Clauses and Complex Sentences

Start with clauses and phrases

Begin with the mind map on independent and dependent clauses. It contrasts an independent clause with a dependent clause, which relies on a main clause. The note “Grammar and Syntax” offers a starting point for phrases, describing how words can function together as a unit and how modifiers accompany a head word.

These resources give you terms to look for as you move through the page. Compare the examples and descriptions with the structures shown in the other maps.

Explore subordinate clauses

The flowchart “Subordination I: Adjunct clauses” describes adjunct clauses as subordinate clauses that give circumstances of the main clause verb. Follow it with “Adverbial Clauses”, a mind map on clauses that modify a verb phrase or a whole clause.

The “Complement clauses” mind map presents a complement clause as an argument of another clause. There are also maps on finite dependent clauses and non-finite complement clauses. Use them to compare the forms and functions named in each resource.

Study complex constructions

The mind map on complex sentences includes full clauses, infinitives and gerunds. “Multi-clause constructions” looks at ways of combining clauses into more complex structures. Another map, “Ways of interpreting clause structure”, presents semantic roles alongside experiential, interpersonal and textual meaning.

Try tracing a relationship on one map before comparing it with another. The page has no quizzes, but you can make your own quiz and use a map to choose relationships to test. Return to the map when checking your understanding.

Place the topic in its unit

Clauses and Complex Sentences is one section of the Syntax and Grammar unit in Linguistics and philology. Its resources bring phrase structure, clause relationships and complex constructions together within that unit. Pick a map and follow one connection through the page.