Clause
Introduction
A clause normally has a subject and a verb plus other words.
- subjectThe weather verbseems nice today
- subjectOne of the children verbis reading a book
- subjectProfessor Prune verbgave the students an assignment
Sentences can have two or more main clauses, joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, or, but.
- clauseAndrew teaches economics and clauseRichard teaches business studies.
- clauseThe weather is nice today but clauseyesterday it rained.
- clauseWe could go out this evening or clausewe could meet at the weekend.
Sentences can have subordinate clauses, introduced by a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, even though, if, once, since, so long as, though, unless, until, when, whenever, whereas, wherever, while.
- subordinate clauseBefore I met you, main clauseI had no idea what love was.
- main clauseShe sat down subordinate clausebecause she was tired.
- subordinate clauseWhen the Moon is low on the horizon, main clauseit can look unusually large.
👉 See also Conjunction