CBSE Class 11 English Clauses Worksheet Set 01

Clauses

A clause is a group of words having a subject and a verb of its own, but it forms part of a sentence. It has no independent existence.

In other words, a clause is a single sentence within a larger sentence, made of two or more than two clauses which are joined by suitable conjunctions.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) A morning walk is useful.
(has one finite verb and hence one clause)

(ii) He saw an old beggar and gave him a coin.
(has two clauses joined by ‘and’)

(iii) This is the child who won the first prize.
(has two clauses joined by ‘who’)

Kinds of Clauses

• Principle or Main Clause
• Co-ordinate Clause
• Subordinate Clause

Principle or Main Clause

This is the most important clause in the sentence. It is also called the independent clause. It does not depend on any clause for its meaning.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) I love the village where I was born.

(ii) It is certain that they will help us.

(iii) We love India because it is our motherland.

Co-ordinate Clause

A clause which is equally independent like the principle clause is called a co-ordinate clause. It is joined by co-ordinate conjunctions like and, but, so, or, otherwise, either, not only, etc.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) I know him and I like him.

(ii) Work hard otherwise, you will fail.

(iii) He felt tired, so he lay down to rest.

Subordinate Clause

A subordinate clause is dependent on the principle clause.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) I know that you are a good human being.

(ii) This is the watch which he gave me.

(iii) I shall wait here till you come back.

Kinds of Subordinate Clauses

• Noun Clause
• Adjective Clause
• Adverb Clause

Noun Clause

It is a dependent clause that acts as a noun. Noun clauses begin with words such as how, that, what, whatever, when, where, whether, which, whichever, who, whoever, whom, whomever and why. These words generally come before the subject and the verb of the noun clause. Noun clauses can act as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, or objects of a preposition.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) Choose a gift for whomever you want.
(‘Whomever you want’ is a noun clause and it contains the subject ‘you’ and the verb ‘want’. The clause acts as an object of the preposition ‘for’ in the sentence.)

(ii) On weekends, we can do whatever we want.
(‘Whatever we want’ is a noun clause and it contains the subject ‘we’ and the verb ‘want’. The clause acts as a direct object in the sentence.)

(iii) I wonder how long we should wait here.
(‘How long we should wait here’ is a noun clause and it contains the subject ‘we’ and the verb phrase ‘should wait’. The clause acts as a direct object in the sentence.)

Adjective Clause

It describes a noun or pronoun in the main clause. An adjective clause is also known as a relative clause. This clause works like an adjective in a sentence and modifies (describes) a noun or a pronoun. It is a specific type of subordinate clause that adapts describes or modifies a noun. It begins with a relative pronoun, such as that, who, whom, whose or which.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) The book which has a green cover is mine.

(ii) The boy who is playing outside is my brother.

(iii) God helps those who help themselves.

There are two types of adjective or relative clauses.

1. Defining Relative Clauses: These clauses give necessary information essential to the meaning of the sentence. We do not use commas in these clauses.

2. Non-defining Relative Clauses: These clauses give extra information that is not essential to the meaning of the main sentence, therefore, we put them in commas.

Look at the following sentences.

(i) Let’s go to the theme park where there are lots of roller coasters. (Defining Relative Clause)

(ii) Radha, who is wearing a green shirt, is the monitor of the class. (Non-defining Relative Clause)

Adverb Clause

It functions as adverbs in relation to the main clause or other clauses. They may modify the verb or an adjective or another adverb by expressing their time, place, reason, purpose, result, condition, manner, etc.

The subordinating conjuctions used for adverb clauses are as follows:

• Time: when, whenever, since, until, before, after, while, as, by the time, as soon as
• Cause and effect: because, since, now that, as long as, so, so that
• Contrast: although, even, whereas, while, though
• Condition: if, unless, only if, whether or not, even if, provided that, in case

Look at the following sentences.

(i) Make hay while the sun shines.

(ii) You may go whenever you like.

(iii) Plants breathe as animals do.

Solved Questions

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: The boy, _________ is reciting the poem, is my brother.
Answer: who

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: Sam is in the habit of abusing ________ comes before him.
Answer: whoever

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: They went away saying ________ they would not come back again.
Answer: that

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: I know the place ________ he lives.
Answer: where

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: Life is ________ we make of it.
Answer: what

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: I want to know ________you will return.
Answer: when

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: I know ________ he has cheated you.
Answer: why

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: Uneasy lies the head________ wears the crown.
Answer: that

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: This is the cat ________ drank all the milk.
Answer: which

Question. Fill in the blank with proper connective: The lawyer ________ we hired was very clever.
Answer: whom

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: He could not understand _________________
Answer: where I had gone wrong.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: I don’t think __________________
Answer: (that) there will be time to watch a movie.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: I want a list of boys _________________
Answer: who were making noise in the class.

Complete the following sentence with proper clause: We asked the doctor the reason ____________

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: I reached the station __________________
Answer: before the train had arrived.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: The peon had rung the bell __________________
Answer: before I reached the school.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: If I knew your address ___________________
Answer: I would have certainly come to your place.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: If he had not wasted his time ________________
Answer: he would not have failed.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: The sooner you come ________________
Answer: the better it is.

Question. Complete the following sentence with proper clause: A lawbreaker should be punished _______________
Answer: whoever he may be.

A. Tick the correct form of noun clause to complete the following sentences.

Question. Ravi asked me
(a) where was his wallet
(b) where his wallet was
Answer: (b) where his wallet was

Question. I don’t know
(a) how many children he has
(b) how many children does he have
Answer: (a) how many children he has

Question. ______ is not important.
(a) How close we are
(b) How close are we
Answer: (a) How close we are

Question. ______ was sad.
(a) What did she say
(b) What she said
Answer: (b) What she said

Question. We are not responsible for
(a) what our children say
(b) what do our children say
Answer: (a) what our children say

B. Choose the correct conjunction given in brackets to complete each adverb clause in the given sentences.

Question. ___________ he saw the way the animals were treated, he stopped eating meat.
(a) So that
(b) After
Answer: (b) After

Question. ___________ he worked very hard, his boss did not give him a raise.
(a) After
(b) Although
Answer: (b) Although

Question. ___________ you have no money, I’ll pay for you.
(a) So that
(b) Because
Answer: (b) Because

Question. I said goodbye to all my local friends ___________ I moved to Mumbai.
(a) because
(b) before
Answer: (b) before

Question. I will show you how to prepare this sweet dish ___________ you can prepare it for your family.
(a) so that
(b) because
Answer: (a) so that

Question. ___________ he discovered this website, he couldn’t speak English.
(a) Before
(b) Since
Answer: (b) Since

Question. I’m going to ask someone else ___________ you obviously don’t know the answer.
(a) before
(b) since
Answer: (b) since

Question. ___________ they saw him turning the corner, they knew that he was going to win the race.
(a) Unless
(b) After
Answer: (b) After

C. Underline the clause and state whether it is an adjective clause, adverb clause or noun clause.

Question. My friend helped me when I was in danger.
Answer: when I was in danger - adverb clause

Question. We believe in democracy though it has its shortcomings.
Answer: though it has its shortcomings - adverb clause

Question. My parents were happy because I won the first prize.
Answer: because I won the first prize - adverb clause

Question. This is the girl who talked to me yesterday.
Answer: who talked to me yesterday - adjective clause

Question. I have lost the tickets which I bought.
Answer: which I bought - adjective clause

Question. He could not answer any of the questions that I asked him.
Answer: that I asked him - adjective clause

Question. Although he is very rich, he is a miser.
Answer: Although he is very rich - adverb clause

Question. Everybody admits that he is a brave man.
Answer: that he is a brave man - noun clause

Question. We knew that he was guilty.
Answer: that he was guilty - noun clause

Question. What he told me was a lie.
Answer: What he told me - noun clause

Question. He gave me everything that I asked for.
Answer: that I asked for - adjective clause

Question. Your statement that you lost the money cannot be believed.
Answer: that you lost the money - noun clause

D. Combine each of the following pairs of sentences into one sentence containing adjective clause.

Question. The theft was committed last night. The police has caught the man.
Answer: The police has caught the man who committed the theft last night.

Question. The French language is different from the Latin language. Latin was once spoken throughout Europe.
Answer: The French language is different from the Latin language, which was once spoken throughout Europe.

Question. You are looking upset. Can you tell me the reason?
Answer: Can you tell me the reason why you are looking upset?

Question. He had several plans for making money quickly. All of them have failed.
Answer: All the plans that he had for making money quickly have failed.

Question. The landlord was proud of his strength. He despised the weakness of his tenants.
Answer: The landlord, who was proud of his strength, despised the weakness of his tenants.

Question. This is the village. I was born here.
Answer: This is the village where I was born.

Question. You put the keys somewhere. Show me the place.
Answer: Show me the place where you put the keys.

Question. Paul was an old gentleman. He was my travelling companion.
Answer: Paul, who was an old gentleman, was my travelling companion.

Question. A fox once met a crane. The fox had never seen the crane before.
Answer: A fox once met a crane which it had never seen before.

Question. The shopkeeper keeps his money in a wooden case. This is the wooden case.
Answer: This is the wooden case in which the shopkeeper keeps his money.