24 Dependent or Subordinate Clause DEPENDENT OR SUBORDINATE CLAUSE: cannot stand alone. It depends on an independent clause to express a complete thought. Example: Mary used a reference which is in the library. (Which is in the library is a dependent or subordinate clause.) There are three kinds of dependent clauses: Noun Clause: A noun clause is a group of words with a subject and a predicate; the group of words is used like a noun. A noun clasue may be a subject, a predicate noun or nominative, direct object, indirect, object of a preposition, or an appositive. Example: Whatever movie you select is all right with me. (Whatever movie you select is a noun clause used as the subject of is.) Example: Golf is what I like best. (What I like best is a noun clause used as a predicate noun or nominative following the linking verb is.) Example: I know that you are right. (That you are right is a noun clause used as the direct object of know.) Note: Some indefinite pronouns that begin noun clauses are that, what, who,which, whatever, whoever, whichever. Adjective Clause: An adjective clause modifies a noun or a pronoun. It is a dependent or subordinate clause containing a subject and a predicate. It cannot stand alone as a sentence. Example: We ate the lettuce that I had planted. (That I had planted is an adjective clause modifying the noun lettuce. The subject is I and the predicate is had planted.) Note: Adjective clauses begin with relative pronouns. Punctuating an adjective clause: Use commas to set off adjective clauses not necessary to the meaning of the sentence: Example: Tom, who is my cousin, plays tennis. (The adjective clause who is my cousin is set off by commas because it is not necessary to the meaning of the sentence.) Note: No commas are used if the adjective clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence: Example: I didn’t finish the test that we had today. (The adjective clause that we had today is not set off by commas because it is needed in the sentence. Adverb Clause: An adverb clause modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. It is a dependent or subordinate clause containing a subject and a predicate. It cannot stand alone as a sentence. Example: When you go to Disneyland, see the Haunted House. (When you go to Disneyland is an adverb clause modifying the verb see. The Subject is you and the predicate is go.) Note: An adverb clause tells when, how, where, why, to what extent, or under what condition. Adverb clauses start with a subordinating conjunction. Punctuating an adverb clause: Use a comma after an introductory adverb clause. An adverb clause coming at the end of the sentence is usually not preceded by a comma. Example: If you are interested, I will show you how to run the movie projector. (A comma is placed after the introductory adverb clause, if you are interested.