Grammar Toolkit Clauses What are clauses Grammar Toolkit

Grammar Toolkit Clauses What are clauses?

Grammar Toolkit Clauses A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It is the basic unit of a sentence. ducks fly subject verb Remember: a phrase doesn’t have a verb but a clause does.

Grammar Toolkit Clauses can be much longer than just two words. Hungry ducks fly long distances. The subject of The predicate of the clause is the is what is written about the person or thing subject. This is the verb the clause is plus any words that add about. meaning to the verb.

Grammar Toolkit Clauses What are the subjects and predicates of these clauses? subject Jeremy washed the car. predicate subject Amelie and her sister tidied their bedroom. predicate subject The screeching parrot attacked the helpless zookeeper. predicate subject She sold seashells on the seashore. predicate subject You and I must wash the dishes. predicate subject The cold and lonely dog howled at the full moon. predicate

Grammar Toolkit Clauses A main clause can stand alone as a sentence. A duckling can swim. when it is very young. A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. It acts in a sentence as a noun, adverb or adjective. This subordinate clause acts as an adverb because it gives meaning to the verb swim, telling when the duckling can swim.

Grammar Toolkit Clauses Point out the main and subordinate clauses in each sentence. I will do my home work before dad comes home. main subordinate Lizzy picked the colour that she liked best. main subordinate Reece charged into the room just as Ben arrived. main subordinate A zoologist is a person who studies animals. main subordinate After you call me, I’ll meet you on the corner. subordinate main A subordinate clause can begin a sentence.

Grammar Toolkit Clauses • A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It is the basic unit of a sentence. • A clause has a subject (the person or thing the clause is about) and a predicate (the verb plus any objects and modifiers). • A main clause can stand alone as a sentence. • A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. It acts in a sentence as a noun, adverb or adjective. • Subordinate clauses can appear in different parts of a sentence. • In the following sentence, the main clause is red and the subordinate clause is blue: We can begin tomorrow if you’re ready.

Grammar Toolkit Clauses The End