Archive for January 2008

Complex sentences with adverbial clauses

I reached my morphology section (http://uastudent.com/category/english/english-grammar/english-morphology/) in the course I am taking and here is some stuff for you.

AdC perform the function of an AM, it can modify a verb, an adjective or an adverb in the PC. They are joined to the PC by means of subordinating conjunctions. An AdC may precede, interrupt (commas are used in both cases) or follow the PC (no commas are used). AdC of time shows the time of the action expressed in the PC.

Introduced by the conjunctions "when, while, whenever, as, till, until, as soon as, as long as, since, after, before, now that" (We moved here when I was 16) and constructions "scarcely… when, hardly… when, no sooner… than" (Hardly had they entered the room, when a rain began). AdC of place shows the place of the action expressed in the PC. Introduced by the conjunctions "where, wherever" (I looked where she pointed).

AdC of cause (reason) shows the cause of the action expressed in the PC. Introduced by the conjunctions "as, because, since, for fear (that)" (in official style also "on the ground that, for the reason that, etc.") (She was so nice because her daughter loved him). AdC of purpose state the purpose of the action expressed in the PC. Introduced by the conjunctions "that, in order that, so that, lest, etc." (She phoned so that she could hear him). AdC of condition state the condition which is necessary for the realization of the action expressed in the PC. Introduced by the conjunctions "if, unless, suppose, in case, on condition that, provided, etc." (I'll come if you call me) or joined asyndetically (with inversion in the subordinate clause) (Should you call me today, I'll come).

AdC of concession denotes the presence of some obstacle which nevertheless doesn't hinder the action expressed in the PC. Introduced by the conjunctions and connectives "though, although, as, no matter how, however, whoever, whatever, whichever" (in official style also "notwithstanding that, in spite of the fact that") (I liked the trip though it was very cold). AdC of result denote the result of the action expressed in the PC. AdC of pure result are introduced by the conjunction "so that" and usually separated from the PC by a comma (The night has come, so that it became really dark), AdC of result with an additional meaning of degree are introduced by the conjunction "that" (the adverb "so" or the demonstrative pronoun "such" then are found in the PC) and are not separated from the PC by a comma (He is so happy that he couldn't say a word).

AdC of manner characterize in a general way the action expressed in the PC, the idea of comparison is often implied. Introduced by the conjunction "as" (She did exactly as he had told her). AdC of comparison denote an action with which the action of the PC is compared. Introduced by the conjunctions "than, as, as… as, not so… as, as if, as though" (She ate as fast as she could).

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 by Data Cube
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