CLAUSES

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:01]Uh hello everyone this is Dr. Enhimawashni working as an assistant professor at SR University. Uh today we are going to deal with uh one grammar topic that is clauses. So before going to uh go through this particular topic we'll see uh the foundation of understanding clauses. So before going to know about clauses, let's see what is the definition of a sentence first because uh to understand clauses, knowing about what is the definition of a sentence and what is the structure of a sentence and what is a phrase uh these things are important. So let's see what is the definition of a sentence. So if you can see uh sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.

[00:00:47]uh that means if you are having one subject plus verb and if it is giving complete meaning then you can consider that as a sentence. For example, if you see she is reading a book. Okay. So if you see over here uh you can take she as a subject and is as the helping verb uh reading as a main verb and it is giving complete sense. So it is considered as a particular sentence. So she is reading a book and uh another sentence is the children are playing outside. Here also if you can see uh the children is a subject of this particular sentence and playing is the main verb and we are getting complete sense. So you can say that this is a sentence right. So in this sentence um the sentence may be having a phrase. What is a phrase?

[00:01:42]Phrase is nothing but it always gives additional information in the particular sentence. For example, if you ask where is Chaitra? So you can say that uh Chaitra is studying. So Chaitra is studying is complete sentence. But if you say Chaitra is studying in the classroom here in the classroom is additional information that you are giving to the particular sentence. That sentence is chaita is studying. So in this way a phrase is considered as a group of words without a subject and a finite verb and it does not express a complete thought but it gives additional information in the sentence. So this is considered as a phrase. Now we understand what is a sentence. A sentence is group of words that expresses complete thought. and a phrase. A phrase is also a group of words but it is not having a subject and a finite verb and it does not express complete thought but it gives additional information in the sentence. Now let's see what is a clause. If you can see clause is a group of related words that contains at least one subject and one verb and is used as a sentence or part of sentence. So if you can see uh what is a clause it is group of words and sometimes it gives complete sense and sometimes it will act as a part of sentence. So when a clause has complete meaning on its own it can be used as a sentence but when it is incomplete meaning it is used as a part of the sentence. For example, if you can see, he is a news reporter. So in this we are having the subject and as well we are having the verb as well as it is giving complete sense. So we can take this as a complete sentence and uh if you see one more example that is she loves music. In this sentence also uh in this this also acting as a sentence because it is also giving complete sense and if you can see where he stays. So where he stays uh is acting like a part of sentence not the complete sentence like uh uh you can say I don't know where he stays. So I don't know is a complete sense because I don't know you are giving or expressing with complete sense. So I don't know is a complete sentence and where he stays is acting as a part of sentence and who lives next to my house. So I don't know who lives next to my house. This is also acting as as a part of sentence and not a complete sentence. So in this way if you can see a clause acts as sometimes a complete sentence and sometimes as a part of sentence.

[00:04:55]Now we see types of clauses. So if you can see what are the types of clauses.

[00:05:01]Uh there are two types of clauses. One is independent clause. It is also called as main clause. And another one is dependent clause. It is also called as subordinate clause. So here if you see what is independent clause. Independent clause is also called as main clause or principal clause. And independent clause always acts as a sentence because it stands on its own. And when coming to dependent clause, it is also called as sub clause or subordinate clause and it always require other sentence to complete to give complete sense in a sentence. So we'll see uh how these independent clause and dependent clause acts as. If you can see the independent clause an independent clause has a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a sentence. If you can see independent what is independence?

[00:06:03]Independent means acting on its own.

[00:06:05]Right? So in the same way independent clause is also uh act as a complete sentence uh because it will be having subject and verb and it gives complete sense. For example, if you can see uh they work in marketing department. So this is giving complete sense. They is a subject and work in marketing department. This is giving complete sense. So you can take this as independent clause or a complete sentence. What products are they going to launch this year? This is also giving complete sense. The company did not perform well last year. What shall we do? If you see all these sentences, all these sentences are considered as independent clauses because they are having a subject and a verb and they are giving complete sense. Right? So now we'll see what is dependent clause.

[00:07:02]Dependent clause is nothing but it is a clause that has a subject and a predicate but it cannot stand alone as a sentence. So uh even though it is having subject and predicate. So for example uh though it was raining. So if I say though it was raining. So in this sentence if you see it was raining. So there is like subject is there and predicate is there though it was raining but it is not giving complete sense. Why is it not giving complete sense? Because if I say though it was raining then you will ask then what what happened next?

[00:07:45]So if I say like though it was raining we came to college. Okay. So we came to college is giving complete sense but though it was raining is not giving complete sense even though it is having a subject and a predicate. So that is what is called as dependent clause. So in these dependent clauses there are three types of dependent clauses or you can say subordinate clauses. Those three types are noun clauses, adjective clauses and adverb clauses. Now let's see what is this noun clause, adjective class, adverb clause and how they act as. Okay.

[00:08:29]So if you can see a noun clause, what is a noun clause is? It is a subordinate clause and it is used as a noun. So here if you can see what you have proposed is acceptable. Here what you have proposed is acting as a noun and it is considered as a noun clause. What you have proposed is acceptable and tell me what your marketing strategies are here also. Tell me so tell me is like it is giving complete sense and what your marketing strategies are is is it is like noun clause. So in these sentences noun clauses are acting as noun and this noun clause sometimes come as a subject and sometime it acts as object direct object also. So this is the role of noun clause.

[00:09:28]So if you can see noun clauses beginning with question words. So how uh they start with question words we will see.

[00:09:37]So if you can see uh if you ask direct question like what do you do in class?

[00:09:44]This is a direct question. And if you uh change the sentence pattern uh sometimes it is like noun clause like what we do in class is easy. So you can ask a question like what is easy. So what is easy? What we do in class is easy. So it noun clauses some uh sometimes they start with question words and like if you can see where does he work? This is the regular question and where he works is a secret. So here you can ask like one question what is a secret? What is a secret? The secret is like where he works is a secret. So here where he works uh is acting as a noun clause. And if you can see what should I do. So I don't know what you should do. So what you should what you don't know I don't know like what should what you should do. So this is also acting as noun clause. Who are they? Mary knows who they are. What Mary knows? Mary knows who they are. And what happened? She knows what happened. What she knows? She knows what happened. So noun clauses begin with question words sometimes.

[00:11:03]Okay. And next if you can see noun clauses beginning with weather or if and that. So if you can see I wonder if it will rain tomorrow. So what you wonder I wonder if it will rain tomorrow or I wonder if it will rain tomorrow or not.

[00:11:25]So uh the in this way the noun clauses start with uh begin with weather or if and sometimes it is also they also start with that that pollution affects the quality of our lives is obvious. So in this particular sentence it is acting as a subject. It is acting as a subject like that pollution affects the quality of our lives. What is obvious? That is obvious that pollution affects the quality of our lives. Is obvious. And next one is like it is obvious that pollution affects the quality of our lives. In this particular sentence, it is acting as a object. So noun clauses can act as a subject in the sentence and they can act as an object in the sentence. So this is about noun clauses and let's see uh how we have to identify the noun clauses. If you can see uh this particular sentence.

[00:12:32]Okay. So what is that particular sentence? I believe that he is innocent.

[00:12:39]So what you believe over here in this sentence? I believe what you believe that he is innocent that he is innocent.

[00:12:49]And next if you can see what she said made everyone laugh. So what made everyone laugh? What she said made everyone laugh. So this is the noun clause. In the same in the same way if you can see the teacher asked why I was absent. So what teacher asked? So the teacher asked why I was absent. So if you can see in this way this why I was absent is like noun clause. Right? And next one is like do you know where he works. So in this particular sentence where he works is acting as a noun clause. And next one whoever finishes first will win the prize. So who will win the prize? Whoever finishes first will win the prize. This is acting as a noun clause. And next if you can see the other sentence, I cannot understand how they solved the issue. So what you cannot understand? I cannot understand how they solved the issue. So here how they solved the issue is acting as noun clause. Next one is like that she passed the exam pleased her parents. What pleased her parents?

[00:14:20]That she passed the exam pleased her parents. And next one is like please tell me what you need. So please tell me what you want to tell me. So you just tell me what you need. So this is acting as a noun clause. And next one is like we discussed who should attend the meeting. So what we discussed? We discussed like who should attend the meeting. Next one. She wondered whether he would come. What she wondered? She wondered like whether he would come. She wandered. Right. Next one. What you did was unacceptable.

[00:15:07]So what is unacceptable?

[00:15:09]So what is unacceptable? What you did is unacceptable.

[00:15:14]I know why she left early. So what you know, you know why she left early. And next one, the manager explained how the project failed. So what the manager explained? He explained how the project failed. Right? And next one if you see who ever told you this was mistaken. So what was mistaken or who was mistaken?

[00:15:44]Who ever told you this was mistaken?

[00:15:49]Next one. Can you guess what he wants?

[00:15:52]So here also what he wants is acting as a noun clause. So in this manner you can identify with the help of asking what uh by asking what you can understand where is the noun class in a particular sentence.

[00:16:11]Next one is like adjective clause. So if you can see what is an adjective clause.

[00:16:18]An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or a pronoun. So if you can see if you go back to uh the recapitulation of parts of speech. So what is the duty of an adjective? An adjective always modifies the noun or pronoun. Right? In the same way an adjective clause is a subordinate clause and it modifies a noun or pronoun. So it is like majorly focusing on the reasons and uh uh the causes like that it will be focused on right if you can see the man who is standing over there is a product development manager.

[00:17:03]So here if you can see the man the man is the noun in that particular sentence and uh here adjective clause is like who is standing over there. Okay. So who is standing over there is giving uh additional information uh to the noun the man it is giving the it is modifying the noun right so is a product development manager in this manner you can identify adjective clause his team has come up with products that have more features for customers. So in this way you can understand adjective clause that adjective clauses modifies a noun or a pronoun.

[00:17:46]So here if you can see the adjective clauses. So adjective clauses as we are discussing like adjective clauses are also like dependent clauses or subordinate clauses. So they start with uh adjective clauses start with like uh sometimes relative pronouns like uh who, which and whose, who and that. Right? So here in this particular slide I have highlighted uh the relative pronouns which acting as the dependent clauses or adjective clauses and their usage and the examples. We will see uh the relative pronoun who uh the usage is like it is used as a subject or object pronoun for people like for example if you see the student here the student is what is this uh student over here uh the student is like subject and who scored highest here who scored highest it is like it is giving additional information or it is modifying the student, right?

[00:18:56]So, the student received a scholarship.

[00:18:59]But here it is giving additional information and it is modifying the noun who scored highest. So, this is how this adjective class works as the student who scored highest received a scholarship.

[00:19:13]And now if you can see which so if you see which it is used for animals and things like it may be subject or object.

[00:19:23]So here the book which book which I borrowed which I borrowed is very useful. So here it is acting as an adjective clause. And next sometimes this which also refers to the whole sentence. It adds extra information like she missed the deadline. Okay. Which disappointed the team. So which disappointed the team is giving additional information to this complete sentence. That sentence is like she missed the deadline. And next one is whose it whose shows about position for people, animals or things. So the girl whose project one is very talented.

[00:20:10]Which girl is talented? The girl whose project one that means it is acting as an adjective clause and it is modifying the noun the girl. The girl whose project one is very talented. Next one whom. So whom uh the usage of whom is like object pronoun for people in the formal usages. The candidate whom they selected is well qualified.

[00:20:39]So which candidate which qu candidate is wellqualified whom they selected whom they selected is very wellqualified. So this is the adjective clause and next one is that that is used for people animals and things in defining clauses like the course that you entered is highly practical. Okay. So which course is highly practical that you enter is highly practical. So this is what uh is about adjective clauses.

[00:21:15]So in the adjective clauses we have again two types like one is defining and another one is non-defining. So this is also like uh called as restrictive and non-restrictive clauses. And what is the duty of restrictive clause is it gives essential information that defines the noun. So whatever information in the sentence uh and which is essential that defines the noun is given by this restrictive or defining clause. And if you can see uh the sentence meaning is incomplete without this clause. So the restrictive clauses gives essential information. So without this restrictive clause the sentence meaning is incomplete. Okay. So whenever you are using this restrictive clauses uh there is no commas. Okay. And uses are like uh who that which and commonly that is uh used more. And examples if you can see the student who scored highest won a prize. So you can see the student won a prize but here there will be ambiguity like which student. So to answer that question you can take the help of who scored highest and if if you use this who scored highest it is essential information for this particular noun so that we can clearly understand which student won a prize.

[00:22:49]And next one the book that you gave me is helpful. So the book is helpful is complete sentence. Uh but which book there is a probability of a question. So if you can see uh that you give me is helpful is uh giving complete or essential information in this particular sentence.

[00:23:11]And next one the teacher who teaches us English is very supportive. So here also this is essential information because uh you can say the teacher is very supportive but again we can ask a question like which teacher. So this is essential information in this particular sentence right. So coming to this non-restrictive or um non-defining so it gives additional information about the noun and uh when this restrictive is giving essential information this nonrestrictive uh is gives additional information about the noun and the sentence meaning is complete even without this clause. So even though you are not using this non-restrictive you can get complete sense or complete meaning of the sentence and commas are used whenever you are using these clauses and uh if you can see the examples my brother who lives in Mumbai is an engineer. So here actually this who lives in Mumbai is not necessary because you can directly say my brother is an engineer but here you are adding additional information like who lives in Mumbai saying that uh the place of your brother's uh residence right so here also the car is mine so the car is mine is good enough but you are giving additional information like which is parked outside so this is in this sentence this is giving additional information. So in this manner you can see uh the difference between restrictive and non-restrictive adjective clauses.

[00:24:55]Now we'll see uh how to identify the adjective clauses. So you can identify the adjective clauses like uh for example the girl who is singing is my cousin. So here you can say the girl is my cousin. The girl is subject and he is my cousin is giving complete sense. But here uh you want to give uh essential information like uh who is singing. So you can identify the adjective clause like this. And next one is like I bought a book that explains grammar clearly. So here in this sentence you can say that that explains grammar clearly. So which book I bought? I book I bought a book that explains grammar clearly. So if you see this third sentence the house where I was born is very old. So here also you can identify where I was born. And next one students who work hard will succeed.

[00:26:03]So who will succeed? Who work hard? Here also this is adjective clause. The man whose valot was stolen went to the police station. So here also you can say whose valot was stolen. And next one is this is a restaurant where we had dinner yesterday. So where we had dinner yesterday is adjective uh clause. So in the same way the movie that we watched last night was interesting. So here also that we watched last night and next the teacher who teaches English is is absent today. So here also who teaches English and I know the reason why she is upset.

[00:26:48]So here also why she is upset. So in this manner you can identify the adjective clauses. So this is one more slide explaining about how to identify adjective clauses. Here also you can see the boy uh so the adjective clause is like who won the race and next one is like the dress that she wore looked beautiful. So that she wore okay the village where my grandparents live is peaceful. So here also where my grandparents live. So next one the player who scored the goal became famous. So here also who scored the goal. So in this manner if you read all these sentences you can understand how to identify these adjective clauses right and next we will see what is adverb clause. So what is adverb clause?

[00:27:46]An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb. So here also if you go back to your parts of speech you can understand uh so what is the role of an adverb? So in a sentence, so adverb clause modifies a verb in the same manner like adverb. Okay. And it also modifies a verb, an adjective or an adverb itself. And it tells when, where, how, why, to what extent or under what conditions uh the sentence is expressed.

[00:28:21]So in this way you can see. So if you can see the examples if the products are fit for the customers we will maintain sales increase of 10%. Here adverb clause like here it is like it is saying under what conditions we will maintain we will maintain like if the products are fit for the customers in this in this exact condition only we will maintain sales increase of 10%age. So in this manner uh you can identify adverb clause. There will be some promotion when the new products are available.

[00:28:57]When there will be some promotion when the new products are available. So in this way you have to identify adverb clauses. We'll see the adverb clauses and what type of questions they answer.

[00:29:13]Okay. So the type of adverb clause is like place. So the questions answers are like uh where so if you can see uh where there is determination there is success.

[00:29:25]So where means like when you will get success uh we will get the success only if there is determination. So in this manner you can understand uh how to identify the adverb clauses like when uh the time okay after the class ends we will discuss the project when we will discuss the project after the class ends right and reason also like why she stayed home why she stayed home because she was unwell. So this this question answered will like why she is uh at home like she was unwell and what was the reason? So purpose purpose also is explained in the adverb clauses. He studied hard so that he could pass. Why he studied hard? What was what was the reason? The reason was like he could pass and uh concession like why is it unexpected? So although she was tired she worked. So though she is tired she worked means why that is unexpected and she worked right. So under what condition? So if you practice regularly you will improve. So under what condition you will improve only under one condition that is if you practice regularly.

[00:30:45]And next if you can see uh the kind of clauses like time and cause and effect like common conjunctions used in adverb clauses or in the dependent clauses uh are like common conjunctions are like uh after before, when and what is the function of these common conjunctions?

[00:31:05]They are used to show when something happens. She was very young when her father died. So here it is like uh this common conjunction when is used and what is the function over here? It is used to show when something happened. So when her father died uh what what was her age? She was very young. Like another common conjunctions are like as as soon as since until what what is the function of these? It refers to a period of time or sequence of events. Right? So as soon as the lecture ended the sequence of events like students left the hall and another conjunctions like by the time once as long as and whenever it shows about the duration or repeated time references like whenever he speaks everyone listens carefully like it it it shows about the repeated time references and uh another common conjunctions are like every time, the first time, the last time. The next time it emphasizes specific occurrences in in time. The first time I presented I felt nervous.

[00:32:18]Right? So cause and effect. Cause and effect means something happened because of something. Right? So the common conjunctions are like because now that and since. So it indicates uh reason and uh in a present and future context like I did not argue because I wanted peace.

[00:32:39]Okay. Why I did not argue? Because I wanted peace. So used to mean because in the formal and academic senses. So based on these uh functions and these common conjunctions we can identify the adverb clauses. So here uh some more conjunctions are like contrast and uh in the context contrast also direct contrast and condition. So contrast like even though although though. So this the function is like uh it shows unexpected or surprising results and like even though I wasn't tired I went to bed like it is surprising result like usually when I am tired I go to bed or uh uh but this time even though I wasn't tired I went to bed and uh uh it shows direct contrast like uh while and whereas in the formal context like show direct contrast between two ideas. So Mary is rich while John is poor. So here we are uh taking two different ideas and two different contrasting ideas and we are taking the help of the common conjunctions like uh while and whereas and conditions like a show it shows a possible situation and its result. If it rains tomorrow I will take an umbrella.

[00:34:03]The possible situation. So only if it rains tomorrow then only I will take an umbrella. Right. And uh some are like whether or not show that the result does not depend on the condition and in case in the event that show a precaution or unlikely situation. So I will attend the meeting whether or not you come. So here we are saying like uh uh the result does not depend on the condition but it happens. So the these are the roles of uh common conjunctions in the adverbial uh that means in the dependent clauses and how to identify these adverb clauses. If you can see uh though she is young, she is very responsible. So here she is very responsible is complete sentence. It is giving complete sense.

[00:34:54]But coming to this though she is young.

[00:34:58]So here we are getting a question mark right. What is the question mark? Though she is young what she did she is very responsible. So though she is young is contrast and it is an adverb clause. I will call you when I reach home. So I will call you. This is giving complete sense. But when I reach home again it is like question mark. So if you can see when I reach home is um time and it is like giving um a subordinate clause when I reach home. So this is adverb clause in the same way as the weather was pleasant we went for a walk. So here why you went for a walk it is giving a reason. The reason is like as the weather was pleasant. Okay. And next one you can stay here until your father comes. So here also until your father comes this is adverb clause it says about time and even if he apologizes I will not trust him. I will not trust him is complete sense and complete sentence and here even if he apologizes. So condition it is saying or speaking about condition. And next if you see the baby cried because it was hungry. So why the baby cried? Reason. Reason is like because it was hungry. And this is adverb clause. And next one is like before you leave the room, switch off the lights. So here before you leave the room. And next sentence is like whenever I see her, she smiles at me. So she smiles at me is complete sense. But here if you can see uh whenever I see her, so it is saying about time. And next one is he spoke softly so that nobody could hear him. So that nobody could hear him is purpose and he spoke uh softly is giving complete sense. So you can identify this is dependent clause and it is adverb clause. If it rains tomorrow this is what is condition the match will be postponed. This is complete sentence and you can take this as dependent clause and this dependent clause is adverb clause. In this manner you can identify or search for these kind of uh reasons or conditions or time or purpose. Uh so that you can identify uh what is adverb clause. And some more examples are here. Uh so if you can see I stayed at home because it was raining.

[00:37:33]So why you stayed at home? It is giving complete sense and because it was raining is like subordinate clause or dependent clause. So it is saying about reason and when the teacher entered the class the students became silent. So when the teacher entered the class is saying about time and it is uh saying about adverb clause. If you study regularly you will score good marks. So if you study regularly is a condition.

[00:38:03]Although he was tired he completed the work. So although he was tired, she worked hard so that she could achieve success. So that she could achieve success is uh dependent clause. So you can take this as purpose and it is adverb clause. We will start the meeting after the principle arrives. So this is saying about the time and since I was late uh I missed the bus. So since I was late this is the reason and wherever he goes he makes new friend. So wherever he goes place unless you practice daily so this is condition unless you practice daily you cannot improve your English.

[00:38:46]While the children were playing while the children were playing is time it started to rain. So in this manner you can identify adverb clauses. By this I hope you have understood about clauses and types of clauses and the usage of clauses. Uh thank you and all the best.