word order

Word Order in Complex Sentences There are five parts of a sentence: the subject, the predicate, the attribute, the object, and the adverbial modifier Accordingly, there are five types of subordinate clauses: the subject clause, the predicative clause, the attributive clause, the object clause, and several types of adverbial clauses Subordinate clauses are also called dependent clauses because they can't be used without the main clause Word order in subordinate clauses is first the subject, then the verb Compare these pairs of simple and complex sentences: I bought a book on history I bought the book that you asked for I know the way to his house I know where he lives He went home after work He went home after he had finished work The subject clause The subject clause functions as the subject of the sentence Subject clauses are introduced by the words "who, what, how, when, where, that, whether" Who brought the roses is a secret What you told me was interesting How it happened is not clear The subject clause is often placed after the predicate, and the formal subject "It" is used in such sentences It is not known who brought the roses It is not clear how it happened It is doubtful that he will come back today The predicative clause The predicative clause functions as part of the predicate and usually stands after the linking verb BE The problem is that he is rude The question is where I can find enough money for my project This is what he said to her This is how it happened The attributive clause The attributive clause performs the function of an attribute and stands after the noun that it modifies Attributive clauses are introduced by the words "who, whom, whose, which, that, when, where, why" The man who helped her was Dr Lee The bag that he bought cost forty dollars Here's the book that I am talking about The place where she lives is not far from here The time when they were friends is gone The object clause Object clauses function as objects (Object clauses are described more fully in Sequence of Tenses in the section Grammar.) He told us that he had already bought a car I know where we can find him I asked how I could help him Types of adverbial clauses Adverbial clauses function as adverbial modifiers Adverbial clauses include several types of clauses that indicate time, place, purpose, cause, result, condition, concession, manner, comparison The adverbial clause of place He went where I told him to go This cat sleeps wherever it wants Go down this street and stop where the road turns right The adverbial clause of time When she arrived, they went home She left while he was sleeping He hasn't called me since he arrived He left before I returned Call me as soon as you receive the report No future tense is used in subordinate clauses of time referring to the future (after the conjunctions "when, till, until, after, before, as soon as, as long as, by the time", and some others) The present tense, usually the Simple Present, is used instead of the future in clauses of time He will call you when he returns I'll help you after I have dinner I will wait until he finishes his work I said that I would wait until he finished his work The adverbial clause of condition We will go to the lake on Saturday if the weather is good If the plane left on time, they should be in New York now If he has already seen the report, he knows about our plans No future tense is used in subordinate clauses of condition referring to the future (after the conjunctions "if, unless, in case, on condition that", and some others) If he calls, tell him the truth I will talk to him if I see him I won't be able to go with you unless I finish this work soon enough The adverbial clause of purpose He works hard so that he can buy a house for his family He gave her detailed directions so that she could find his house easily They should call her in advance so that she may prepare for their visit We left early in order that we might get there before the beginning of the wedding ceremony The adverbial clause of result My car was repaired on Thursday so that on Friday I was able to leave I have so much work this week that I won't be able to go to the concert It was so cold that I stayed home He was so tired that he fell asleep The adverbial clause of reason I can't come to the party because I have a cold I went home because I was tired I called you because I needed money Since she didn't know anyone there, she stayed in her room most of the time As there are several possible answers to this question, let's discuss all of them The adverbial clause of comparison He works as quickly as he can Tom is older than I am It looks as if it is going to snow You sound as if you have a sore throat Note that after "as if; as though", the subjunctive mood is used in cases expressing unreality He looks as if he were old and sick She described it as if she had seen it all with her own eyes She loves them as though they were her children (See more examples with "as if, as though" at the end ofSubjunctive Mood Summary in the section Grammar.) The adverbial clause of concession Though he was tired, he kept working Although it was already dark, he could still see the shapes of the trees He didn't convince them, although he tried very hard No matter what she says, call me at nine o'clock Whatever happens, you must help each other Find him, whatever happens Note: Commas A comma is generally not used between the main clause and the adverbial subordinate clause if the subordinate clause stands after the main clause But a comma is used between them if the subordinate clause stands at the beginning of the sentence before the main clause Compare: She went for a walk in the park after she had finished her work on the report After she had finished her work on the report, she went for a walk in the park A comma is used before the adverbial subordinate clause if the subordinate clause refers to the whole main clause (not only to the verb in it) Such situations often occur in the case of the clauses beginning with "though, although, whatever, no matter what" and "because" Compare: She was absent because she was ill They must have been sleeping, because there was no light in their windows Types of subordinate clauses in English sources There are some differences in the way English and Russian linguistic sources describe subordinate clauses, which may present some difficulty for language learners In English grammar materials, subordinate clauses are divided into three main types: noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverb clauses Adjective clauses (attributive clauses) and adverb clauses (adverbial clauses) are described similarly in English and Russian materials Noun clauses are described differently in English materials Noun clauses include three types of subordinate clauses described in Russian materials: the subject clause, the predicative clause, and the object clause Noun clauses Noun clauses function as nouns A noun clause can serve as the subject of the sentence, as a predicative noun, or as an object What he said was really funny (Noun clause "What he said" is the subject.) This is not what I meant (Noun clause "what I meant" is in the function of predicative noun.) She says that he will come back tomorrow (Noun clause "that he will come back tomorrow" is a direct object.) He is not interested in what she is doing (Noun clause "what she is doing" is a prepositional object.) Relative clauses The term "relative clauses" in English materials refers to noun clauses and adjective clauses introduced by the relative pronouns "who (whom, whose), which, that, what" Relative clauses in the form of noun clauses are introduced by the relative pronouns "who (whom, whose), which, what" Who will be able to it is still a question I don't know which of these bags belongs to her I didn't hear what he said Relative clauses in the form of adjective clauses are introduced by the relative pronouns "who (whom, whose), which, that" "Who" refers to persons; "which" refers to things"; "that" refers to things or persons To avoid possible mistakes, language learners should use "who" (not "that") when referring to people The boy who is standing by the door is her nephew Or: The boy standing by the door is her nephew The man to whom she is speaking is her doctor Or: The man she is speaking to is her doctor The house in which he lived was too far from the center of the city Or: The house he lived in was too far from the city center The people whose house he bought moved to Boston I lost the pen that you gave me Or: I lost the pen which you gave me Or: I lost the pen you gave me She likes the stories that he writes Or: She likes the stories which he writes Or: She likes the stories he writes Relative clauses that have parenthetical character (i.e., nonrestrictive clauses) are separated by commas Such clauses are usually introduced by the relative pronouns "which" and "who" (whom, whose), but not by "that" She lost his book, which made him angry She doesn't study hard, which worries her parents My brother, who now lives in Greece, invited us to spend next summer at his place The war, which lasted nearly ten years, brought devastation and suffering to both countries [...]... Word Order in Complex Sentences There are five parts of a sentence: the subject, the predicate, the attribute, the object, and the adverbial modifier Accordingly, there are five types of subordinate clauses:... predicative clause, the attributive clause, the object clause, and several types of adverbial clauses Subordinate clauses are also called dependent clauses because they can't be used without the main clause Word order in subordinate clauses is first the subject, then the verb Compare these pairs of simple and complex sentences: I bought a book on history I bought the book that you asked for I know the way to... know where he lives He went home after work He went home after he had finished work The subject clause The subject clause functions as the subject of the sentence Subject clauses are introduced by the words "who, what, how, when, where, that, whether" Who brought the roses is a secret What you told me was interesting How it happened is not clear The subject clause is often placed after the predicate,... to her This is how it happened The attributive clause The attributive clause performs the function of an attribute and stands after the noun that it modifies Attributive clauses are introduced by the words "who, whom, whose, which, that, when, where, why" The man who helped her was Dr Lee The bag that he bought cost forty dollars Here's the book that I am talking about The place where she lives is... that he can buy a house for his family He gave her detailed directions so that she could find his house easily They should call her in advance so that she may prepare for their visit We left early in order that we might get there before the beginning of the wedding ceremony The adverbial clause of result My car was repaired on Thursday so that on Friday I was able to leave I have so much work this