Complex sentences with adverbial clauses

Adverbial clauses are usually classified according to their meaning, that is according to the relation they bear to the main clause. They differ from nominal and attributive clauses in that they are introduced by conjunctions with more distinctive meaning.

Commas are often used after adverbial clauses when they precede the main clause. When they come after the main clause, it is more usual not to have a comma.

According to their semantics we distinguish adverbial clauses of place, time, manner, comparison, condition, concession, purpose, cause, result.

1. An adverbial clause of place defines the place or the direction of the action expressed in the principal clause. It may be introduced by the conjunctions where, whence, wherever, everywhere (that) and conjunctive adverbs with prepositions. He said he was happy where he was. NOTE: that not only an adverbial clause of place begins with where.

He left it where it lay. (adverbial clause) I told him where to put it. (object clause)

He came from Herne Bay, where Lally had once spent a holiday, (relative clause)

This is where my brother lives, (predicative clause)

2. An adverbial clause of time characterizes the action expressed in the main clause from the temporal point of view.

An adverbial clause of time may be introduced by conjunctions: as, as soon as, as long as, when, whenever, while, now that, till, until, after, before, since and phrasal conjunctions:

the time (that), the day (that), the moment, the instant, next time, every (each) time, directly, immediately, instantly, once.

Every conjunction in the above list imparts a particular shade of meaning to the temporal relation — priority, simultaneity, succession of actions, the beginning or the end of the action, repetition, gradual development of a process, etc.

He saw her as he was getting of f the bus. (as = while, when)

As I get older I get more optimistic, (about two developing or changing situations)

He got married as soon as he left university, (as soon as at once, after)

They arrived while we were having dinner, (while introduces the longer background situation, which started before the shorter event)

Now (that) John has arrived, we can begin. (now that ==because smth has happened) ' I'll keep it for you till you come back. (till, until mark the end point of a period of time)

I found your coat after you had left the house, (after == at a later time than when)

It will be some time before we know the final results, (before = earlier than the time when)

We've been friends (ever) since we met at school, (since gives the starting point of actions and situations that continue up to the moment of speaking; the verb in the principal clause is used in the present perfect or past perfect) NOTE: the present indefinite tense in expressions like

It's a long time since I heard from Peter. It's ten years since Arabella left me.

By the time you receive this letter I will be on my way home.

I recognized her the moment I saw her. (the moment as soon as)

At) the instant I saw him I knew he was the man the police were looking for. ((at) the instant == as soon as)

I came directly I got your message, (directly === as soon as)

Once she arrives, we can start, (once == from the moment that; when)

3. An adverbial clause of manner characterizes actions, states, qualities, circumstances. The most common conjunctions to introduce them are as and the way, in a wan, in the way.

I don't understand why he behaves as he does.

I was never allowed to do things the way I wanted to do them.

4. An adverbial clause of comparison characterizes the action expressed by the predicate in the main clause by comparing it with some real or hypothetical circumstance or action.

Clauses of comparison may be introduced by the conjunctions as, like, as if, as though, than, the correlative conjunctions as...as, so...as, as-as if.

She's got longer hair than I have.

In a formal written style, as is sometimes followed by inversion. He was a Catholic, as were most of his friends.

The difference between the use of as and like is important.

Like is a preposition — it is followed by a noun or a pronoun. My sister isn't much like me. As is a conjunction — it is followed by clause. I am no orator, as Brutus is.

As is also used before prepositional expressions: In 1939, as in 1914, there was a great surge of patriotic feeling.

In informal American English, like is very often used as a conjunction instead of as.

Nobody loves you like I do, baby.

Another use of as is in expressions like as you know, as we agreed, as you suggested. The meaning here is not really 'comparison', but identity. In an informal style, like is possible in some of these expressions, but it is unusual in educated English.

When we say that two things are the same in some way, we can use as...as with an adjective or adverb.

He drove as fast as he could.

Expressions with as...as can also be modified by (not) nearly, almost, just, nothing like, every bit, exactly. You're nothing like as critical as you used to be.

As if and as though are used in the same way: they often show that a comparison is 'unreal’.

Why is she looking at me as though she knew me? I’ve never seen her before in my life.

Was is also possible and is more common in an informal style

5. An adverbial clause of condition contains some condition (either real or unreal) which makes the action in the main clause possible. Adverbial clauses of condition may be introduced by conjunctions: if, unless, once, in case. There are also several conjunctions derived from verbal forms sometimes followed by the optional that: provided (that), providing (that), suppose (that), supposing (that), considering (that), given (that), granted (that), granting (that), presuming (that), seeing (that). If he told you that, he was lying.

Provided (that) there is no opposition, we shall hold the meeting here.

He did very well in his exams considering (that) he had studied so little.

Conditional clauses introduced by if imply uncertainty. Therefore they often contain non-assertive forms of pronouns and pronominal adverbs, such as any, anybody, anything, anywhere. Just ask John if you need any help. Clauses beginning with unless express the only possible condition which will make the action in the main clause possible.

Therefore they usually contain assertive forms like something, somebody.

Unless somebody interferes, there may be a disaster.

For the same reason unless-clauses hardly ever express unreal conditions.

In formal or literary English conditional clauses may be joined to the main clause asyndetically by means of inversion. Inversion is possible only if the predicate in the subordinate clause is in the Suppositional Mood or Subjunctive II.

Should ministers decide to instigate an inquiry, we would welcome it.

Were it all true, it would still not excuse their actions. Had I known that there was never to be another opportunity, I would have filmed the occasion.

It is a common elementary mistake to use will or would together with if. However, there are three cases in which will and would are possible in if-clauses.

1) Will and would are used in if-clauses not as auxiliary verbs to make the future and conditional, but as modal verbs to talk about wishing or willingness.

If you will come this way, the manager will see you now.

2) In indirect speech, in object clauses, (when if has more or less the same meaning as whether), it can be followed by will or would. I'd like to know if he will be using the car tomorrow.

3) When the if-clause refers to a result of the action of the main clause, will can be used. (Normally the if-clause refers to a condition that comes before.)

If you give me ten pounds (first), I'll stop smoking.

If it will make you happy (as a result), I’ll stop smoking.

6. An adverbial clause of concession contrasts with the content of the main clause: the action or fact described in the main clause is carried out or takes place despite the action or state expressed in the subordinate clause.

This type of clause is introduced by conjunctions: although, though, if; conjunctive pronouns or adverbs: whoever, whatever, whichever, whenever, wherever (which may stand for almost any part of the sentence), as; or composite conjunctions: no matter how, no matter what, for all that, despite that, in spite of the fact, despite the fact, except that, much as, even if, even though, even when.

When a concessive clause ends with a subject complement, the complement can be brought forward to the beginning of the clause. When the complement is an adjective, as can be used instead of though.

I had to accept the fact, improbable though/as it was.

Astute businessman though he was, Philip was capable at times of extreme recklessness. (Note the absence of the article before the noun businessman.)

An adverb can also be put at the beginning of the clause.

Some members of the staff couldn't handle Murray's condition, hard though they tried.

When you are talking about a strong feeling or desire, you can use much as instead of though.

Much as I like Venice, I couldn't live there.

Concessive clauses of this kind sound rather formal.

7. An adverbial clause of purpose expresses the purpose of the action which is stated in the principal clause. Adverbial clauses of purpose are introduced by the conjunctions that, so that, so, lest, in order that, for fear that. Modal verbs or verbs in the Suppositional Mood are used in clauses of purpose because they express planned but not real actions.

Bring it closer so (that) I can see it better.

He said it in order that we might live more comfortable. (formal)

In formal or old-fashioned English lest is sometimes used at the beginning of a purpose clause to say what an action is intended to prevent. The verb-predicate is then used in the Suppositional Mood or Subjunctive I.

He spoke in whispers lest the servants (should) hear him. Lest anyone (should) worry that this will lead to price increases, let me reassure them that it will not.

8. An adverbial clause of cause expresses the reason, cause, or motivation of the action expressed in the main clause or of its content as a whole. Causative clauses may be introduced by the conjunctions as, because, since, so, that, lest, seeing (that), considering', or by the composite conjunctions for the reason that, in view of the fact that, inasmuch as, insofar as.

As she has no car, she can't get there easily.

Their father is also guilty, inasmuch as he knew what they were planning to do. (formal)

There are some differences between as, because and since.

Because is generally used when the reason is the most important part of the sentence. Therefore, the because-clause usually comes at the end.

People dislike me because I'm handsome and successful. (not... as...)

As and since are used when the reason is already well known, or is less important than the rest of the sentence. Since is a little more formal than as. As- and since-clauses often begin the sentence As women were not supposed to be novelists, she took the name George Eliot.

Since you refuse to cooperate, I shall be forced to take legal advice.

9. An adverbial clause of result denotes some consequences or result of the action expressed in the main clause. It may be introduced by the conjunctions so that or that. Result clauses always come after the main clause. We turned the radio up, so that everyone heard the announcement. You can also use so that to say that something was done in a particular way to achieve a desired result. Explain it so that a 10-year-old could understand you.

These result clauses are not separated by a comma.

So... that, and such... that are used in special kinds of structures to say that a result happens because something has a quality to a particular extent or because something is done in an extreme way. His speech was so clear that we could understand every word.

He spoke so clearly that we could understand every word.

He made such a good speech that he was elected unanimously.

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