Adverb Clauses
Adverb Clauses
Like single-word adverbs, adverb clauses tell how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what conditions. Unlike adjective clauses, which follow the words they modify, adverb clauses can appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of sentences. However, they are easy to identify because they begin with a subordinating conjunction.
Common subordinating conjunctions include
Common subordinating conjunctions include
after,
although,
as if,
as long as,
because,
before,
since,
so that,
unless,
whenever,
and while.
EXAMPLES
- Before the biologist sampled the water, she dropped a dye tablet into the test tube. [The adverb clause tells when the action of the sentence occurred. The adverb clause begins with the subordinating conjunction Before.]
- She scooped up a few tablespoons of water so that she could examine it in the lab. [This adverb clause begins with the subordinating conjunction so that and tells why she collected the water.]
NOTE
You may have noticed that when an adverb clause begins a sentence, it is followed by a comma. The comma marks the end of the adverb clause and the beginning of an independent (or main) clause.
Elliptical Clause
Part of a clause may be left out when its meaning can be clearly understood from the context of the sentence. Such a clause is called an elliptical clause.
As long as the meaning of the sentence remains clear, certain words—often the subject, the verb, or both—can be omitted from the adverb clause.
COMPLETE CLAUSE
- Frances runs more often than Mike runs.
ELLIPTICAL CLAUSE
- Frances runs more often than Mike. [Both sentences and both adverb clauses mean the same thing. In the second sentence, the verb runs is understood, though not expressed.]