Grammar: Clauses — Class 11 MCQs with Answers

Key concepts: Grammar: Clauses (Class 11 English)

Clauses are tested in the Class 11 paper through gap filling and sentence combining. The whole topic reduces to one question — what job is this group of words doing in the sentence? — and three possible answers: noun, adjective or adverb.

Clause versus phrase

A clause contains a subject and a finite verb; a phrase does not. 'When the night was over' is a clause; 'in the middle of the night' is a phrase.

Main and subordinate

A main clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. A subordinate clause depends on it and is introduced by a conjunction or relative word.

Noun clause

Does the work of a noun — subject, object or complement. 'I know that he is honest' (object); 'What he said surprised everyone' (subject).

Adjective clause

Modifies a noun and usually begins with who, whom, whose, which, that, where or when. 'The book which you lent me is excellent.'

Adverb clause

Modifies the verb, answering when, where, why, how, on what condition or with what result. 'He left before the meeting ended.'

The eight adverb-clause types

Time, place, reason, purpose, result, condition, concession and manner. Identify them by the conjunction: because (reason), so that (purpose), so… that (result), although (concession).

Purpose versus result

'He works hard so that he may succeed' states an aim; 'He was so tired that he fell asleep' states what actually happened. The 'may/might' is the giveaway for purpose.

Who, whom and whose

'Who' is the subject of its clause, 'whom' the object, 'whose' the possessive. Test by replacing with he/him: if 'him' fits, use 'whom'.

Defining versus non-defining

A defining clause identifies which one and takes no commas: 'Students who work hard succeed.' A non-defining clause merely adds information and is set off by commas.

Whether versus that

An indirect yes/no question takes 'whether' or 'if': 'I do not know whether he will come.' 'That' introduces a statement, not a question.

Unless means if not

'You will fail unless you work harder.' Because the negative is built in, never add another negative after 'unless'.

Combining sentences

To join two sentences, decide what the second one does to the first: names a thing (noun clause), describes a noun (adjective clause), or gives circumstance (adverb clause).