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Adverb clauses are dependent clauses that answer questions such as why, where, how, or when in the same way that single adverbs do.
Wherever there are gangs, there is violence. (answers the question "Where is there violence?")
Speakers and writers use adverb clauses to combine thoughts and show connections between ideas. They also use them to vary their writing style. Compare these two ways to convey an idea.
Television violence may promote crime. The reason for this is that there is a lot of violence on TV. (two sentences)
Television violence may promote crime because there is a lot of violence on TV. (one sentence made up by combining an independent clause and a dependent adverb clause)
Sentences made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction are called complex sentences. In a complex sentence the main idea is usually in the independent clause. Except for clauses of comparison and result, most adverb clauses can come either before or after the independent clause. When the adverb clause comes first, we place a comma after it. When the adverb clause comes second, we generally do not place a comma before it.
Because there is so much violence on TV, many people want more government control of programming.
Many people want more government control of programming because there is so much violence on TV.
We place a comma before a dependent clause, however, if the dependent clause sets up a contrast.
We can deal with the problem of violence, though it won't be easy.
The following are seven important types of adverb clauses, listed with the subordinating conjunctions and expressions that can introduce each type of clause:
1. Adverb clauses of reason: introduced by because, since, on account of the fact that. These clauses answer the question "why?"
Since we watch TV at home, we tend to regard it as a "normal" activity.
Some teenagers get into crime on account of the fact that they don't have enough to do.
2. Adverb clauses of contrast: introduced by although, though, even though, while, in spite of the fact that. These clauses present a contrast with the idea expressed in the independent clause.
TV has some very serious negative qualities, though it has some positive qualities as well.
In spite of the fact that there have been many protests, there is still a lot of violence on TV.
3. Adverb clauses of condition: introduced by if, unless, in case, provided (that). These clauses answer the question "under what condition?"
If children watch too much TV, they may lose the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality.
TV violence won't be reduced unless viewers protest.
4. Adverb clauses of time:introduced by when, whenever, before, after, as, as soon as, while, since, until. These clauses answer the question "when?"
We need to recognize the problem before we can solve it.
When we reduce the amount of TV violence, we will begin to see a decline in violent crime.
5. Adverb clauses of place: introduced by where, wherever. These clauses answer the question "where?"
We need to place the blame where it belongs.
Wherever there are gangs, there is violence.
6. Adverb clauses of comparison: introduced by than, as much as, as many as. These clauses make comparisons of quantity.
There is far more gang activity today than there was even ten years ago.
Today there are probably as many violent crimes committed in a month as there used to be in a year.
7. Adverb clauses of result: introduced by so (that) or containing the expressions so adjective that or such noun phrase that. These clauses present the result of a situation stated in the independent clause.
The networks will have to clean up their act so (that) the government won't have to do it for them.
Crime is increasing so fast that we will have to build more prisons to hold the criminals.
Some children have such terrifying experiences at school that they refuse to go.
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