The complex sentence with a predicative clause

Connectors which introduce predicative clauses

Types of predicative clauses

Examples

Conjunctions: that, whether, whether... or, as, as if, as though, because, lest, the way

Conjunctive pronouns: who, whoever, what, whatever, which)

Conjunctive adverbs: where, wherever, when, whenever, how, why

1. They may follow the main clause in which the subject is a notional word, although it usually has a very general meaning (thing, question, problem, news, sensation, evil, rule, trouble, etc.). In this case the predicative clause discloses the meaning of the subject.

2.  The predicative clause may follow the main clause in which the subject is expressed by the impersonal pronoun it.

3. Predicative clauses introduced by the conjunctions as, as if, as though should not be confused with adverbial clauses of comparison introduced by the same conjunctions. A predicative clause immediately follows the link verb, with which it forms a compound nominal predicate proper.

1. The trouble was whether we could manage it ourselves or not.

2. It appears he hasn’t been there.

3. It seems that they friends.

Connectors which introduce object clauses

Types of object clauses

Examples

Conjunctions: that, if, whether, whether... or, lest

Conjunctive pronouns: who, whoever, what, whatever, which)

Conjunctive adverbs: where, wherever, when, whenever, why, how

1. An object clause may directly follow the word it refers to (verb, adjective, stative)

2. An object clause may precede the main clause

3. An object clause may be joined to the main clause by the preposi­tions after, about, before, beyond, for, near, of, as to, except

1. He asked me if I wanted to stay.

2. What she thinks it would be impossible to say.

3. I am not certain of what he did.

Connectors which introduce appositive clauses

Specific features

Examples

Conjunctions: that, if, whether, as if, as though

Conjunctive pronouns and adverbs: why, how

1. They are not separated by a comma and cannot be joined asyndetically.

2. Unlike an apposition in a simple sentence, which usually gives another name to the person or thing designated by the antecedent, an appositive clause discloses the meaning of a noun (which is also called the antecedent) with a very general meaning, such as:, thing, reason, point, moral, comment, remark, probability, idea, fact, consequence, feature

The question whether it was he or his enemy was hotly discussed.

She had a strange sensation as if something had happened.