Adverbial Clause ( English Version )
Adverbial Clauses ( English Version )
An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that functions as an adverb.[1] That is, the entire clause modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb[citation needed]. As with all clauses, it contains a subject and predicate, though the subject as well as the (predicate) verb may sometimes be omitted and implied (see below).[2]
An adverbial clause is fronted by 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 Paul, the drama teacher, met with Mary after she came to the next class.''
(explicit subject: she; predicate: came to the next class.; predicate (verb): came; the clause modifies the verb met)
- He talked carefully in order to appear fair.
- He talked carefully in order .. [that 'he'] appear fair.
(implied subject, he, is omitted; predicate (verb): appear; the clause modifies the adverb carefully)
- The little boy preferred fierce dinosaurs, as [was] T rex.
(subject of the clause: T rex; predicate of the clause: [was], implied; the clause modifies the adjective fierce.)
According to Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk, adverbial clauses function mainly as adjuncts or disjuncts, which parts also perform in a sentence as adverbial phrases or as adverbial prepositional phrases (Greenbaum and Quirk, 1990). Unlike clauses, phrases do not contain a subject and predicate; they are contrasted here:
- We left the convention the day before.
(adverbial phrase; contains no subject or predicate)
- We left before the speeches.
(adverbial prepositional phrase; contains no subject or predicate—and no verb (action) is implied)
- We left after the speeches ended.
(adverbial clause; contains subject and predicate)
- We left after the speeches.
or, (".. after the speeches [ended]")
(adverbial clause; contains subject and predicate, but the verb 'ended' is omitted and implied)