Clauses

A clause is a group of words that has a subject-verb combination in it. The  verb must be a main or finite verb form. The -ing or the infinitive forms cannot be the main verb.

Connecting Words That Join Clauses

Two independent clauses can be joined in two ways.
1. Two independent clauses can be joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so).

 

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE The alarm clock rang, The alarm clock rang, The alarm clock rang, The alarm clock rang, Mark got up,

COORDINATING CONJUNCTION and so but yet for

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE Mark got up. Mark got up. Mark did not get up. Mark did not get up. the alarm clock rang.

2. Two independent clauses can be joined by a semicolon. An interrupter may be added to the second clause to show more clearly the relation between the ideas in the two clauses. (Single-word interrupters are often called conjunctive adverbs.)

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE The alarm clock rang; The alarm clock rang; The alarm clock rang; The alarm clock rang; The alarm clock rang; The alarm clock rang;

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE the boy got up. therefore, the boy got up. consequently, the boy got up. as a result, the boy got up. nevertheless, the boy stayed in bed. however, the boy stayed in bed.

Interrupters are movable; they may be put in the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the clause. They must be separated from the rest of their own clause by a comma or commas. 

The alarm clock rang;

the boy, therefore, got up. the boy got up, therefore.

The Meaning of Connectors

The following connectors show effect or result in the second clause.

Coordinating conjunction:

It was raining,

so I carried an umbrella.

Interrupters:

It was raining; It was raining; It was raining, It was raining, It was raining,

therefore, I carried an umbrella. consequently, I carried an umbrella. as a result, I carried an umbrella. thus I carried an umbrella. accordingly, I carried an umbrella.

The following connectors show contrast in the second independent clause.

Coordinating conjunction:

One of her eyes was blue, One of her eyes was blue,

but her other eye was green. yet her other eye was green.

Interrupters:

One of her eyes was blue; One of her eyes was blue; One of her eyes was blue; One of her eyes was blue; One of her eyes was blue;

however, her other eye was green. on the other hand, her other eye was green. nevertheless, her other eye was green. even so, her other eye was green. by/in contrast, her other eye was green.

The following connectors show addition of more facts or ideas to the facts or ideas stated in the first clause.

Coordinating conjunction:

He was rich,

and his brother was rich.

Interrupters:

He was rich; He was rich; He was rich; He was rich; He was rich; He was rich;

also his whole family was rich. furthermore, his whole family was rich. in addition, his whole family was rich. moreover, his whole family was rich. in fact, his whole family was rich. his whole family was rich too.

NOTE: Too usually comes in the middle or at the end of a clause. Words of four letters or fewer are not usually set off by commas.

The following connectors can be used to introduce an illustration or example in the second independent clause.

Interrupters:

He seemed very rich; He seemed very rich; He seemed very rich; He seemed very rich; He seemed very rich;

for example, he owned three cars. to illustrate, he owned three cars. in fact, he owned three cars. for instance, he owned three cars. for one thing, he owned three cars.

Other connectors introduce more illustrations and examples after the first one.

for another thing
secondly
thirdly
finally
at last
He was rich; for one thing, he owned three cars. For another thing, he always wore the most expensive clothes.

The following connectors can be used to show choice or alternatives stated in two independent clauses.

Coordinating conjunction:

You must pay a fine; He did not pay a fine;

or you must go to jail. nor did he go to jail. (negative alternative)

Interrupters:

You must pay a fine; You must pay a fine;

otherwise, you must go to jail. if not, you must go to jail.

The following connectors show emphasis.

Interrupters:

She was a beautiful girl; She was a beautiful girl;

indeed, she was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. in fact, she was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.

The following connectors show repetition and explanation.

Interrupters:

He seemed very rich to us; He seemed very rich to us;

in other words, he appeared very wealthy. that is, he appeared very wealthy.

The following connector introduces the clause that tells the cause.

Coordinating Conjunction:

I carried an umbrella,

for it was raining.

The following connector can be used to show that addition and alternatives are both possible. When both addition and alternatives are possible, and/or can be used, especially in scientific and legal writing.

The checks in this joint account must be signed by Harold Lawson and/or they must be signed by Jane Lawson.

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

The idea in an independent clause may be modified or further explained by a dependent clause. An adverb dependent clause can be introduced by a subordinating conjunction. A subordinating conjunction is different in several ways from a coordinating conjunction. (Sometimes certain subordinating conjunctions are called relative adverbs )
1. A clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction cannot be punctuated as a separate sentence. If it is a separate sentence, it is incorrect.

independent clause		independent clause
The alarm clock rang. Mark cooked breakfast.		Mark got up. Mark ate breakfast.

dependent clause		independent clause
When the alarm clock rang, After Mark cooked breakfast,			Mark got up. he ate it.

INCORRECT: INCORRECT:

When the alarm clock rang. (fragment) After Mark cooked breakfast. (fragment)

2. Some subordinating conjunctions can also be prepositions. Look at the sentence to see how it is constructed. Then decide what kind of verb forms and punctuation you need. 

prepositional phrase Since my arrival here,

I have made many friends.

dependent clause Since I arrived here,

I have made many friends.

The preposition form of because is because of. Do not confuse these forms. A preposition must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or noun-form such as the -ing form.

Because the alarm clock rang, Mark got up.
Because of the ringing of the alarm clock, Mark got up.

Not all subordinating conjunctions can also be prepositions.

INCORRECT: CORRECT:

If lack of protein, the body does not develop well. If the body lacks protein, it does not develop well.

Common Subordinating Conjunctions
*	after although	*	because before		in order that once	* *	till until
	as		-er (comparative adjective + than) even though		rather than		when, whenever
	as far as as if as long as as though		except that how if in case	*	since so that sooner than though		where, wherever while

The words preceded by an asterisk (*) can be prepositions. The other words on the list cannot be prepositions.

FORMAL FORMS:

in as much as, whereas, whereby, whereupon

The following words can be used in similar sentence patterns as absolutes with or without that. They usually come at the beginning of the sentence.

admitting (that) assuming (that) considering (that) given (that) granted (that) granting (that)

presuming (that) providing (that) seeing (that) supposing (that)

Admitting we have made mistakes, we can try to do better in the future.
Admitting that we have made mistakes, we can try to do better in the future.
Granted xy equals yz, then ax equals ay.
Granted that xy equals yz, then ax equals ay.