Here come the adverbial clauses! I hope it's not too late
![Smile [:)]](/emoticons/emotion-1.gif)
To put it simple, we can say that adverbial clauses do the work of adverbs and can function as adjuncts or disjuncts.
Asjuncts are integrated within the structure of the sentence to at least some extent (Halliday calls these 'circumstantial adjuncts'). Disjuncts, on the other hand, are not integrated within the structure of the sentence (they are usually comments about either the form or the content of the sentence).
Adjunct: "It started to rain (when I left home)."
Disjunct: "Frankly speaking, I don’t like this idea at all."
Adverbial clauses may appear in final, initial or medial position (usually in that order of frequency). Semantically, adverbials can be of various categories: time, place, concession, condition, reason or cause, circumstance, purpose, result, manner and comparison. This, however, is not the only possible classification of adverbial clauses.
Adverbial clauses may be finite, non-finite, or verbless, depending on whether they contain a conjugated verb, a non-finite verb or no verb at all, respectively.
Examples:
Finite adverbial clause: "And (when the laughter dies), can't you see beyond the lines." [C. Palmer - 'Burning Bridges']
Non-finite adverbial clause: "He waits in silence (to lead us all home)." [Supertramp - 'Fool's Overture']
Verbless clause: "(When in difficulty), consult the manual." [time]
Time
Adverbial clauses of time, when finite, are usually introduced by one of these subordinators: after, as, before, once, since, till, until, when, while, now that, as long as, as soon as.
"The waitress is practicing politics (as the businessmen slowly get stoned)." [B. Joel - 'Piano man']
"(When tears are in your eyes), I will dry them all." [Simon and Garfunkel - 'Bridge over trouble water']
"Should I sing (until I can't sing any more)?" [Pink Floyd - 'What do you want from me']
"(Now that I have found you), you must not slip away." [D. Gates - 'Goodbye Girl']
Place
These are usually introduced by 'where' or 'wherever'.
"But my father would find us (wherever we went)." [Jon and Vangelis – 'The friends of Mr Cairo']
"He'll follow me (wherever I go)."
Concession
These are usually introduced by 'although' (or, more informally, 'though'), and also by 'while', 'whereas', 'even if', 'even though', 'however' (with an adjective), among other subordinators.
"(Though the wound went deep), still he's calling us out of our sleep." [Supertramp - 'Fool's Overture']
"(However dark is your night), just keep turning your cheek." [C. Palmer - 'Farewell to arms']
"(Even though you know it's the wrong thing to say), say you don't care." [Alan Parson's Project - 'Don't let it show']
"(Even if you want to believe there's a way), I won't be there." [Alan Parson's Project - 'Don't let it show']
Condition
Usually introduced by 'if', 'unless', 'whether', 'as long as', 'on condition (that)', 'provided (that)'.
"(If you smile when they mention my name) they'll never know you." [Alan Parson's Project - 'Don't let it show']
"And (if you're asking me when), I'll say it starts at the end." [Jon and Vangelis – I'll find my way home']
"I won't go to the party (unless he asks me nicely)."
"I will go (as long as/ on condition that/ provided that/) he asks me nicely."
Reason or cause
Introduced by 'because', 'since', 'as'.
"To martyr yourself to caution is not going to help at all (because there'll be no safety in numbers when the right one walks out of the door)." [Pink Floyd – 'Lost for words']
"(Since love is lord of heaven and earth), how can I keep from singing?" [Enya – 'How can I keep from singing']
Circumstance
Semantically, these clauses are half-way between conditional clauses and clauses of reason. On addition to 'because', 'since' and 'as', the subordinator 'seeing (that)' can introduce circumstantial clauses as well.
"Since/ as/ because/ seeing that you won't help me), I must do the job myself."
"But then, (as nothing happens quite the same), investigation is the game.” [Jon and Vangelis – 'The friends of Mr Cairo']
Purpose
These are more often infinitive than finite clauses. 'In order to', 'so that' and 'so as to' may also introduce clauses of purpose.
"I would give everything I own (to touch you)." [G. Lake – 'Lend your love to me tonight']
"They climbed higher (in order to/ so as to/ get a better view)."
The conjunction 'lest' may also introduce clauses of purpose, but it is rather formal and archaic. It has the meaning 'for fear that' or 'in order that… not'.
"(Lest/ in case that the wall should collapse), they evacuated the building."
Result
'so that' is the usual subordinator for this type of clause.
"He spoke very quietly, (so that it was difficult to hear what he said)."
Manner and comparison
Clauses of manner are usually introduced by 'as'. Also, 'as if' and 'as though' introduce a clause of manner which involves comparison.
"I'll do the exercises (as I've been taught)."
"She cooks a turkey exactly (as my mother did)."
"He treats me (as if I were a stranger)."
"He looks (as if he’s sick)."
"He ran (as though his life depended on it)."
Comparative clauses
Usually introduced by 'as' (preceded by so, as or such in the main clause) and 'than' (preceded by a comparative in the main clause).
"The work is not so easy (as I thought)."
"She felt more miserable (than she could say)."
Another type of comparative clause has the form "the +comparative... the+ comparative".
"The harder you work, the more you’ll earn."
Miriam