As an expert in the field of English grammar, I would like to provide a comprehensive explanation of what a clause is and its different types with examples.

A clause in English grammar is a group of words that includes a subject and a predicate. The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that the clause is about, while the predicate contains the verb and provides information about the subject. Clauses are essential components of sentences and can be classified into two main types: independent clauses and dependent clauses.

Independent Clauses: Also known as main clauses, independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences. They express a complete thought and can function independently. Here are some examples:

- She reads books every night. (The subject is "She," and the predicate is "reads books every night.")
- The cat slept on the couch. (The subject is "The cat," and the predicate is "slept on the couch.")

Dependent Clauses: Also referred to as subordinate clauses, dependent clauses cannot stand alone as sentences. They rely on an independent clause to complete their meaning. Dependent clauses can be further divided into three types: adverbial, adjective, and noun clauses.

- Adverbial Clauses: These clauses modify the verb, adjective, or adverb in the main clause, providing more information about time, place, manner, condition, or reason. For example:
- After he finished his homework, he went to bed. (The adverbial clause "After he finished his homework" modifies the main clause's verb "went.")

- Adjective Clauses: Also known as relative clauses, these clauses modify a noun or pronoun in the main clause. They provide additional information about the noun or pronoun. For example:
- The book that I read last week was very interesting. (The adjective clause "that I read last week" modifies the noun "The book.")

- Noun Clauses: These clauses function as a noun in the main clause, acting as the subject, object, or complement. For example:
- What she said is true. (The noun clause "What she said" acts as the subject of the main clause.)

It's important to note that clauses can also be combined to create complex sentences. For instance, a complex sentence can have one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

Understanding clauses is crucial for constructing well-formed sentences in English. They allow for the expression of complex ideas and contribute to the richness and variety of the language.

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The Grammar Rules for Clauses in English. 1. A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate but cannot always be considered as a full grammatical sentence. Clauses can be either independent clauses (also called main clauses) or dependent clauses (also called subordinate clauses).read more >>