Subordinate clauses may be finite or non-finite.
The Major was concerned at her sudden departure, though
he knew its cause
.
You can come and pick it up whenever
you want
.
[person explaining to a doctor how a child came to hurt himself while playing
on the bed]
He was okay while
jumping on the bed
, but I didn’t know he was going to jump
off the bed.
Û
also
204 and
317b Relative pronouns for
who,
whom,
which,
whose and
that
COMPLEX SUBORDINATORS
312
Complex subordinators consist of more than one word and include common
expressions ending in as and that (or optional that), plus a small number of other
expressions. These include:
So, as far as
my mother was concerned
, I was safe.
Assuming
he dies first
, I get all the money. And assuming
I die next
, you two
just share the money.
You take it in turns to be on duty in case
the fire alarm goes off or whatever
.
A: That’ll be fun.
B: Oh, Yes. It will won’t it, provided
it’s not too snowy for the planes to get off
.
ELLIPSIS IN SUBORDINATE CLAUSES
313
Subordinators such as although, if, unless, when, whenever, while may be
followed by ellipsis of subject and copular verb be. Such usage is generally
associated with more formal styles:
Being part of a group means that you can support each other whenever
necessary.
(understood: … you can support each other whenever supporting each other is
necessary.)
as far as
as if
as/so long as
as soon as
as though
assuming (that)
considering
given (that)
granted (that)
in case
in order for
in order that
insofar as
insomuch as (formal
styles only)
in the event that
providing/provided
(that)
seeing as (informal
styles only)
seeing (that)
such that
supposing (that)
Û
539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms
Clause combination | 559
[in a shop: customer buying nuts;
Brazils are Brazil nuts]
A: Can I have a quarter of those please?
B: Yes.
A: Er, not too heavy on the Brazils if possible.
(understood: … if it/that is possible.)
In reporting structures with common everyday verbs such as guess, hope, know,
say,
tell,
think, omission of
that is the norm, except in formal styles or very careful
speech:
[informal conversation]
I think he’s a lovely man.
(less likely: I think that he’s a lovely man.)
[written text]
The Mayor hopes visitors will become involved with the village.
(less likely: The Mayor hopes that visitors will become involved with the
village.)
He says he’s sold his bike, everything he owns, to get money together.
(less likely: He says that he’s sold his bike …)
Backward-referring (anaphoric) ellipsis in subordinate clauses is more common
than forward-referring (cataphoric) ellipsis:
You can have that if you want to.
(anaphoric; understood: You can have that if you want to have that.)
I only go there when I have to.
(anaphoric; understood: I only go there when I have to go there.)
If you can, do try different methods, techniques to see if you can get more.
(cataphoric; understood: If you can try different methods, techniques to see if
you can get more, do try …)
If you wish, we can fax it to you.
(cataphoric; understood: if you wish us to fax it to you, we can …)
ADVERBIAL CLAUSES
314
Introduction
314a
Adverbial clauses act as modifiers in or of the main clause. They specify
circumstances such as manner, time, frequency, place, degree, reason, cause,
condition:
Tell me after I’ve eaten my dinner.
(time: tell me after dinner)
I feel guilty today because I’ve not paid you that cheque.
(reason: I feel guilty today because of the delay)
560 | Clause combination
Cambridge Grammar of English
He says he can’t repair the leak unless the water is turned off.
(condition: the water must be turned off or he can’t repair the leak)
Adverbial clauses are sometimes divided into two types: adjuncts and disjuncts.
Adjuncts are more fully integrated into the clause (compare the general class of
adjuncts,
319–337
), while disjuncts are more peripheral, and in writing are often
separated from the main clause by a comma:
Your evening class tonight has had to be cancelled because the lecturer’s ill.
(adjunct expressing reason)
Somebody could have left it in the corridor, because it does happen.
(disjunct expressing a justification/explanation for what the speaker has just
said)
The most common types of adverbial clause are described here. Adverbial clauses
of comparison are dealt with in
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