Advanced English Grammar

Thursday, 2-9-2021
Sentence with Multiple
Clauses
Skill 6 - Skill 12
SENTENCES W ITH MULTIPLE CLAUSES
Many sentences in English have more than one clause. (A clause is a group of
words containing a subject and a verb.)
Whenever you find a sentence on the TOEFL test with more than one clause, you
need to make sure that every subject has a verb and every verb has a subject.
Next you need to check that the various clauses in the sentence are correctly
joined. There are various ways to join clauses in English. Certain patterns appear
frequently in English and on the TOEFL test. You should be very familiar with
these patterns.
SKILL 6 USE COORDINATE CONNECTORS CORRECTLY

When you have two clauses in an English sentence , you must connect the two clauses correctly.

One way to connect two clauses is to use and, but, or, so, or yet between the clauses.

Tom is singing, and Paul is dancing.

Tom is tall, but Paul is short.

Tom must write the letter, or Paul will do it.

Tom told a joke, so Paul laughed.

Tom is tired, yet he is not going to sleep.

In each of these examples, there are two clauses that are correctly joined with a coordinate

conjunction and, but, or, so, or yet, and a comma (,).

The following example shows how this sentence pattern could be tested in the Structure section of the TOEFL test.

Example

A power failure occurred, _______ the lamps went out.

(A) then

(B) so

(C) later

(D) next

In this example you should notice quickly that there are two clauses, a power failure occurred and the lamps went out. This
sentence needs a connector to join the two clauses. Then, later, and next are not connectors, so answers (A), (C), and (D)
are not correct. The best answer is answer (B) because so can connect two clauses.
The following chart lists the coordinate connectors and the sentence pattern used

with them:
Skill 7: USE ADVERB TIME AND CAUSE CONNECTORS CORRECTLY

Sentences with adverb clauses have two basic patterns in English. Study the clauses and connectors in
the following sentences:

I will sign the check before you leave.

Before you leave, I will sign the check.

In each of these examples, there are two clauses: you leave and I will sign the check, and the clause you
leave is an adverb time clause because it is introduced with the connector before.

In the first example the connector before comes in the middle of the sentence , and no comma (,) is used.
In the second example the connector before comes at the beginning of the sentence . In this pattern,
when the connector comes at the beginning of the sentence, a comma (,) is required in the middle of the
sentence.
The following example shows how this sentence pattern could be tested in the Structure section of the
TOEFL test.

Example

--------was late, I missed the appointment.

(A) I

(B) Because

(C) The train

(D) Since he

In this example you should recognize easily that there is a verb, was, that needs a subject. There is also
another clause, I missed the appointment. If you choose answer (A) or answer (C ), you will have a
subject for the verb was, but you will not have a connector to join the two clauses. Because you need a
connector to join two clauses, answers (A) and (C) are incorrect. Answer (B) is incorrect because there is
no subject for the verb was. Answer (D) is the best answer because there is a subject, he, for the verb
was, and there is a connector, since, to join the two clauses.
The following chart lists adverb time and cause connectors and the sentence
patterns used with them:
Skill 8: USE OTHER ADVERB CONNECTORS CORRECTLY

Adverb clauses can express the ideas of time and cause, as you saw in Skill 7; adverb clauses can also
express a number of other ideas, such as contrast, condition, manner, and place. Because these clauses
are adverb clauses, they have the same structure as the time and cause clauses in Skill 7. Study the
following examples:

I will leave at 7:00 if I am ready.

Although I was late, I managed to catch the train.

In each of these examples, there are two clauses that are correctly joined with adverb connectors.

In the first sentence the adverb condition connector if comes in the middle of the sentence . In the second
sentence the adverb contrast connector although comes at the beginning of the sentence, and a comma
(,) is used in the middle of the sentence .
Skill 9: USE NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTORS CORRECTLY
In the first example there are two clauses, I know and he will arrive. These two
clauses are joined with the connector when. When changes the clause he will
arrive into a noun clause that functions as the object of the verb know.

In the second example the two clauses I am concerned and he will arrive are also
joined by the connector when. When changes the clause he will arrive into a noun
clause that functions as the object of the preposition about.

The third example is more difficult. In this example there are two clauses, but they
are a little harder to recognize. He will arrive is one of the clauses, and the
connector when changes it into a noun clause that functions as the subject of the
sentence. The other clause has the noun clause when he will arrive as its subject
and is as its verb.
The following example shows how these sentence patterns could be tested in the Structure section of the
TOEFL test.

Example

________ was late caused many problems.

(A) That he

(B) The driver

(C) There

(D) Because

In this example there are two verbs (was and caused), and each of these verbs needs a subject. Answer
(B) is wrong because the driver is one subject, and two subjects are needed. Answers (C) and (D) are
incorrect because there and because are not subjects. The best answer is answer (A). If you choose
answer (A), the completed sentence would be: That he was late caused many problems. In this sentence
he is the subject of the verb was, and the noun clause that he was late is the subject of the verb caused.
The following chart lists the noun clause connectors and the sentence patterns
used with them:
The following example shows a way that this sentence pattern can be tested in the Structure section of
the TOEFL test.

Example

You will get a good grade on the exam provided __________.

(A) studying

(B) study

(C) to study

(D) you study

In this example you should quickly notice the adverb condition connector provided. This connector comes
in the middle of the sentence; because it is a connector, it must be followed by a subject and a verb. The
best answer to this question is answer (D ), which contains the subject and verb you study.
The following chart lists the adverb contrast, condition, manner, and place
connectors and the sentence patterns used with them:
Skill 10: USE NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SUBJECTS CORRECTLY

In Skill 9 we saw that noun clause connectors were used to introduce noun subject
clauses or noun object clauses. In Skill 10 we will see that in some cases a noun
clause connector is not just a connector; a noun clause connector can also be the
subject of the clause at the same time.
In the first example there are two clauses: I do not know and what is in the box.
These two clauses are joined by the connector what. It is important to
understand that in this sentence the word what serves two functions. It is both
the subject of the verb is and the connector that joins the two clauses.
In the second example there are two clauses. In the first clause we is the subject
of are. In the second clause who is the subject of will do. Who also serves as the
connector that joins the two clauses. The noun clause who will do the work
functions as the object of the preposition about.
In the last example there are also two clauses: whoever is the subject of the verb
is coming, and the noun clause whoever is coming to the party is the subject of
must bring. The word whoever serves two functions in the sentence: It is the
subject of the verb is coming, and it is the connector that joins the two clauses.
The following example shows how this sentence pattern could be tested in the Structure section of the
TOEFL test.

Example

______ was on television made me angry.

(A) It

(B) The story

(C) What

(D) When

In this example you should notice immediately that there are two verbs, was and made, and each of
those verbs needs a subject. Answers (A) and (B) are incorrect because it and the story cannot be the
subject for both was and made at the same time. Answer (D) is incorrect because when is not a subject.
In answer (C) what serves as both the subject of the verb was and the connector that joins the two
clauses together; the noun clause what was on television is the subject of the verb made. Answer (C) is
therefore the best answer.
The following chart lists the noun clause connector/subjects and the sentence
patterns used with them:
Skill 11: USE ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTORS CORRECTLY

An adjective clause is a clause that describes a noun . Because the clause is an

adjective, it is positioned directly after the noun that it describes.
In the first example there are two clauses: woman is the subject of the
verb is filling, and she is the subject of the verb put. That is the adjective
clause connector that joins these two clauses, and the adjective clause
that she put on the table describes the noun glass.
In the second example there are also two clauses: glass is the subject of
the verb contains, and she is the subject of the verb put. In this sentence
also, that is the adjective clause connector that joins these two clauses,
and the adjective clause that she put on the table describes the noun
glass.
The following example shows how these sentence patterns could be tested in the Structure section of the TOEFL
test.

Example

The gift_____ selected for the bride was rather expensive.

(A) because

(B) was

(C) since

(D) which we

In this example you should notice quickly that there are two clauses, gift is the subject of the verb was, and the
verb selected needs a subject. Because there are two clauses, a connector is also needed . Answers (A) and (C)
have connectors, but there are no subjects, so these answers are not correct. Answer (B) changes selected into a
passive verb; in this case the sentence would have one subject and two verbs, so answer (B) is not correct. The
best answer to this question is answer (D ). The correct sentence should say: The gift which we selected for the
bride was rather expensive. In this sentence gift is the subject of the verb was, we is the subject of the verb
selected, and the connector which joins these two clauses.
The following chart lists the adjective clause connectors and the sentence patterns
used with them:
Skill 12: USE ADJECTIVE CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SUBJECTS CORRECTLY

In Skill 11 we saw that adjective clause connectors were used to introduce clauses
that describe nouns. In Skill 12 we will see that in some cases an adjective clause
connector is not just a connector; an adjective clause connector can also be the
subject of the clause at the same time.
In the first example there are two clauses: woman is the subject of the verb is
filling, and that is the subject of the verb is. These two clauses are joined with the
connector that. Notice that in this example the word that serves two functions at
the same time: it is the subject of the verb is, and it is the connector that joins the
two clauses. The adjective clause that is on the table describes the noun glass.

In the second example , there are also two clauses: glass is the subject of the verb
contains, and that is the subject of the verb is. In this example that also serves two
functions: it is the subject of the verb is, and it is the connector that joins the two
clauses. Because that is on the table is an adjective clause describing the noun
glass, it directly follows glass.
The following example shows how these sentence patterns could be tested in the Structure
section of the TOEFL test.
Example
_________ is on the table has four sections.
(A) The notebook
(B) The notebook which
(C) Because the notebook
(D) In the notebook
In this example you should notice immediately that the sentence has two verbs, is and has, and
each of them needs a subject. (You know that table is not a subject because it follows the
preposition on; table is the object o f the preposition.) The only answer that has two subjects is
answer (B), so answer (B) is the correct answer. The correct sentence should say: The notebook
which is on the table has four sections. In this sentence notebook is the subject of the verb has,
and which is the subject of the verb is. Which is also the connector that joins the two clauses.
The following chart lists the adjective clause connector/subjects and the sentence
patterns used with them: