Plain English Part 97

This is a _compound_ sentence, formed by uniting two simple sentences.

Both of the clauses are independent and are of equal rank. Neither depends upon the other. They are united by the co-ordinate conjunction _and_. We can combine these sentences in a different way. For example, we may say:

If we are united, we shall succeed.

Now we have a subordinate clause, _if we are united_, which is used to modify the verb of the main clause, _succeed_. We have used the subordinate conjunction _if_, and so we have a _complex_ sentence formed by uniting the princ.i.p.al clause and a dependent clause.

+442.+ The next step in sentence building, after the simple sentence, is the complex sentence. A complex sentence is a combination of two or more simple sentences, which are so united that one sentence remains the main sentence--the backbone, as it were--and the other sentence becomes subordinate or dependent upon it.

+443.+ +A complex sentence is one containing a princ.i.p.al clause and one or more subordinate clauses.+

+A princ.i.p.al clause is one which makes a complete statement without the help of any other clause or clauses.+

+A subordinate or dependent clause is one which makes a statement dependent upon or modifying some word or words in the princ.i.p.al clause.+

KINDS OF DEPENDENT CLAUSES

+444.+ Dependent clauses are of three kinds. They may be used either as _nouns_, _adjectives_ or _adverbs_, and so are called _noun clauses_, _adjective clauses_ or _adverb clauses_.

NOUN CLAUSES

+445.+ +Noun clauses are those which are used in place of a noun.+ They may be used in any way in which a noun may be used, except as a possessive.

1. +The noun clause may be used as the subject of the sentence.+ For example:

_That he is innocent_ is admitted by all.

The clause, _that he is innocent_ is used as a _noun_, the subject of the sentence.

2. +The noun clause may be used as the object of a verb+, thus:

I admit _that I cannot understand your argument_.

The clause, _that I cannot understand your argument_, is in this sentence the object of the verb _admit_.

3. +The noun clause may be used as the predicate complement+, thus:

The fact is _that this policy will never win_.

The clause, _that this policy will never win_, is here used in the predicate with the copulative verb _is_.

4. +The noun clause may also be used in apposition, explaining the noun with which it is used+, thus:

The motion, _that the question should be reconsidered_, was carried.

_That the question should be reconsidered_, is here a noun clause, used in apposition with the noun _motion_, and explains the meaning of the noun.

5. +The noun clause may also be used as the object of a preposition+, thus:

I now refer to _what he claims_.

The noun clause, _what he claims_, is here the object of the preposition, _to_.

Exercise 2

In the following sentences the noun clauses are printed in italics.

Determine whether they are used as the subject, or object of the verb, as predicate complement, in apposition, or as the object of a preposition.

1. The fact is _that I was not listening_.

2. _Whatever King Midas looked upon_ turned to gold.

3. He acknowledged _what we had suspected_.

4. We will never know _what the real situation was_.

5. The fact _that the wage is insufficient_ can be easily proved.

6. He replied to _what had been asked_.

7. The claim was _that he had made a speech inciting to riot_.

8. The law _that labor unions are in restraint of trade_ was upheld.

9. _That we cannot win by compromise_ is readily apparent.

10. Labor demands _that it shall have its full product_.

11. _Whoever controls education_ controls the future.

12. He came to _where the militia was in camp_.

Exercise 3

Write sentences containing noun clauses used:

1. As the subject of a verb.

2. As the object of a verb.

3. As a predicate complement.

4. In apposition.

5. As the object of a preposition.

ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

+446.+ A dependent clause in a complex sentence may also be an adjective clause.

+An adjective clause is a clause used as an adjective+, and, hence, always modifies a noun or some word used as a noun, such as a p.r.o.noun or a participle. In Lesson 22, we studied adjective clauses and found that they could be introduced by the relative p.r.o.nouns, _who_, _which_, _that_ and _as_, and also by conjunctions such as, _when_, _where_, _whither_, _whence_, etc. An adjective clause may modify any noun or any word used as a noun in the sentence.

1. +An adjective clause may modify the subject+, thus:

Men _who have become cla.s.s-conscious_ do not make good soldiers.

In this sentence the clause, _who have become cla.s.s-conscious_, modifies the noun _men_, and is introduced by the relative p.r.o.noun _who_.

2. +An adjective clause may modify the noun which is the object of the verb+, as: