as, etc.:

I decided not to go there since I didn't know anyone at that party– I decided not to go there because I didn’t know anyone at that party.

e) Of condition – subordinate clauses of condition

They are quite familiar to those who remember Subjunctive Mood and conditional sentences. Conditional clauses usually begin with conjunctions such as if (whether), unless, in case, etc.:

In case she comes, nobody will meet her – If she comes, no one will meet her

f) Of comparison

Their essence is quite simple: their translation begins with the words “as if”, “as if”, which are usually expressed through identical conjunctions as if/as though or other structures: as – as, so – as, etc.:

He looked as if nothing could frighten him“He looked like nothing could scare him.”

g) Of result – result or, as they are also called, consequences

The translation of such constructions is “so much that...”, “such that...”. Such clauses are usually expressed through the so that structure, but this case of its use should not be confused with an adverbial clause of purpose, where the essence will be completely different. Here's what a corollary clause looks like:

We were deeply involved in working on the project, so that we didn’t hear he come– We were so involved in working on the project that we didn’t hear it arrive

h) Of manner - way of action

The conjunction as usually shows how an action is performed, that is, the way it is performed. For example:
He did everything as you ordered him- He did everything as you ordered him

i) Adverbial clause of concession - concessions

A typical translation with which such a part will begin is “although”, “despite”, etc. The following meanings are expressed through the conjunctions although, though, however, despite, etc.:

Though he was free, he refused to help us – Although he was free, he refused to help us

As can be seen from all of the above information, there are quite a few types of subordinate clauses of a sentence, but each of them has individual distinctive features in the form of conjunctions that introduce them, therefore big problems and studying this extensive topic usually does not cause any difficulties.