What are clauses?

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Clauses

ducks fly

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Clauses

A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It is the basic unit of a sentence.

subjectverb

Remember: a phrase doesn’t have a verb but

a clause does.

ducks fly

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Clauses

Clauses can be much longer than just two words.

The subject of the clause is the person or thing

the clause is about.

Hungry long distances.The predicate of the clause is what is written about the

subject. This is the verb plus any words that add

meaning to the verb.

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Clauses

What are the subjects and predicates of these clauses?

Jeremy washed the car.

Amelie and her sister tidied their bedroom.

The screeching parrot attacked the helpless zookeeper.

She sold seashells on the seashore.

You and I must wash the dishes.

The cold and lonely dog howled at the full moon.

subject

subject

subject

subject

subjectsubject

predicate

predicate

predicate

predicate

predicate

predicate

A duckling can swim.

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A main clause can stand alone as a sentence.

Clauses

A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. It acts in a sentence as a noun, adverb or adjective.

when it is very young.

This subordinate clause acts as an adverb because it gives meaning to the verb swim, telling when the duckling can swim.

I will do my home work before dad comes home.

Lizzy picked the colour that she liked best.

Reece charged into the room just as Ben arrived.

A zoologist is a person who studies animals.

After you call me, I’ll meet you on the corner.

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Clauses

Point out the main and subordinate clauses in each sentence.

main subordinate

main subordinate

main subordinate

main subordinate

subordinate mainA subordinate clause can begin a sentence.

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Clauses

• A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. It is the basic unit of a sentence.

• A clause has a subject (the person or thing the clause is about) and a predicate (the verb plus any objects and modifiers).

• A main clause can stand alone as a sentence.• A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence. It

acts in a sentence as a noun, adverb or adjective. • Subordinate clauses can appear in different parts of a

sentence.• In the following sentence, the main clause is red and the

subordinate clause is blue: We can begin tomorrow if you’re ready.

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Clauses

The End