1. Noun Clauses:
* Function: They act as a noun in the sentence, fulfilling the role of subject, object, or complement.
* Examples:
* Subject: *What you said* is very important.
* Object: I know *that you are right*.
* Complement: My biggest fear is *that I might fail*.
* Signal words: *That, what, whoever, whichever, whatever, who, whom, whose*
2. Adjective Clauses:
* Function: They describe a noun or pronoun in the main clause, providing additional information.
* Examples:
* The woman *who lives next door* is a doctor.
* The book *that I borrowed from you* is really interesting.
* Signal words: *Who, whom, whose, which, that, where, when*
3. Adverb Clauses:
* Function: They modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs in the main clause, providing information about time, place, manner, reason, contrast, etc.
* Examples:
* *When I go to the park*, I like to play frisbee. (Time)
* I left my phone *where I found it*. (Place)
* She is *as smart as her sister*. (Comparison)
* Signal words: *After, before, since, while, because, although, if, unless, as, though, so that, even if, in order that*
Important Note:
* Not all subordinate clauses begin with a signal word. For example, "The man [who lives next door] is a doctor" contains an adjective clause, but the signal word "who" is not essential for understanding the clause's function.
* Subordinate clauses can be embedded within other clauses, creating complex sentences.
Understanding the different types of subordinate clauses will help you analyze and write more sophisticated and nuanced sentences.