8th Class English Clauses Kinds of Clauses

   Kinds of Clauses

Clauses are of three kinds.

(i) Principal Clause

(ii) Coordinate Clause

(iii) Sulpordinate Clause

     Principal Clause

A clause which does not depend on any other clause is called a Principle Clause.

•   I am not aware where he is going.
•   Don't interrupt while I am doing my work.

In the above given sentences, 'l am not aware' and 'don't interrupt' are Principal

Clauses as they make a complete sense. We should remember one thing that a

Principal Clause doesn't start with a connective.

     Coordinate Clause

This clause is totally independent as it does not depend on any clause for its meaning. These are simple sentences which are joined together with coordinate conjunctions. But it becomes a helper after which this clause comes.

For example:

•   Steve will go and Smith will come.

In this sentence, 'Steve will go' and 'Cyrus will come' are two independent Clauses but the first one is called a Principal Clause and the second one is called a

Coordinate Clause connected by 'and'

      Subordinate Clause

This clause is not independent as it does not make complete sense on its own. It is dependent on Principal Clause to express its meaning.

•   The teacher asked the student why she came so late.

In the above given sentence, the clause 'why she came so late' is unable to make a complete sense, thus it is a Subordinate Clause.