Joining Ideas: Clauses in Another Language
Move past short sentences: relative clauses, reported speech, and the words that hang one idea off another. Every language has its own rules about what joining does to word order.
What a learner can do afterwards
- Combine two short sentences into one using a relative clause
- Report what someone said, making the changes the language requires
- Show what subordination does to word order in the new language
1 · Read
A clause is a group of words with its own verb, and joining clauses packs two ideas into one sentence. A relative clause points back to a noun, as in the book that you lent me. An adverbial clause sets the scene, as in we stayed in because it rained.
A complex sentence joins one main clause with a clause that leans on it. Although it was late, we kept talking: the talking stands alone while the lateness leans. Reporting speech nests one clause inside another, as in she said that she was tired.
Tiny joining words steer the meaning. Because gives a reason and although gives a contrast, so swapping one swaps the sense. Many languages push the verb to the end of the joined clause, so always learn each joining word together with its word order rule.
Pick the pointer with care. Who points at people and which at things, while that and whose cover their own cases, and many languages match the pointer to gender or case. Then practise joining shorts: the rain fell and we stayed home becomes we stayed home because the rain fell.
Spot each clause job, choose the joining word that means what you mean, and copy that language word order, not English.
2 · Watch
Take it off screen
Where it sits
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.