Learn English Grammar: The Adverb Clause

Do you get confused when you see long sentences with lots of commas and sections? You need to learn about clauses! Once you understand and can recognize the different types of clauses in an English sentence, everything will make sense. What is the difference between noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverb clauses? Adverb clauses show relationships, like reason, contrast, condition, time, purpose, and comparison. In this lesson, we will look at these relationship types that make adverb clauses so important in English. I will also teach you when to use commas with adverb clauses. This will help you understand very long sentences made up of several clauses. Remember that as long as you can break down all the components of a sentence and understand the relationships between them, you can understand any sentence in English!

Watch Adam's series on clauses:

TRANSCRIPT

Now, the thing to remember about adverb clauses: What makes them different from noun clauses or adjective clauses is that they don't modify words. Okay? A noun clause modifies or acts as a specific function to something in the independent clause. It could be the subject, it could be the object of the verb, for example. Or it could be a complement. But it's always working with some other word in the independent clause. The adjective clause-excuse me-always modifies or identifies a noun in the sentence, in the clause, etc.

The adverb clause shows a relationship, and that's very, very important to remember because the subordinate conjunctions, the words that join the clause to the independent clause has a very specific function. The two clauses, the independent clause and the subordinate clause have a very distinct relationship. Okay? So here are some of those relationships: Reason, contrast, condition, time, purpose, and comparison. Okay? There are others, but we're going to focus on these because these are the more common ones. And there are many conjunctions, but I'm only going to give you a few here just so you have an idea how the adverb clause works. Okay?

So, for example, when we're looking at reason... Okay? Before I give you actual sentence examples, I'm going to talk to you about the conjunctions. These are called the subordinate conjunctions. They very clearly show the relationship between the clauses, so you have to remember that. So: "because", okay? "Because" means reason. So, I did something because I had to do it. Okay? So: "I did something"-independent clause-"because"-why?-"I had to do it". I had no choice. That's the relationship between the two. "Since" can also mean "because". "Since", of course, can also mean since the beginning of something, since a time, but it can also mean "because" when we're using it as an adverb clause conjunction.

Contrast. "Contrast" means to show that there's a difference. Now, it could be yes/no, positive/negative, but it doesn't have to be. It could be one idea and then a contrasting idea. One expectation, and one completely different result. Okay? You have to be very careful not to look for a positive or a negative verb, or a positive or negative anything else, but we're going to look at examples for that. The more common conjunctions for that is: "although" or "though"-both are okay, mean the same thing-or "whereas". Okay? "Although I am very rich, I can't afford to buy a Lamborghini." Okay? So, "rich" means lots of money. "Can't afford" means not enough money. Contrasting ideas. They're a little bit opposite from what one expects. Contrast, reason.

Condition. "Condition" means one thing must be true for something else to be true. So, for the part of the independent clause to be true-the situation, the action, the event, whatever-then the condition must first be true. "If I were a... If I were a rich man, I would buy a Lamborghini." But I'm... Even though I am a rich man... Although I am a rich man, I can't afford one. So we use "if", "as long as". Again, there are others.

[jenmolinari]

Thanks! I teach ESL and I'm a native speaker, and I honestly don't understand grammar as well as you do! Thanks for all that you do to help me and to help the students. (I wish they paid me more so that I could give you more money!)

[pukpik]

Hi Adam, I love your method of teaching because you speak clearly. Although I am not a native speaker, I totally understood what you said.

[anamunguia]

Im from Honduras, in mi country we talk spanish, I have an exam tomorrow of grammar and this video help me a lot ¡Thanks! 👏

[sarahshishechian]

Hey Adam,
I'm a Bachelor undergraduate for English Studies and your videos are phenomenal! Thank you for providing this platform!

[fatimaumair]

Im from pakistan.Thanx sir it was a great help for international students. you are doing a great job.

[disguisedsaikarie]

The best teachers always have to be on YouTube, and that’s awesome.

[geocarvalhont]

Let's buy a lamborghini for Adam, he deserves it.

[satlaming]

You are a born teacher! I am a senior guys and wish I had the opportunity to watch your videos 60 year ago! I must admit, since I started watching your videos in the recently, my English skills, especially writing, have improved a lot. Although I have been speaking English for many years, learning and acquiring the language (L2)  through immersion, I have had problems with language structures, grammar. My early years of language learning followed the ancient teaching method of "grammar translation." I had poor foundations of grammar and sentence structure. Nowadays, I feel much more confident writing a comprehensible passage, with proper conjugations. You are providing wonderful services to the people across the glob and I wish to commend you, and your organization, for the wonderful and valuable service that you provide. Please keep well and continue your excellent work.With the warmest regardsSat

[xandergross]

Man, your way of explaining, despite the complexity, is really clear and straight!
Brilliant!

[Ricardogonzalez-yeqd]

After looking for this in several pages and videos, I found yours. I went to sleep peacefully. I don´t waste my time looking around anymore. Adam, You are great!

[dvelopp]

Adam, thanks for a great lessons. I just wanted also to mention about the commas. My personal opinion is that many languages have the same structures and for many it's common to always put the comma here in writing and make a pause in pronouncing. For instance, both in Russian and Ukrainian, we put comma there. Without putting it, it will be extremely difficult to get what the sentence is about.

[EnglishEssentialswithIAK]

Hi, Adams. I like your lesson plan. Native English accent adds to the brilliance of the lesson.

[eddamay]

Really love your class! I am Chinese, and I learn English pretty much all by myself, and when i speak english i always make grammatical mistakes, which drives me crazy.Your class is super helpful to me, thanks a lot!

[yunich]

Thank you so much for this lesson Mr.Adam. from Yuni Charisa, Agriculture faculty, Lampung University.

[apeatomica]

Hello Adam, greatings from Italy!
First of all thank you very much for sharing knoledge, it helps a lot.
On studying this topic, I faced the 'Reduction of adverb clauses to modifying adverbial phrases' one.
Since very useful in order to improve advanced writing skills... would you please make a COMPLETE lesson on that?
I emphasise the COMPLETE concept because in general the topic is taught in a very 'standard' way. Most of the time the reduction strategy is taught only for TIME and REASONS relationships types and also neglecting the 'when' or 'as soon as' substitution with 'upon' or 'on', or the usage of a noun phrase in case of a starting 'after', 'since' and 'before' adverb clause.
It would be very interesting to learn about other possible relationships reduction strategies (i.e. CONDITION) and also the possibility to have a reduction even if dependent and main clauses' subjects are different.
Of course, other suggentions would be very appreciated ;)
T&R,
AB13

[harnoor]

Hi adam, i really appreciate your methodolgies to make these tedious concepts easily understanable. Thanks a ton for your hard work.

[shendori]

I have an exam coming up and I neither understood the concept of an adverb or a noun clause despite having learned their definitions. But your videos made the concept so very clear to me - not even in a timespan of five months my teachers at university could have explained this topic like you just did. Thank you so much!

[geetasundar]

Adam, thanks! Love your classes. They are very educative.

[lynnvasquez]

Although there are many brilliant English teachers on YouTube, you are my favorite one.

[walterpty]

Your course helped me a lot. Thank you!. This is grammar lV, and ready for the quiz.