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What Are The Different Types of Clauses?: Main Clause

There are two main types of clauses: main clauses and subordinate clauses. Main clauses can stand alone as a complete sentence, while subordinate clauses depend on a main clause for their meaning. There are also two types of subordinate clauses: conditional clauses and relative clauses. Conditional clauses use words like "if" or "unless" while relative clauses connect to a main clause using words like "which", "that", "who", or "where". Relative clauses can also be restrictive or non-restrictive, determining whether a comma is used.

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53 views3 pages

What Are The Different Types of Clauses?: Main Clause

There are two main types of clauses: main clauses and subordinate clauses. Main clauses can stand alone as a complete sentence, while subordinate clauses depend on a main clause for their meaning. There are also two types of subordinate clauses: conditional clauses and relative clauses. Conditional clauses use words like "if" or "unless" while relative clauses connect to a main clause using words like "which", "that", "who", or "where". Relative clauses can also be restrictive or non-restrictive, determining whether a comma is used.

Uploaded by

Farman Khan Lashari
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What are the different types of

clauses?
A clause is a group of words that contains a verb (and usually other components too). A
clause may form part of a sentence or it may be a complete sentence in itself. For
example:
He was eating
a bacon sandwich.
[clause]
She had a long
but she is remembered mainly for one early work.
career
[clause] [clause]

Main clause
Every sentence contains at least one main clause. A main clause may form part of
a compound sentence or a complex sentence, but it also makes sense on its own, as
in this example:
He was eating a bacon sandwich.
[main clause]

Compound sentences are made up of two or more main clauses linked by


a conjunction such as and, but, or so, as in the following examples:
I love sport and I’m captain of the local football team.
[main
[conjunction] [main clause]
clause]
She was born in
but her mother is Polish.
Spain
[main clause] [conjunction] [main clause]

Subordinate clause
A subordinate clause depends on a main clause for its meaning. Together with a main
clause, a subordinate clause forms part of a complex sentence. Here are two
examples of sentences containing subordinate clauses:
After we had had
we went back to work.
lunch,
[subordinate clause] [main clause]
I first saw her in
where I lived in the early nineties.
Paris,
[main clause] [subordinate clause]

There are two main types of subordinate clause: conditional clauses and relative
clauses.

Conditional clause
A conditional clause is one that usually begins with if or unless and describes something
that is possible or probable:
a simple shelter can be made out of a plastic
If it looks like rain
sheet
[conditional
[main clause]
clause]
I'll be home unless the plane's delayed for
tomorrow hours.
[main clause] [conditional clause]

Relative clause
A relative clause is one connected to a main clause by a word such
as which, that, whom, whose, when, where, or who:
I first saw her in
where I lived in the early nineties.
Paris,
[main clause] [relative clause]
She wants to be with
who is best suited to take care of her.
Thomas,
[main clause] [relative clause]
I was wearing the
that I bought to wear to Jo's party.
dress 
 [main clause] [relative clause]

Using relative clauses


Have you ever wondered about when to use that and when to use which or who in this
type of sentence? In fact, for much of the time that is interchangeable with either of
these words. For example:
√ You’re the only person who has ever listened to me.
√ You’re the only person that has ever listened to me.
√ It’s a film that should be seen by everyone.
√ It’s a film which should be seen by everyone
When referring to something, rather than someone, that tends to be the usual choice in
everyday writing and conversation in British English. However, there is one main case
when you should not use that to introduce a relative clause. This is related to the fact
that there are two types of relative clause: a restrictive relative clause and a non-
restrictive relative clause.
Restrictive relative clause
A restrictive relative clause (also known as a defining relative clause) gives essential
information about a noun that comes before it: without this clause the sentence wouldn’t
make much sense. A restrictive relative clause can be introduced
by that, which, whose, who, or whom. You should not place a comma in front of a
restrictive relative clause:
√ She held out the hand  which was hurt.
√ She held out the hand that was hurt.
[restrictive relative
[main clause]
clause]

You can also leave out that or which in some restrictive relative clauses:


√ It reminded him of the
that he used to rent in Oxford.
house
√ It reminded him of the
which he used to rent in Oxford.
house
√ It reminded him of the
he used to rent in Oxford.
house
[main clause] [restrictive relative clause]

Non-restrictive relative clause


A non-restrictive relative clause (also called a non-defining relative clause) provides
extra information that could be left out without affecting the meaning or structure of the
sentence. Non-restrictive relative clauses are normally introduced
by which, whose, who, or whom, but never by that. You should place a comma in front
of them:
She held out her
which Rob shook.
hand,
[main clause] [non-restrictive relative clause]

If a non-restrictive relative clause is in the middle of a sentence, you should put commas
before and after it:
Bill
who had fallen asleep on the sofa, suddenly roused himself.
,
  [non-restrictive relative clause]

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