What is a clause?

Definition
	A clause is a grammatical unit that
	includes, at minimum, a predicate and an explicit or implied subject, and expresses a proposition.

Examples (English)

The following example sentence contains two clauses:

It is cold, although the sun is shining.

The main clause is it is cold and the subordinate clause is although the sun is shining.

Source:

Hartmann and Stork 1972 137

Kinds
	Here are some kinds of clauses:
	What is an adverbial clause? What is a coordinate clause? What is an equative clause? What is an existential clause? What is a final clause? What is a finite clause? What is a main clause? What is a marking clause? What is a medial clause? What is a nominal clause? What is a nonfinite clause? What is a reference clause? What is a relative clause? What is a subordinate clause?

Concept module: clause
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004