Introduction to Adverb Clauses, to understand adverb clauses it is important to review what an independent clause is. You probably already know that an independent clause has a complete subject and verb and can stand alone as a complete thought. For example, Gymnasts are amazing athletes, their ability seems to defy gravity. These are two complete sentences that can standalone, or be joined by a conjunction, a coordinating conjunction. This is the first independent clause and this is the second independent clause. You can think of an independent clause as a clause that is strong enough to stand alone. Just like me and this wall, we are independent of each other. When I'm standing on my own two feet I don't need any support to stay upright. A dependent clause like an independent clause has a subject and a verb. However unlike an independent clause, it cannot stand alone and is an incomplete thought. For example, what if I told you? Even though they tend to be small? That doesn't make any sense. This is the dependent clause, because you can see that although there is a subject and the verb. It doesn't make any sense, thanks to even though which is a subordinating conjunction. But, what if it were attached to the another sentence, an independent clause? Hm, okay, now that makes sense. Most gymnasts are very strong even though they tend to be small. When an independent clause and a dependent clause come together to make a sentence, the sentence is called a complex sentence. Okay, remember an independent clause can stand alone, just like me when I'm on my own two feet. However, when I'm standing on my hands I need the wall to help me just like a dependent clause needs an independent clause to help it stand up. Just like me trying to stand on my hands without the support of the wall. A dependent clause without an independent clause cannot stand alone, because it does not communicate a complete thought. Okay now we can talk about adverb clauses. An adverb clause is just one type of dependent clause. Which starts with a subordinating conjunction like before, because or although. Of course there are many others which I'll show you in a minute and the adverb clause also function as an adverb. Which means that information about how, when, why, where, and under what conditions the activity takes place. Okay, here's a good example. This sentence has an independent clause and a dependent clause. Can you find the independent clause? Here's a hint, it can stand alone. That's right, there it is. That means that the other clause, the adverb clause, is a type of dependent clause. Which starts with the subordinating conjunction when, which tells us when I fell on my head. Subordinating conjunctions can express different relationships between dependent and independent clauses. Take a look at these three examples. In the first sentence, the subordinating conjunction, when, shows a time relationship. In the second sentence, because shows a cause relationship and finally, the subordinator even though in the third sentence, shows an unexpected result. Or what some people call a concession, there are other relationships that we can express with subordinating conjunction in adverb clauses. However, you will learn about that in the next lesson but I have one more important tip before we conclude. Adverb clauses can also come at the beginning of a sentence. For example, when I tried to stand on my hands, I fell on my head. Or, because I tried to stand on my hands, I fell on my head. And finally, even though I have strong arms, I fell on my head. Here's a quick look at a long list of subordinating conjunctions that might precede adverb clauses. In the next lesson, we'll take a closer look at how to use these different subordinators, and we'll also talk about punctuation. Thanks for listening.
