Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Dependent clause

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought, making it unable to stand alone as a sentence.^[1] Unlike an independent clause, which can function as a complete sentence on its own, a dependent clause relies on an independent clause to provide full meaning within a larger sentence structure.^[2] These clauses are essential in forming complex sentences and add subordinate information such as time, reason, condition, or description.^[1] Dependent clauses are typically introduced by dependent marker words, including subordinating conjunctions like after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, whenever, whether, and while.^[2] They may also begin with relative pronouns such as who, whom, whose, which, or that.^[3] When a dependent clause precedes an independent clause, it is usually separated by a comma; if it follows, a comma is often unnecessary unless needed for clarity.^[2] For example, in the sentence "When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz, it was very noisy," the dependent clause "When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz" provides context but requires the independent clause to complete the idea.^[1] Dependent clauses may be finite or non-finite.^[4] The three primary types of finite dependent clauses, each functioning differently in a sentence, are adverbial, adjectival, and nominal.^[5] Adverbial clauses modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, answering questions like when, why, where, how, or to what degree; they often start with subordinating conjunctions such as because, while, or if. For instance, "We listened while he spoke" uses an adverbial clause to indicate time.^[3] Adjectival clauses (also known as relative clauses) describe nouns or pronouns, providing details about which one or what kind, and are introduced by relative pronouns like who, that, or where. An example is "The city where you live is beautiful," where the clause specifies the city.^[5] Nominal clauses act as nouns, serving as subjects, objects, or complements, and begin with words like what, whether, how, or that. For example, "What he said surprised everyone" uses a nominal clause as the subject.^[5] Proper use of dependent clauses enhances sentence variety and precision in writing, while errors like treating them as standalone sentences can result in fragments.^[1] In grammar instruction, recognizing these clauses helps avoid common issues such as comma splices or run-on sentences by ensuring they are correctly joined to independent clauses.^[1]

Fundamentals

Definition

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a grammatical structure consisting of a subject and a predicate that does not express a complete thought and thus cannot function as a standalone sentence.^[1] It relies on an independent clause to provide full meaning within a larger sentence, often forming part of a complex or compound-complex sentence.^[6] For instance, in the sentence "She left early because she felt ill," the clause "because she felt ill" contains the subject "she" and verb "felt" but lacks completeness on its own.^[7] Dependent clauses are typically introduced by subordinating conjunctions—such as after, although, because, before, if, since, when, or while—which signal the clause's dependency and its role in modifying or supplementing the main clause.^[2] Alternatively, they may begin with relative pronouns like who, which, that, or whom, particularly in cases where the clause functions adjectivally.^[8] An example is "The book that I borrowed was fascinating," where "that I borrowed" depends on the independent clause "The book was fascinating" for context.^[8] These introductory elements prevent the clause from standing alone, distinguishing it from independent structures.^[1] In linguistic terms, the dependency arises because the clause is subordinated, meaning it cannot convey an autonomous proposition without attachment to a primary clause, thereby contributing to syntactic hierarchy in sentence construction.^[6] This subordination enhances sentence variety and complexity, allowing for nuanced expression of relationships like time, cause, condition, or concession.^[7]

Key Characteristics

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a grammatical unit that consists of a subject and a predicate (verb) but fails to convey a complete idea on its own.^[1] Unlike a full sentence, it functions as an incomplete fragment that requires attachment to an independent clause to form a coherent statement.^[7] This structural dependency ensures that the clause modifies or provides additional information to the main clause, enhancing the overall sentence complexity.^[9] One primary characteristic is the presence of subordinating elements that signal its dependent status, such as subordinating conjunctions (e.g., after, although, because, when) or relative pronouns (e.g., who, which, that).^[1] These markers typically initiate the clause, distinguishing it from independent clauses that lack such introductory words and can stand alone. For instance, in the clause "When the rain stops", the subordinating conjunction when indicates subordination, rendering it unable to function independently.^[10] Without these elements, the clause might resemble an independent one, but their inclusion enforces grammatical reliance.^[7] Dependent clauses inherently express an incomplete thought, often leaving the reader anticipating resolution through connection to a main clause. This incompleteness arises from the clause's role in subordination, where it acts as a modifier rather than a primary assertion.^[9] For example, "Because she was tired" implies a cause but lacks the effect, compelling integration into a larger structure like "She went to bed early because she was tired."^[1] Punctuation rules further highlight this trait: a comma often separates a fronted dependent clause from the following independent one, underscoring their hierarchical relationship.^[10]

Distinction from Independent Clauses

An independent clause, also known as a main clause, consists of a subject and a predicate that together express a complete thought, allowing it to function as a standalone sentence.^[1] For instance, in the sentence "She runs every morning," the clause conveys a full idea without requiring additional context.^[2] This autonomy distinguishes it from other grammatical units, as it can be punctuated with a period or combined with other independent clauses using coordinating conjunctions like "and" or "but," often preceded by a comma or semicolon.^[11] In contrast, a dependent clause contains a subject and predicate but fails to express a complete thought, rendering it unable to stand alone as a sentence; it must attach to an independent clause to form a grammatically complete structure.^[1] Such clauses are typically introduced by subordinating conjunctions (e.g., "because," "although," "when") or relative pronouns (e.g., "who," "which"), which signal their subordinate role and incomplete semantic content.^[2] An example is "because she was tired," which leaves the reader anticipating further information about the reason or consequence.^[11] When combined with an independent clause, as in "She went to bed early because she was tired," the dependent clause provides additional detail but relies on the main clause for overall coherence.^[1] The primary syntactic distinction lies in their semantic independence and structural integration: independent clauses form the core of simple or compound sentences, while dependent clauses create complex sentences by modifying or expanding the main idea, often requiring specific punctuation such as a comma when the dependent clause precedes the independent one.^[2] Linguists identify dependent clauses through tests like attempting to punctuate them as sentences, which results in fragments, or checking for subordinating elements that impose hierarchy.^[11] This hierarchy ensures that dependent clauses function adverbially, adjectivally, or nominally within larger constructions, subordinating their content to the primary assertion.^[1]

Finite Dependent Clauses

Noun Clauses

A noun clause, also known as a nominal clause, is a dependent clause that functions as a noun within a sentence, performing roles such as subject, object, or complement.^[5] Unlike independent clauses, noun clauses cannot stand alone and must be connected to a main clause to convey a complete thought, while containing their own subject and verb.^[12] This structure allows noun clauses to embed complex ideas in place of simpler noun phrases, enhancing sentence variety in English grammar.^[5] Noun clauses serve several syntactic functions. As a subject, a noun clause can act as the main topic of the sentence, such as in "What she said surprised everyone," where "what she said" identifies the surprising element.^[12] In the role of a direct object, it receives the action of the verb, for example, "I know that you are tired," with "that you are tired" as the object of "know."^[5] They can also function as objects of prepositions, like "We talked about whether we should go," or as predicate nominatives following linking verbs, as in "The problem is how we solve it."^[5] Less commonly, they appear as indirect objects, such as "She gave whoever needed it a chance."^[12] Noun clauses are typically introduced by subordinating words that signal their nominal role, including interrogative pronouns like what, who, whom, whoever, and whichever; relative pronouns such as that; or conjunctions like whether and if.^[12] These introducers often transform questions into embedded statements, as in "I wonder if it will rain," where "if it will rain" replaces a direct noun.^[5] Punctuation is generally minimal, with commas used only if the clause interrupts the flow, but noun clauses do not require commas when serving as subjects or objects.^[12] This integration helps build complex sentences without altering the core grammatical structure.

Relative Clauses

A relative clause is a finite dependent clause that functions as a modifier of a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun, known as the antecedent, providing additional information about it. It typically begins with a relative pronoun (such as who, whom, whose, which, or that) or a relative adverb (such as where, when, or why), and contains a subject and a finite verb, but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.^[13]^[14] Relative clauses are embedded within the main clause of a sentence and play a central role in English syntax by allowing for the integration of descriptive or identifying details without forming separate sentences. The relative pronoun often serves as the subject or object within the clause, linking it syntactically to the antecedent through coreference or movement operations in generative grammar. For instance, in "The book that I read was fascinating," the clause "that I read" modifies "book," with "that" functioning as the direct object of "read."^[15]^[16] There are two primary types of relative clauses: restrictive and non-restrictive. Restrictive relative clauses provide essential information that defines or identifies the antecedent, limiting its reference and thus being indispensable to the sentence's meaning; they are not set off by commas and commonly use "that" or "which" for non-human antecedents and "who" for human ones. An example is "The students who studied hard passed the exam," where "who studied hard" specifies which students. In contrast, non-restrictive relative clauses add supplementary, non-essential information about the antecedent, which is assumed to be already identified; they are enclosed by commas and use "which" or "who," but not "that." For example, "The Eiffel Tower, which was completed in 1889, attracts millions of visitors," provides extra detail without altering the core identification of the tower.^[13]^[14]^[17] In terms of syntactic structure, relative clauses exhibit variation based on the grammatical role of the relative pronoun, such as subject-relative ("The man who called left a message") or object-relative ("The message that the man left was urgent"), with object-relatives often being more complex due to the omission or extraction of the pronoun in informal English.^[15]^[18]

Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses are finite dependent clauses that function as adverbs within a sentence, modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb in the main clause by providing additional information about time, place, manner, reason, condition, concession, purpose, or result.^[3] Unlike independent clauses, they cannot stand alone and must be connected to a main clause via a subordinating conjunction, ensuring the sentence remains grammatically complete.^[19] In English syntax, adverbial clauses are typically analyzed as complementizer phrases (CPs) headed by subordinating conjunctions, allowing them to integrate seamlessly as adjuncts to the main predicate.^[20] These clauses enhance sentence complexity by expressing relationships between ideas, often answering interrogative questions such as when?, where?, why?, how?, or to what extent?.^[21] For instance, in the sentence "She left early because the meeting ended abruptly," the clause "because the meeting ended abruptly" modifies the verb "left," specifying the reason and functioning adverbially.^[19] Adverbial clauses can appear in initial, medial, or final positions relative to the main clause; when placed at the beginning, they are typically followed by a comma to indicate the subordinate status, as in "Although it was raining, we went for a walk."^[3] No comma is needed if the clause follows the main clause, such as "We went for a walk although it was raining."^[21] Adverbial clauses are categorized by the type of information they convey, each introduced by specific subordinating conjunctions. Temporal clauses indicate time and use conjunctions like after, before, when, while, or since; for example, "After the storm passed, the power returned."^[19] Causal clauses explain reasons with because, since, or as, as in "He stayed home since he felt ill."^[21] Conditional clauses express hypotheticals using if, unless, or provided that, such as "If it rains tomorrow, the event will be canceled."^[3] Concessive clauses show contrast via although, even though, or while, exemplified by "Even though she was tired, she finished the project."^[19] Manner clauses describe how actions occur with as if or as though, like "He acted as if nothing had happened."^[3] Place clauses specify location using where or wherever, as in "They met where the paths crossed."^[19] Purpose and result clauses employ so that or in order that for intent or outcome, such as "She studied hard so that she could pass the exam."^[20] Comparative clauses use than or as...as to indicate degree, for example, "This book is more interesting than the one I read last week."^[19] In generative grammar, adverbial clauses are distinguished from other dependent clauses by their adjunct role, often topicalizing given information to link it with new discourse elements, as seen in their frequent use in academic writing where temporal subtypes predominate.^[20] They differ from relative clauses, which modify nouns, and noun clauses, which function as subjects or objects, by targeting verbal or adverbial elements instead.^[3]

Non-Finite Dependent Clauses

Infinitive Clauses

Infinitive clauses, also known as infinitival clauses, are non-finite dependent clauses in English that are headed by an infinitive verb form, typically structured as "to" followed by the base form of the verb, such as "to eat" or "to run."^[22] These clauses lack tense, mood, and person agreement, relying on the main clause for such features, which distinguishes them from finite dependent clauses and underscores their subordinate status.^[23] In generative grammar, the "to" functions as an infinitival marker rather than a preposition, introducing a tenseless clause that often includes a subject—either overt or implied via a null pronoun (PRO)—and additional elements like objects or modifiers.^[23] The structure of infinitive clauses can vary: they may appear with an explicit subject (e.g., "I want [him to leave]"), where the subject is positioned before the infinitive, or without one (e.g., "She hopes [to succeed]"), implying coreference with an element in the matrix clause through control or raising mechanisms.^[23] Forms include the present infinitive (to do), perfect infinitive (to have done), and progressive infinitive (to be doing), allowing expression of aspect without finite verb morphology.^[23] As dependent clauses, they cannot function independently as sentences and must attach to a finite main clause, often serving to compactly embed additional propositional content.^[22] Syntactically, infinitive clauses perform multiple roles within complex sentences, primarily as nominal, adjectival, or adverbial elements. As nominal functions, they act as subjects (e.g., "[To forgive] requires strength"), direct objects (e.g., "They plan [to renovate the house]"), or complements to nouns or adjectives (e.g., "the decision [to proceed]" or "eager [to learn]").^[24]^[22] In adjectival roles, they modify nouns, often implying a relative clause (e.g., "a book [to read this summer]").^[22] Adverbially, they express purpose or reason, modifying verbs (e.g., "She studied hard [to pass the exam]").^[22] These functions are prevalent in academic and formal discourse, where nominal uses predominate for conciseness.^[25] In terms of integration, infinitive clauses often follow control verbs like "want" or "attempt," where the matrix subject controls the implied subject of the infinitive (e.g., "John tried [PRO to fix the car]"), or raising verbs like "seem," which promote the infinitive's subject to the main clause (e.g., "John seems [t to be tired]").^[23] This dependency highlights their role in building hierarchical sentence structures, enabling nuanced expression of modality, intention, or evaluation without full finite embedding.^[24]

Participial Clauses

Participial clauses are non-finite dependent clauses in English that utilize a participle—a verbal form lacking finite tense marking—as their core element, allowing them to modify nouns or entire clauses without expressing complete predication on their own. These clauses typically consist of a participle accompanied by its complements or modifiers, functioning adverbially or adjectivally to provide additional information about time, reason, condition, or manner relative to the main clause. Unlike finite dependent clauses, participial clauses imply rather than explicitly state a subject, which is usually coreferential with a noun in the main clause, making them a form of reduced or non-finite subordination.^[26] The primary types of participial clauses include present participial clauses, formed with the -ing participle to denote ongoing or contemporaneous actions; past participial clauses, using the -ed, -en, or irregular past form to indicate completed or passive actions; and perfect participial clauses, constructed with having plus the past participle to express anteriority. For instance, in the sentence "Exhausted from the hike, the travelers rested by the fire," the present participial clause "exhausted from the hike" adverbially modifies the subject "travelers," explaining the reason for their rest. Similarly, "The report, written by the committee last year, was finally approved" features a past participial clause "written by the committee last year" that adjectivally modifies "report," equivalent to a reduced relative clause such as "which was written." Perfect forms appear in examples like "Having finished the meal, she paid the bill," where the clause indicates an action completed before the main verb. These structures enhance sentence economy by condensing what might otherwise require a full subordinate clause with a finite verb and conjunction.^[27]^[28] In syntactic terms, participial clauses integrate into complex sentences by attaching to the noun phrase they modify or to the main clause as a whole, often positioned at the beginning, middle, or end for emphasis or flow. When used adjectivally, especially as participial relative clauses, they reduce full relative constructions by omitting the relative pronoun and auxiliary verb, as in "The students studying in the library were quiet" (replacing "who were studying"). Adverbial uses can substitute for various subordinating conjunctions, such as because in "Tired after work, he went straight to bed" or if in "United, we stand." Punctuation is essential: introductory participial clauses require a comma to separate them from the main clause, while restrictive adjectival ones may not, depending on whether they provide essential information. Linguistically, these clauses challenge traditional phrase-clause distinctions because their non-finite nature blurs boundaries, but they are classified as clausal due to their potential to expand into finite equivalents and their ability to embed arguments. Their use is more common in formal or written English, contributing to stylistic conciseness, though misplaced modifiers can lead to ambiguity, as in "Running late, the bus left without me" (implying the bus is late).^[26]^[29]

Gerund Clauses

Gerund clauses, also known as gerundial clauses, are a type of non-finite dependent clause in English syntax, headed by a gerund—the -ing form of a verb that functions nominally while retaining certain verbal properties. Unlike finite clauses, gerund clauses lack tense marking and subject-verb agreement, making them incapable of standing alone as complete sentences. They typically serve as subjects, direct objects, subject complements, or objects of prepositions within a larger sentence, embedding additional information about actions or states.^[30]^[4] A key feature of gerund clauses is their ability to include an explicit subject, distinguishing them from simpler gerund phrases, which lack a subject and consist only of the gerund plus its modifiers or objects. The subject of a gerund clause appears in either the possessive case (e.g., John's) for a more formal or nominal emphasis, or the accusative case (e.g., him) in informal or fused constructions, reflecting a historical shift from earlier English where possessives predominated. For instance, in the sentence "John's singing annoyed the audience," the clause John's singing functions as the subject, with John's as the possessive subject of the gerund singing. In contrast, "Him singing annoyed the audience" uses the accusative him, treating the clause more verbally. Gerunds in these clauses can also take direct objects and adverbs, preserving their verbal nature: "Her carefully reading the contract prevented errors." Possessive constructions are preferred in formal writing, especially when the gerund clause occupies subject position or follows certain verbs like mind or suggest.^[33] Gerund clauses contribute to syntactic economy by condensing subordinate ideas into nominal units, often after verbs like enjoy, avoid, or consider, or prepositions like after or by. Examples include: as a direct object, "She denied stealing the money" (clause: stealing the money); as a subject complement, "My hobby is collecting stamps" (clause: collecting stamps); and as an object of a preposition, "He succeeded by working hard" (clause: working hard). This nominal role allows gerund clauses to integrate seamlessly into complex sentences, but they must depend on a main clause for completion, underscoring their subordinate status. In cross-dialectal variations, accusative subjects are more common in spoken American English, while British English favors possessives in formal contexts.^[4]^[30]

Syntactic Integration

Role in Complex Sentences

A complex sentence is defined as a structure containing at least one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses, where the dependent clause functions to subordinate additional information to the main idea expressed by the independent clause.^[1]^[11] This subordination allows writers to express hierarchical relationships between ideas, embedding subordinate elements that cannot stand alone to enhance clarity and depth without fragmenting the overall thought.^[34] In syntactic terms, the dependent clause integrates with the independent clause through subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns, which signal the clause's reliance on the main clause for complete meaning.^[1] For instance, in the sentence "Although it was raining, we went for a walk," the dependent clause "Although it was raining" provides a concessive condition that modifies the independent clause "we went for a walk," illustrating how subordination conveys contrast or concession.^[11] Similarly, in "She succeeded because she worked hard," the dependent clause establishes a causal relationship, linking the outcome in the independent clause to the reason provided subordinately.^[34] These roles enable complex sentences to handle nuanced logical connections, such as cause and effect, time sequences, or conditions, far beyond the capabilities of simple sentences.^[11] The position of the dependent clause affects syntactic integration and punctuation. When the dependent clause precedes the independent clause, as in "Because she studied diligently, Maria aced the exam," a comma separates the two to indicate the shift from subordinate to main information.^[1] Conversely, if the dependent clause follows, no comma is typically needed: "Maria aced the exam because she studied diligently."^[34] This flexibility in placement allows for varied emphasis; fronting the dependent clause often highlights the subordinate idea, while trailing it maintains focus on the independent clause.^[11] Overall, dependent clauses thus contribute to the structural complexity of sentences, facilitating the expression of intricate ideas in a cohesive manner.^[1]

Punctuation Guidelines

Punctuation guidelines for dependent clauses primarily revolve around the use of commas to indicate the relationship between the dependent clause and the main independent clause in a sentence, ensuring clarity and proper syntactic integration. For finite dependent clauses introduced by subordinating conjunctions—such as adverbial clauses (e.g., "after," "because," "while")—a comma is required when the dependent clause precedes the independent clause. This separates the introductory element and signals the transition to the main idea. For example, in "Because it was raining, we canceled the picnic," the comma follows the dependent clause to avoid run-on structures. Conversely, when the dependent clause follows the independent clause, no comma is typically needed unless it provides nonessential information or for stylistic emphasis: "We canceled the picnic because it was raining." These rules apply across style guides to prevent ambiguity and maintain readability.^[1]^[35] Relative clauses, a subtype of finite dependent clauses, follow distinct punctuation based on whether they are restrictive (essential to the sentence's meaning) or nonrestrictive (providing supplementary information). Restrictive relative clauses, often introduced by "that," "which," or "who" without commas, define or limit the noun they modify and are not set off by punctuation: "The book that I read yesterday was fascinating." In contrast, nonrestrictive relative clauses, typically using "which" or "who," are enclosed in commas because they add nonessential details: "This book, which I read yesterday, was fascinating." Omitting the commas in nonrestrictive cases can alter the intended meaning, emphasizing the importance of this distinction in formal writing. Noun clauses, functioning as subjects or objects, generally do not require commas unless they appear in nonessential positions or interrupt the sentence flow.^[36]^[37] For non-finite dependent clauses, such as infinitival, participial, or gerund clauses, punctuation aligns with their role as introductory or interrupting elements. An introductory non-finite clause or phrase, like an infinitive acting adverbially, is followed by a comma: "To succeed in grammar, practice daily." Participial clauses, often using present or past participles, require commas when nonessential or introductory: "Running late, she missed the train," but no comma if restrictive: "The man running late missed the train." Gerund clauses, functioning as nouns, typically follow the same logic, with commas used for nonessential interruptions. In all cases, if the non-finite clause concludes the sentence, a comma may precede it only if it is nonrestrictive or for emphasis, though this is optional in many styles. These conventions help distinguish essential from additional information, enhancing sentence coherence.^[38]^[39]

Cross-Linguistic Variations

Dependent clauses, also known as subordinate clauses, display considerable cross-linguistic variation in their structural properties, including the degree of embedding, marking strategies, word order, and finiteness. These variations reflect broader typological differences in how languages encode syntactic dependency and clause linkage, ranging from loose juxtaposition (parataxis) to tight integration (hypotaxis). For instance, Lehmann (1995) identifies key parameters along continua, such as hierarchical downgrading from independent to fully embedded status and desententialization from finite sentential forms to nominalized expressions, which shape how dependent clauses function across languages.^[40] In relative clauses, a prominent type of dependent clause, cross-linguistic differences often center on headedness, position relative to the head noun, and relativization strategies. Headed relative clauses, where a noun is modified by a restrictive clause, predominate in Indo-European languages like English (e.g., "the book that I read"), but headless or free relative clauses (e.g., Latin quod scripsi "what I wrote") occur in various families without a nominal head. Prenominal positioning is typical in head-final languages such as Japanese (e.g., watashi ga yonda hon "the book that I read"), contrasting with the postnominal order in head-initial languages like Spanish. Schmidtke-Bode and Diessel (2023) highlight that these positional asymmetries arise from general word order preferences, with postposed relatives more common globally due to their adjacency to the head, facilitating processing.^[41] Adverbial dependent clauses, which modify the main clause for temporal, causal, or conditional relations, vary in their positional flexibility and explicit linkage. Preposed adverbial clauses are frequent in languages like German for conditional semantics (e.g., Wenn es regnet, bleibe ich zu Hause "If it rains, I stay home"), often marked by subordinators that trigger verb-final order, while postposed variants appear in SVO languages like English without such inversion. In agglutinative languages such as Turkish, adverbials may employ non-finite nominal forms (e.g., -ken suffix for "while"), reducing sententiality compared to finite clauses in isolating languages like Mandarin Chinese. Kortmann (1997) notes that semantic relations like cause or purpose influence marking, with over 20 distinct grammatical strategies identified across 50 European languages, including asyndetic linkage in some Romance varieties. Noun clauses functioning as complements exhibit variations in finiteness and nominalization. Finite complement clauses are standard in English (e.g., "I know that she left"), but many languages, including Korean, require nominalization (e.g., ka ttalawa ssu-nun kes-ul al-ass-ta "I know that she left," with -nun kes nominalizer). Non-finite infinitival complements prevail in Romance languages for verbs of perception (e.g., French Je vois partir Marie "I see Marie leave"), whereas serial verb constructions in Niger-Congo languages like Akan integrate dependent events without dedicated subordinators. These patterns align with Lehmann's (1995) grammaticalization continuum, where lexical verbs evolve into affixes marking dependency, as seen in Quechua causative suffixes deriving from verbs. Overall, such variations underscore that dependent clauses adapt to a language's syntactic typology, balancing elaboration and compression in clause combining.^[40]

References

[1]
Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses - Purdue OWL
A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. Often ...
[2]
Independent and Dependent Clauses | NMU Writing Center
Dependent marker words: Words added to the beginning of an independent clause that make it a dependent clause such as after, although, as, as if, because, ...
[3]
Dependent Clauses: Adverbial, Adjectival, Nominal
Dependent clauses: Adverbial, Adjectival, Nominal. Dependent clauses may work like adverbs, adjectives, or nouns in complex sentences.Missing: grammar | Show results with:grammar
[4]
[PDF] Common Types of Clauses - LAVC
Jun 14, 2018 · There are three main types of dependent clauses: noun, adjective, and adverb clauses. When identifying dependent clauses, look for these ...
[5]
What is a Clause? || Oregon State Guide to Grammar
A dependent clause, on the other hand, can't stand up by itself. It still has a subject and a predicate, but it depends on something else to complete the idea.
[6]
Independent and Dependent Clauses: Coordination ... - Butte College
A dependent clause is one that cannot stand on its own two feet--it needs an independent clause to lean on. You must join a dependent clause to an independent ...
[7]
Identifying Dependent and Independent Clauses
Jul 23, 2025 · A dependent clause has a subject and verb, is introduced by a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun, but does not express a complete ...
[8]
None
### Summary of Dependent Clauses (SJSU Writing Center)
[9]
Ask Betty : Sentence Structure - University of Washington
A dependent clause contains a subject and verb, but cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence; an independent clause includes a subject and a verb, and ...Missing: key | Show results with:key
[10]
None
### Summary of Independent and Dependent Clauses
[11]
[PDF] Noun Clauses - GRAMMAR - Montgomery College
A noun clause is a dependent clause; it is a clause used as the Subject or the Object of a verb. As such, it plays the same role as a noun. Noun clauses ...Missing: English | Show results with:English
[12]
Introduction and General Usage in Defining Clauses - Purdue OWL
Generally, there are two types of relative clauses: restrictive (defining) clause and non-restrictive (non-defining) clause. In both types of clauses, the ...
[13]
Relative Clauses - UNC Writing Center
A relative clause is one kind of dependent clause. It has a subject and verb, but can't stand alone as a sentence.Missing: linguistics | Show results with:linguistics
[14]
Relative Clauses in Syntax - Oxford Research Encyclopedias
A relative clause is a clausal modifier that relates to a constituent of the sentence, typically a noun phrase. This is the antecedent or “head” of the relative ...
[15]
The Syntax of Relative Clauses
Relative clauses play a hugely important role in analysing the structure of sentences. This book provides the first evidence that a unified analysis of the ...
[16]
[PDF] Restrictive and Non-Restrictive Clauses - Mt. SAC
A restrictive clause introduces information that is necessary to the meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive clause can be removed without changing the ...
[17]
[PDF] University of Groningen Relative Clauses in Syntax de Vries, Mark
Summary. A relative clause is a clausal modifier that relates to a constituent of the sentence, typically a noun phrase. This is the antecedent or 'head' of ...Missing: scholarly | Show results with:scholarly
[18]
[PDF] GRAMMAR Adverb Clause - Montgomery College
Adverb clauses are dependent clauses that give information about verbs, adverbs, and adjectives. An adverb clause tells when, where, why, how, ...
[19]
[PDF] Journal of English Teaching - ERIC
Oct 26, 2024 · In generative grammar, adverbial clauses are analyzed by either PP prepositional phrases or CP complementizer phrases. The examples of ...
[20]
Adverbial clauses: What they are and how to use them
Adverbial Clauses are phrases that function as an adverb in a sentence. Adverbial Clauses can be used to show time (temporal clauses) or cause (causal clauses).
[21]
[PDF] Infinitives [pdf] - San Jose State University
An infinitive is a verbal, a verb form or construction that plays the role of a different part of speech in a sentence. Although infinitives contain verbs, ...
[22]
(PDF) To-Infinitive Clauses in English: A Generative Grammar Analysis
Jul 30, 2019 · This paper analyses to-infinitive clauses from various angles. It is divided into four different, but related, parts.Missing: scholarly sources
[23]
[PDF] Syntactic Functions of Infinitives in English - Semantic Scholar
Jan 1, 2015 · Abstract. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the most relevant syntactic functions of infinitives within the.
[24]
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4a46/20c16e0f902b181cceb32d010ecd7851d345.pdf
[25]
Participial Relative Clauses
### Summary of Participial Relative Clauses
[26]
Participle clauses | LearnEnglish - British Council
Participle clauses enable us to say information in a more economical way. They are formed using present participles (going, reading, seeing, walking, etc.)
[27]
Participial phrases in English Grammar
A participial phrase (also known as a participial clause) is a type of adjective phrase that begins with a present, past, or perfect participle.Missing: linguistics | Show results with:linguistics
[28]
Participle or relative clause - Learning English | BBC World Service
A participial clause, starting with –ed or past participle, is used instead of a relative pronoun plus passive voice. Study these further examples: Food sold (= ...
[29]
Nonfinite Clauses – Talking About Language
A nonfinite clause is a group of words organized around a verb that doesn't have tense and doesn't agree with a subject. In practice, this means nonfinite ...
[30]
Clauses: finite and non-finite - Cambridge Grammar
We often use a non-finite clause when the subject is the same as the subject in the main clause: I had something to eat before leaving. (I had something to eat ...
[31]
possessive with gerunds – Writing Tips Plus
Feb 28, 2020 · We often put a noun or pronoun in front of a gerund to show who or what is doing the action in the gerund. This noun or pronoun is called the subject of the ...
[32]
[PDF] Possessive-ing and accusative-ing constructions in English
The boldfaced portion of (1a) is POSSESSIVE-ING (POSS- ING for short), and the boldfaced portion of (1b) is ACCUSATIVE-ING (ACC-ING): a. I appreciate John's re ...
[33]
Subordination and Coordination: Enhancing Sentence Structure - stlcc
Subordination uses conjunctions (for example: although, because, since, when, which, who, if, whereas) to connect one dependent clause to an independent clause ...
[34]
Grammar guide: Linking clauses (article) - Khan Academy
By adding the subordinating conjunction "though", the first clause is made dependent. It can then be linked to the second clause with just a comma.Linking Clauses · End Of Sentence Punctuation · How To Identify Linking...
[35]
Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses—What's the Difference?
A broad rule you can apply to relative clauses in order to punctuate them correctly is that restrictive clauses are never offset by commas, whereas ...
[36]
Commas in Relative Clauses (Who, Which, & That)
Non-restrictive relative clauses, which provide extra information, are set off by commas, while restrictive clauses, vital to the sentence's meaning, are not.
[37]
Punctuation Rules - Analyzing Grammar in Context
When a dependent clause precedes an independent clause, you signal the end of the dependent clause with a comma. While this occurs most commonly at the ...
[38]
Clauses and Punctuation Patterns - UNT Dallas
A dependent clause is one that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought. Its a clause that implies that there is ...Missing: sources | Show results with:sources
[39]
[PDF] Towards a typology of clause linkage - Christian Lehmann
Dec 20, 1993 · The factors cross-linguistically relevant to clause linkage are surveyed in the form of a couple of continua. These pertain to: 1. the ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[40]
Handbook of clausal embedding - Language Science Press
Dec 1, 2023 · The typology of relative and adverbial clauses. Karsten Schmidtke-Bode, Holger Diessel. Chapter 8. Nominalised clauses. Artemis Alexiadou ...