An adverbial clause is a clause that functions as an adverb. In other words, it contains subject (explicit or implied) and predicate, and it modifies a verb.
According to Sidney Greenbaum and Randolph Quirk, adverbial clauses function mainly as adjuncts or disjuncts. In those functions they are like adverbial phrases, but in their potentiality for greater explicitness, they are more often like prepositional phrases (Greenbaum and Quirk,1990):
Article of Adverbial Clauses
The Forms and Functions of Clauses in English
Adverb Clauses
The following article explains the forms and functions of clauses in English grammar that students must learn.
Each grammatical form of clause in English performs distinct grammatical functions. The following sections explain the forms and functions of clauses that both native speakers and ESL students must learn to fully and correctly construct sentences in English.
Adverb Clauses
Adverb clauses are defined as subordinate clauses formed by a subordinating conjunction followed by a clause. Some of the more common subordinating conjunctions in English that introduce adverb clauses include:
• after
• although
• because
• before
• even though
• if
• once
• since
• so that
• though
• unless
• until
• when
• whereas
• while
For example, the following are examples of adverb clauses:
• After she gave the baby a bath, she decided to take a nap.
• The girl cannot usually eat beef stew because she is allergic to carrots.
• The couple has been saving money so that they can go on a vacation.
All adverb clauses perform the grammatical function of adverbial. Adverbials are defined as words and phrases that modify an entire clause by providing additional information about concession, condition, manner, place, purpose, reason, result, and time.
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Sources
Hopper, Paul J. A Short Course in Grammar. W.W. Norton & Company: New York, 1999.
Huddleston, Rodney. Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge1984
