Questions tagged [clauses]

А clause is a unit of grammatical organization next below the sentence in rank and in traditional grammar said to consist of a subject and predicate.

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Why does the subordinate clause not have the verb “be”?

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 4: The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though, when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to ...
Azat Khabibulin's user avatar
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1 answer
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joining phrase at correct place

I have following 2 statements. The convergences of topological relations of adjacent segments can be derived from graphs. The convergences allows reconstruction of object geometries with ...
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Can we use infinitive clauses with prepositions at the end of them for a purpose?

Do they always have to be next to nouns? Examples; To talk about, We should find a topic. To live lots of amazing moments with, I need some friends. To study with, I will invite my friend ...
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Conditional sentences without if type clause

Can sentences such as "I could have been a contender," be considered conditional on its own without an if type clause? Same thing with questions such as, "Should you have spoken to him that way?" Or ...
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1 answer
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Commas with subordinating conjunctions

I have read in grammar books that a comma is usually used when making a complex sentence. For instance: If you keep talking to your mother like that, I will have to teach you manners. ...
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"Mrs. Jones going to New York" vs "Mrs. Jones gone to New York"

I am giving two sentences below. Please get me clear. I am confused. Mrs. Jones went to the New York. Mr. Smith took up her position. This is the context. If I join the two sentences ...
Indranil Bar's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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"Despite the fact that x" <-- phrase, a clause, or phrase + a clause?

I know that “despite” is a preposition. However, I am confused about its role in the following sentence (and similar sentences that use “despite the fact that”): SENTENCE: Despite the fact that I was ...
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How to rewrite 'she sings like a bird'

She sings like a bird. If I want to rewrite this sentence using 'as' what would be the appropriate sentence? 1.She sings as a bird does. 2.She sings, as a bird does.
Sahil Laskar's user avatar
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Which clause is in bold below?

Davidson’s article is one of a number of pieces that have recently appeared making the point that the reason we have such stubbornly high unemployment and declining middle-class incomes today is ...
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This case in the CGEL puzzles me

In the CGEL(Quirk et al), the case below puzzles me because an adverb phrase or a prepositional phrase rarely serves as subject. 10.15 Adverbial forms as subject: (1) Slowly is exactly how he speaks. ...
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How should I understand this sentence from Knausgaard's My Struggle?

If we lay close together our physical range was not much to brag about either, any given sea lion would be more voluminous. Could anyone explain the comma usage in this sentence? Is there should be a ...
hooh's user avatar
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Comma before “and” separating two short independent math statements?

Consider a typical mathematical sentence defining two tuples: (s_i)_{i=1}^n and (t_i)_{i=1}^n: Let (s_i)_{i=1}^n = X (,) and (t_i)_{i=1}^n = Y. The parens around the comma mean that it's unclear ...
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Subject/Object , Wh clause (noun clause)

S1: The plumber is Ben. S2: Ben is the plumber. As here, The above two sentences are equivalent. So when we create wh- clause (noun clause) Which one is right I don’t know [who is Ben]. I don’t know [...
Aarsh's user avatar
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Can I use a non-defining and defining clause for the same noun?

I'm curious if I can use a non-defining and defining clause/phrase in a row for the same noun in a sentence. For instance, I sold the ring, an expensive one, that I bought a few years ago. (I intend ...
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Multiple conditional clauses in a single turn

A boy did mischief (he messed with a dog) due to which the following things happened: The dog chased him. Feared, he ran away. He crossed the road. He ran into a car. He had an accident. He is ...
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Help changing active to passive voice in this sentence?

What would be the passive of the sentence? He will have eaten the whole mango by the time I eat a single piece. Simply, I want to know that what would be the change in time clause, other than ...
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reduced causal adverbial clauses in the second part of a sentence

Can we use a causal adverbial clause in the second part of a sentence? if so, I wonder if I want to use an adverbial clause of causality in the second part of a sentence, should I use a comma before ...
Ali Sirous's user avatar
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Using two If clauses in this sentence

I have received an invitation to visit a research lab for "several hours" in a well-known institution for potential hiring. I have provided them with my availability but I followed that with this ...
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Not using THAT in non-defining relative clauses

While I was teaching non-defining relative clauses in an intermediate book, one of my students asked why that cannot be use?! I don't remember reading any tips about it. Is there a logical explanation?...
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If + past tense + would VS If + present tense + would

I would/(will) eat it if you add more sugar. I would eat it if you added more sugar. What are the differences between them? Can we use "would" instead of "will" to make the first sentence more ...
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Is the place of "which clause" in this sentence correct?

I always have issues with using which clause. I appreciate if sb let me know if the which clause in the sentence below is correct. "Sth1 brings about unprecedented challenges to sth2 which can be ...
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What is the function of ‘before clause’ in the sentence?

When I was reading the book The Giver, I read the following sentences. There was a time, actually—you’ll see this in the memories later—when flesh was many different colors. That was before we ...
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What are the subjects and predicates of the clauses in "There is the mountain that we are going to climb."?

What would be the subjects and the predicates of the following sentence: There is the mountain that we are going to climb. Independent clause: There is the mountain Dependent clause: that we are ...
maleepicface's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
722 views

One of my friends who

a. One of my friends who works at your office told me that. b. One of my friends, who works at your office, told me that. Are both sentences grammatically correct? Is the punctuation of both ...
azz's user avatar
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1 answer
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Sentences That Start With 'It'

Some ESL students have trouble understanding the logic of sentences starting with it, i.e. 'It is cold.' Or using 'it' as a pronoun to replace ideas in general. Usually they will start the sentence ...
drivegg's user avatar
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but I knew before I went that I didn't really want > to have a serious relationship with Joe

Can we use "know that" in the following way? Is it kind of a grammar rule to put an independent clause between "verb + that"? It was a really terrible vacation. It was my fault. I mean I wanted ...
Mickey Mouse's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
869 views

Passive construction of a sentence that starts with "no sooner"

We had no sooner started the work than he closed the door. The work had no sooner been started than he closed the door. The work had no sooner been started, when he closed the door. The last two ...
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What are the linkers in these sentences?

The army has previously rejected Khan’s claims it had anything to do with past purported attempts on his life. What is the Linker in this sentence? I have noticed many sentences like- I said it was ...
Ansarul Islam's user avatar
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1 answer
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Usage of "results" (from GRE)

Nylenna's study showed that errors in scientific manuscripts submitted for publication often escape reviewer's notice, results that were not _______: when Godlee conducted a study of the same ...
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Do the provided sentences exhibit a reduced adjective clause structure?

Perseus then flew to the realm of Atlas whose chief pride was his garden "filled with golden fruit". Those in favor of a milder approach to the drug problem point to the poor results "...
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Does it make any differences in meaning when the subordinate clause is at the end or beginning of the sentence?

Does it make any differences in meaning when the subordinate clause is at the end or beginning of the sentence? Example 1 Mom always makes sure Tom has food to eat before he leaves for school. ...
vincentlin's user avatar
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does the "By + gerund" clause have a passive meaning?

I have a sentence similar to this one: Hibernate can validate your schema by setting the Hibernate property to validate Does it imply that Hibernate validates this schema because it (Hibernate) set ...
Roman Iriska's user avatar
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1 answer
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one or two sentences?

The following is a link to a CNN news story. https://www.facebook.com/cnninternational/videos/this-pool-loving-pup-cant-get-enough-time-in-the-water-see-his-reaction-to-getti/1414625682685648/ There ...
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such a good show that

Which are correct: It was such a good show that everyone loved it. It was a good show, such that everyone loved it. Is there any difference in the meanings?
azz's user avatar
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we are aware when one of our cognitive biases is activated

It is important that we are aware when one of our cognitive biases is activated and make a conscious choice to overcome that bias. 'when one of our cognitive biases is activated' is a adverbial ...
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What happiness is is being discussed

From https://ell.stackexchange.com/a/85353/65098, I learned "I didn't know what it was." is correct. So if I use the what clause as a subject, like What happiness is is being discussed. It ...
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when clause with the continuous tense

I always eat a lot of meat when I am visiting that place. I think it means "while I am visiting that place I am always eating a lot of meat". However, I think it can mean I always eat a ...
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It is all those or there are all those

I am not sure if it is appropriate to use "it is/was" or “there is/was” in the following situation: ( I was trying to tell what I was surprised to see in my way to visit a friend to my ...
lock menorah's user avatar
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I wonder if it possible to use a gerund or an infinitive after “that”

Usually, in the book, I see “that” as a clause, but can the word “that” be before another clause? I don't think [that eating fruit every day is a problem]. I don't think [that it bores you to eat ...
Mariela 's user avatar
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"Considers" or "will consider" after "when"?

In this sentence: If he goes to therapy regularly and does not isolate himself, he will reach a moment when he considers with self-satisfaction that he is on the right path. the word corrector ...
fev's user avatar
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1 answer
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What are the syntactic structures of these three clauses?

I'm working on a project in which I take sentences and clauses from utterances and distinguish their syntactic structure (declarative, interrogative, imperative). I've encountered three clauses that ...
Arek's user avatar
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Is omitting a repeated subject and predicate in attributive clauses ok?

Can I omit the conjunction, the subject, and the auxiliary verb in this attributive clause in (1) I had returned the book (which I had) borrowed from library. to produce (2): I had returned the ...
QUESTER's user avatar
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How to understand the structure of 'capable' in this sentence?

I am reading an article 'Izmir Province' on Wikipedia, there is a sentence that I could not understand. "The greater Izmir region produces 20% of Turkey’s wind power from wind turbines capable ...
Beau Garçon Idol Lucianus's user avatar
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1 answer
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such that nobody would see him

a. He went into the room such that nobody would see him. b. The wind blew such that the vase on the window ledge was knocked over. In (a), 'such that' expresses intention. His intention was not to be ...
azz's user avatar
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1 answer
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Usage of "... such ... that ..."

Can the word "that" be the subject of the subordinate clause in sentences of the construction "... such ... that ..."? For example, I believe the sentence: "It was such a bad ...
Vova's user avatar
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If clauses: What is "likely to happen"?

I learned that there are three if-clauses: if + simple present, will-future: stuff that is highly likely to happen if + simple past, conditional I: stuff that is not so likely to happen if + past ...
Micha's user avatar
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2 answers
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Imperative: how to distinguish independent clauses and a compound predicate?

Consider the following imperative-sentence structure Do 𝑋 and do 𝑌. (Source: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/Commas/faq0067.html ) where I believe (but do not know this ...
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Why the comma in "I received a gift from Uncle George, but not from my other uncle"?

As far as I understand it, "But not from my other uncle" is not an independent clause. It could show contrast, but that would still require an independent clause, like "John is rich, ...
conjunctionjunctionfunction's user avatar
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1 answer
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Which noun does the that-clause modify?

The leak detection algorithm is suggested based on rules, historical context, and user position that can manage to detect ten different forms of ingestion, such as normal, low, extreme, and anomalous ...
rann rann's user avatar
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to clear the debris

a. A surgeon is needed to operate on Tom. b. A surgeon is needed for operating on Tom. ================== c. Shovels are needed to clear the debris. d. Shovels are needed for clearing the debris. ...
azz's user avatar
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