Lecture 14: Adverbial clauses

14.1 Basic Concepts of Adverbial Clauses

14.1.1 What is an adverbial clause?

Overview of Adverbial Clauses

Overview:
An adverbial clause functions as an adverbial within a larger sentence;
Adverbials:
Add information about time, place, reason, result, purpose, condition, concession, comparison, or manner;
They describe the circumstances surrounding the main clause;
Adverbial clause:
A subordinate clause functions as an adverbial and supplements the main clause;
The added information may concern time, result, place, reason, and other circumstances;

14.1.2 Writing Adverbial Clauses

Structure of Adverbial Clauses

Structure:
Subordinating conjunction:
1. The clause after the conjunction normally has a complete subject–finite verb structure;
2. The subordinating conjunction indicates the logical relationship to the main clause;

Examples

When the United States built its industrial infrastructure, it didn't have the capital to do so.
When the United States built its industrial infrastructure specifies the time for the main clause, it didn't have the capital to do so;
Here, 'when' forms a time adverbial clause;
We did not evolve, because machines and society did it for us.
because introduces an adverbial clause of reason;

14.1.3 Position of Adverbial Clauses

Position of Adverbial Clauses: An adverbial clause may appear before or after the main clause, or parenthetically inside it. Punctuation changes with position, but the basic logical relationship remains the same;

Three Positions: Before the main clause

As the economy picks up, opportunities will abound for aspiring leaders.
As introduces a time adverbial clause;

Three Positions: After the main clause

Opportunities will abound for aspiring leaders, as the economy picks up.

Three Positions: In the main clause

Opportunities, as the economy picks up, will abound for aspiring leaders.

14.2 Classification of Adverbial Clauses

Nine Categories

Adverbial Clauses of Time
Adverbial clause of place
Adverbial Clauses of Reason
Adverbial Clauses of Result
Adverbial clause of purpose
Conditional Adverbial Clauses
Adverbial Clauses of Concession
Comparative adverbial clause
Adverbial clause of manner

Concept: Classify an adverbial clause by the logical relationship expressed by its subordinating conjunction and by the context;

14.2.1 Adverbial clauses of time

Adverbial clauses of time:

when / while /as
before / after
Since / until
As soon as
By the time
each time / every time
The next time

Examples

But in some cases, one marketer's owned media become another marketer's paid media-for instance, when an e-commerce retailer sells ad space on its Web site.
But in some cases, one marketer's owned media becomes another marketer's paid media—for example, when an e-commerce retailer sells advertising space on its website;
Here, 'when' introduces a time adverbial clause;
In 1995 the United States can look back on five years of solid growth while Japan has been struggling
Communities throughout New England have been attempting to regulate short-term rentals since sites like Airbnb took off in the 2010 s.
Since sites like Airbnb took off;
...by the time 100 percent of the evidence is in, it may be too late.

14.2.2 Adverbial Clauses of Place

Place adverbial clause: where

Examples

Now, rivals will be charging sales tax where they hadn't before.

14.2.3 Adverbial clauses of cause

Adverbial clauses of reason:

because
Since
As
Now that
In that: because...

Examples

However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.
because: an adverbial clause of cause
Now that you have developed a topic into a tentative thesis, you can assemble your notes and begin to flesh out whatever outline you have made.

14.2.4 Adverbial Clauses of Result

Common result patterns

such… that….
such + (adjective +) noun phrase + that;
So… that…
so + adjective/adverb + that;
So that….
Can introduce either a result or, with a modal such as can/could/will/would, a purpose;

Examples

We define such sold media as owned media whose traffic is so strong that other organizations place their content or e-commerce engines within that environment.
Here, traffic means the volume of visitors or audience activity;
So followed by an adjective: strong;
Transitions should connect one paragraph to the next so that there are no abrupt or confusing shifts.

14.2.5 Adverbial Clauses of Purpose

Adverbial Clause of Purpose: With a modal verb such as can, could, will, or would, so that commonly expresses the intended purpose rather than the result;

so that…..
In order that…..

Examples

In December 2010 America's Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed adding a “do not track” (DNT) option to internet browsers, so that users could tell advertisers that they did not want to be followed.
so that + could introduces an adverbial clause of purpose;

14.2.6 Conditional Adverbial Clauses

Conditional Adverbial Clauses:

if
unless: if not, unless
once
as long as / so long as

Examples

If connections can be bought, a basic premise of democratic society... Is undermined
The US Supreme Court frowns on sex-based classifications unless they are designed to address an “important” policy interest.
If you see a conversation as a fight or competition, you can win by cheating as long as you don't get caught.

14.2.7 Concessive Adverbial Clauses

Concessive Adverbial Clause: Concession acknowledges one fact while showing that it does not prevent the result in the main clause. In standard English, do not use but in the main clause after although;

although / though
even if / even though
while

Examples

The defining term of intelligence in humans still seems to be the IQ score, even though IQ tests are not given as often as they used to be.
even though concedes that IQ tests are administered less often than before;
While the quality of legal journalism varies greatly, there is an undue reliance amongst many journalists on interpretations supplied to them by lawyers.
Although the quality of legal journalism varies, many journalists rely too heavily on interpretations supplied by lawyers;

14.2.8 Comparative Adverbial Clauses

Comparative Adverbial Clauses:

than: used for the comparative form
as ... as: used for comparisons of equality

Examples

But phones run on batteries, and batteries can die faster than we realize.
'than' introduces a comparative adverbial clause;
In the general population today, at this genetic, environmental level, we've pretty much gone as far as we can go...

14.2.9 Adverbial Clauses of Manner

Adverbial Clauses of Manner:

as: in the way that;
as if / as though: in a way that suggests a comparison or appearance;

Examples

During most of his walking life he will take his code for granted. as the businessman takes his ethics.

Summary: The use of AS

Core: as can introduce several kinds of adverbial clauses;
Category:
Time: while / when;
Reason: because / since;
Comparison: as ... as;
Manner: in the way that;

14.3 Summary

Overview of adverbial clauses

(1) Meaning of adverbial clauses: A sentence used as an adverbial to express descriptive information.

(2) How to write adverbial clauses: Subordinating conjunction + a complete declarative sentence.

(3) Position of adverbial clauses: before the main clause, after the main clause, and in the middle of the main clause.

There are nine classifications of adverbial clauses. Which type depends on the meaning of the subordinating conjunction;