WHAT ARE CLAUSES?

A clause is a group of words that includes

a subject and a verb.

A clause can be distinguished from a phrase,

which does not contain a subject and a verb
(e.g., in the afternoon, drinking from the bowl).
 Independent Clauses

An independent clause can express a complete thought (and

can be a standalone sentence).

Examples of Independent Clauses

Tara ate a cheese roll after she watched the news.
(Tara ate a cheese roll is an independent clause. It works as a
standalone sentence.)
Even though his mother was a driving instructor, my cousin
failed his driving test six times.
A computer once beat me at chess but was no match for me at
kick boxing. (Louis Hector Berlioz)
 Dependent clause

A dependent clause is usually a supporting part of a sentence, and it

cannot stand by itself as a meaningful proposition (idea).
Examples of Dependent Clauses:
Here are the same examples with the dependent clauses shaded:
Tara ate a cheese roll after she watched the news.
(The clause after she watched the news is a dependent clause. It does
not work as a standalone sentence.)
Even though his mother was a driving instructor, my cousin failed
his driving test six times.
A computer once beat me at chess but was no match for me at kick
boxing.
 These three dependent clauses (or subordinate
clauses as they're also called) could have been
independent clauses. However, the opening word(s)
(in these examples after, Even though, and but)
turned them into dependent clauses. The opening
words are known as dependent words, the main type
of which is subordinating conjunctions.
 How Are Clauses Used in Sentences?

Clauses can play a variety of roles in sentences. A

clause can act as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
 Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun. However, for many, that
definition is too generic. A multi-word noun will often contain another type
of clause, usually an adjective clause, which provides the verb required for a
clause. In the examples below, the multi-word nouns are shaded, and
internal clauses are in bold.
I've met the man who won the lottery.
(In this example, who won the lottery is an adjective clause. Without it, the
multi-word noun wouldn't be a clause at all. It would be a phrase (e.g., the
lottery-winning man). There is a debate over whether an integral clause
makes the multi-word noun a clause.)
Here is another example: A cynic is a man who looks around for a
coffin when he smells flowers. (H L Mencken, 1880-1956)
(In this example, who looks around for a coffin is an adjective
clause modified by when he smells flowers (an adverbial clause). They are
both part of the multi-word noun (shaded text), but whether or not they
make it a noun clause appears to be up for debate.)
 Here is another example:
A cynic is a man who looks around for a coffin
when he smells flowers.
In this example, who looks around for a coffin is
an adjective clause modified by when he smells
flowers (an adverbial clause).
They are both part of the multi-word noun (shaded
text), but whether or not they make it a noun clause
appears to be up for debate.
 Adjective Clause

When we think of an adjective, we usually think about

a single word used before a noun to modify its
meanings
(e.g., tall building, smelly cat, argumentative assist
ant). However, an adjective can also come in the form
of an adjective clause.

An adjective clause usually comes after the noun

it modifies and is made up of several words which, like
all clauses, will include a subject and a verb.
 Examples of Adjective Clauses

Examples of adjective clauses:

The carpets which you bought last year have gone
moldy.
The film which you recommended scared the kids
half to death.
The follies which a man regrets most in his life are
those which he didn't commit when he had the
opportunity.
Bore: a person who talks when you wish him to
listen.
 The Components of an Adjective Clause

The Components of an Adjective Clause

An adjective clause (which can also be called an adjectival
clause or a relative clause) will have the following three traits:
It will start with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, that,
or which) or a relative adverb (when, where, or why).
(This links it to the noun it is modifying.)(Note: Quite often,
the relative pronoun can be omitted. However, with an
adjective clause, it is always possible to put one in. There is
more on this below.)
It will have a subject and a verb.
(These are what make it a clause.)
- It will tell us something about the noun.
(This is why it is a kind of adjective.)
Look at the three traits in this example:
Quite often, the relative pronoun is the subject of
the clause. Look at the three traits in this
example:

The Relative Pronoun Can Be Omitted

It is common for the relative pronoun to be omitted.

Look at these examples:
The carpets XwhichX you bought last year have gone
moldy.
The film XwhichX you recommended scared the kids half
to death.
The follies XwhichX a man regrets most in his life are
those XwhichX he didn't commit when he had the
opportunity.
This is not always possible though:
Bore: a person who talks when you wish him to listen. X
 Commas or No Commas around an
Adjective Clause?

The big question with an adjective clause is whether

to offset it with commas or not. The rule is this:
Don't use commas if your clause is essential; i.e., it is
required to identify its noun. (This is called
a restrictive clause.)
Do use commas if your clause is just additional
information. (This is called a non-restrictive clause.)
This is a good test: If you would happily put brackets
around it or delete it, then use commas.
 Here is an example of a non-restrictive clause: