CBSE Class 10 English Clauses (Noun, Adjective and Adverb) Notes Set 01

Phrase and clause

A phrase is a group of words that does not have its own subject and finite verb, such as in the park or fine beaches. A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate with a finite verb of its own, such as who gave you the book or you have made a mistake. Words build phrases, phrases and clauses build sentences.

Subject and predicate

The subject names the person or thing the sentence is about, and the predicate tells what the subject does or is. In A bad workman quarrels with his tools, the subject is a bad workman and the predicate is quarrels with his tools. In inverted sentences such as Sweet are the uses of adversity, the subject (the uses of adversity) comes after the verb. In a command like Don't make a noise, the subject you is understood.

Finite verbs

A finite verb has a subject and changes with the person, number and tense of that subject, as in John cooks carrots or They are happy. A transitive verb passes its action to an object (She left the keys on the table), while an intransitive verb has no object (The pirates laughed heartily). Non-finite forms (infinitives, gerunds and participles) cannot form a clause on their own.

Kinds of clauses

1. A principal (main) clause makes complete sense by itself: I lost the book.

2. A subordinate (dependent) clause has a subject and a verb but needs a principal clause to complete its meaning: which I bought yesterday. It is joined by words such as because, if, that, since, though, who and which.

3. Co-ordinate clauses are joined by and, but, or, so, still and have equal rank: She is poor but she earns her living.

Noun clause

A noun clause does the work of a noun. It can be the subject (What he said is true), the object of a verb (He asked how they would solve the problem), the complement (The question is where we can find the money), the object of a preposition (He paid no attention to what I said) or in apposition to a noun (I accept the principle that all men are equal). It is usually introduced by that, what, where, how, whether or why.

Adjective clause

An adjective clause does the work of an adjective and qualifies a noun or pronoun. It begins with a relative pronoun (who, whom, which, that) or a relative adverb (where, when, why). Example: This is the thief who stole the horse. Spring is the season when nature is at her best. Sometimes the relative is left out: The house Jack built.

Adverb clause

An adverb clause does the work of an adverb and tells us when, where, how, why or on what condition something happened. The main kinds are:

1. Time: when, before, after, since, until (I shall wait until you have finished).

2. Place: where, wherever (Wherever you go I shall follow you).

3. Manner: as, as if, as though (He looks as if he were frightened).

4. Comparison: as ... as, than (She is as pretty as a doll).

5. Cause: because, since, as (I paint because I like painting).

6. Purpose: so that, in order that, lest (I worked hard so that I might win).

7. Result: so ... that, such ... that (The storm was so fierce that many trees fell).

8. Condition: if, unless, provided (If it rains, the match will be cancelled).

9. Concession: though, although, even if (Though he is poor he is honest).

How to identify a clause

1. Look for the finite verb to count the clauses in a sentence. 2. Find the clause that can stand alone: it is the principal clause. 3. Ask what the remaining clause does: if it can be replaced by a noun it is a noun clause, by an adjective an adjective clause and by an adverb an adverb clause.

Quick Check Questions