Adverb Clause in English

Adverb Clause in English

Adverb Clause in English

The Outline of This Lesson on Adverb Clause in English

What is an adverb clause?

An adverb clause is a dependent clause or subordinate clause in English, which is the opposite of an independent clause. In a compound sentence, both the independent clause and adverb clause are closely related to each other to show a particular function.

Different Functions of an Adverb Clause in English

Reason

1. because (subordinate conjunction)
   1. I had to stay up so late last night because I had to study for the exam.
2. since (subordinate conjunction)
   1. Since it was raining, I got totally wet.

Contrast

1. although (subordinate conjunction)
   1. Although I was nervous, I delivered an excellent lecture in front of an audience of 100 PhD students.
2. though (subordinate conjunction)
   1. Though it was chilly on top of the mountain, we had a perfectly great time with each other.
3. whereas (subordinate conjunction)
   1. The teacher couldn’t explain about the math problem, whereas he was a knowledgeable person.

Condition

1. if (subordinate conjunction)
   1. If I were a millionaire, I would buy a large house with a beautiful yard. 
2. as long as (subordinate conjunction)
   1. I can stay here as long as you promise to change your hostile attitude.

Time

1. when (subordinate conjunction)
   1. When I arrived home, the phone was ringing.
2. while (subordinate conjunction)
   1. We had a horrible car accident while it was raining cats and dogs.

Purpose

1. so that (subordinate conjunction)
   1. Note: This subordinate conjunction should be placed after the independent clause.
   2. I was investing all the money I was earning so that I could pay off all my debts.

Comparison

1. as (subordinate conjunction)
   1. I’m not as able to do this as she is.

Some Important Tips

When you place the dependent or adverb clause first, it’s better to use a comma to separate the two clauses.

You need to be careful about the function of the subordinate conjunctions you are using. For instance, the following sentence doesn’t make sense at all. This is because of the fact that the two clauses are related to each other, while the subordinate conjunction (although) has been used to show contrast.

Although I was starving, I ate all the food in the pot.

Embedded Clauses

Sometimes, you can embed more than one adverb clause in a sentence. For example:

You can leave the class because if it is boring to you, then you cannot learn anything, and it would be abortive.

Instructions

• Source: embedded videos, selected texts, or assigned coursebooks
• Study the assigned source and write down the English grammar points that are mentioned or explained in this lesson in the interactive comment form below.
• You can make any examples of the discussed grammar points and leave them as comments.
• You are also encouraged to add further explanations or examples about the current topic as long as they are related.

Study the complete archive of English Grammar.

English Conjunctions in English