Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

MAIN CLAUSES

295

A main clause is a clause which is not dependent on any other clause in the

sentence. A sentence must have at least one main clause. 

A main clause must be finite; that is, it must have a verb which is inflected for

tense:

A simple diet suits me.

(sentence consisting of one main clause, not dependent on any other clause)

He was very quiet, and he had beautiful manners.

(two independent main clauses joined by and)

544 | Clause types

Cambridge Grammar of English

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SUBORDINATE CLAUSES

296

A subordinate clause is dependent on another clause in the sentence. A sentence

may not consist of a subordinate clause alone. 

A subordinate clause may be finite or non-finite (

Û

297, 298

). Examples of

subordinate clauses:

If people feel good about coming to work, they will work better.

(if-clause dependent on main clause)

I laughed at him 

when he first asked me.

(when-clause dependent on main clause)

To get the morning flight, we’d have to leave here about eight.

(non-finite clause dependent on main clause)

To do it by hand would be difficult.

(non-finite clause as subject)

The people 

I work with are nice.

(relative clause functioning as postmodifier in the noun phrase)

It’s not really as bad as 

most people think.

(clause as the complement of a comparative adjective phrase)