An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that functions as an adverb.[1] That is, the entire clause modifies a separate element within a sentence. As with all clauses, it contains a subject and predicate, though the subject as well as the (predicate) verb are omitted and implied if the clause is reduced to an adverbial phrase as discussed below.[2]
An adverbial clause begins with a subordinating conjunction—sometimes called a trigger word. In the examples below, the adverbial clause is italicized and the subordinating conjunction is bolded:
Mary, the aspiring actress, became upset as soon as she saw the casting list.
(subject: she; predicate: saw the casting list; the clause modifies the verb became)
Peter, the drama teacher, met with Mary after she calmed down.
(explicit subject: she; predicate: calmed down; predicate (verb): calmed; the clause modifies the verb met)
We left before the speeches ended.
(adverbial clause; contains subject and predicate)
According to Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk (Greenbaum and Quirk, 1990), adverbial clauses function mainly as adverbial adjuncts or disjuncts but differ in syntax from adverbial phrases and adverbial prepositional phrases, as indicated below.
Unlike adverbial clauses, adverbial phrases contain neither an explicit subject nor a predicate. In the examples below, the adverbial phrase is italicized and the adposition is bolded:
Mary, the aspiring actress, became upset as one of the casting list rejects.
Peter, the drama teacher, met with Mary after seeing her disappointment.
We left before the speeches.
Types
Adverbial clauses are divided into several groups according to the actions or senses of their conjunctions:
Type of clause
Common conjunctions
Function
Example
adverb clause of time
Conjunctions answering the question "when?", such as: when, before, after, since, while, as, as long as, till, until, etc.;
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An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that functions as an adverb 1 That is the entire clause modifies a separate element within a sentence As with all clauses it contains a subject and predicate though the subject as well as the predicate verb are omitted and implied if the clause is reduced to an adverbial phrase as discussed below 2 Contents 1 Adverbial clause versus adverbial phrase 1 1 Adverbial clauses 1 2 Adverbial phrases 2 Types 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksAdverbial clause versus adverbial phrase EditAdverbial clauses Edit An adverbial clause begins with a subordinating conjunction sometimes called a trigger word In the examples below the adverbial clause is italicized and the subordinating conjunction is bolded Mary the aspiring actress became upset as soon as she saw the casting list subject she predicate saw the casting list the clause modifies the verb became dd Peter the drama teacher met with Mary after she calmed down explicit subject she predicate calmed down predicate verb calmed the clause modifies the verb met dd We left before the speeches ended adverbial clause contains subject and predicate dd According to Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk Greenbaum and Quirk 1990 adverbial clauses function mainly as adverbial adjuncts or disjuncts but differ in syntax from adverbial phrases and adverbial prepositional phrases as indicated below Adverbial phrases Edit Main article adverbial phrase Unlike adverbial clauses adverbial phrases contain neither an explicit subject nor a predicate In the examples below the adverbial phrase is italicized and the adposition is bolded Mary the aspiring actress became upset as one of the casting list rejects Peter the drama teacher met with Mary after seeing her disappointment We left before the speeches Types EditAdverbial clauses are divided into several groups according to the actions or senses of their conjunctions Type of clause Common conjunctions Function Exampleadverb clause of time Conjunctions answering the question when such as when before after since while as as long as till until etc or the paired correlative conjunctions hardly when scarcely when barely when no sooner than 3 These clauses Say when something happens by referring to a period or point of time or to another event Her goldfish died when she was young He came after night had fallen We barely had gotten there when mighty Casey struck out He told us his adventures in Arctic as we went along adverb clause of condition if unless lest provided that Talk about a possible or counterfactual situation and its consequences If they lose weight during an illness they soon regain it afterwards adverb clause of purpose in order to so that in order that in case Indicate the purpose of an action They had to take some of his land so that they could extend the churchyard adverb clause of reason because since as given Indicate the reason for something I couldn t feel anger against him because I liked him too much adverb clause of concession contrast although though while Make two statements one of which contrasts with the other or makes it seem surprising I used to read a lot though I don t have much time for books now adverb clause of place Answering the question where where wherever anywhere everywhere etc Talk about the location or position of something He said he was happy where he was adverb clause of comparison as as than as State comparison of a skill size or amount etc Johan can speak English as fluently as his teacher can She is a better cook than I am adverb clause of manner Answering the question how as like Talk about someone s behavior or the way something is done I was never allowed to do things as I wanted to do He spent a lot of money as if he was very rich adverb clause of results so that such that Indicate the result s of an act or event My suitcase had become so damaged that the lid would not stay closed See also EditTemporal clause Latin References Edit Heusinger Klaus von Maienborn Claudia Portner Paul 2011 12 23 Semantics Volume 2 Walter de Gruyter ISBN 978 3 11 025507 2 Grammar Lesson Reducing Adverb Clauses ELC ELC English Language Center 2014 03 17 Retrieved 2018 01 24 HARDLY SCARCELY BARELY NO SOONERFurther reading EditGreenbaum Sidney amp Quirk Randolph A Student s Grammar of the English Language Hong Kong Longman Group FE Ltd 1990 Sinclair John editor in chief Collins Cobuild English Grammar London and Glasgow William Collins Sons amp Co ltd 1990 External links EditAdverb Clause Archived 2017 02 11 at the Wayback Machine How to Use Adverb Clauses Archived 2009 02 19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Adverbial clause amp oldid 1168655333, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
