Choose the correct order. Cody when .

had, just, left, his, boss, arrived

Complex Sentence: correct answers

There are five types of subordinate clauses in English: the subject, the predicative, the attributive, the object and several types of adverbial clauses.

In English grammar, all the clauses are subdivided into three main groups: noun clauses, adjective clauses and adverb clauses.

The Noun clauses include three types of subordinate sentences such as the subject clause, the predicative clause and the object clause. Usually in subordinate clauses we use the direct word order but in some cases we may face a particular version of inversion. Also, different subordinate clauses need to be introduced by different introductory words which cannot be omitted.

Try the challenge to figure out what all this is about!

Medium B1 | IntermediateB1 Clause Relative clause Independent clause Dependent clause Complex sentence Sentence

Correct answers

Question 1

Select the correct verbs.

_________________________ Romeo _________________________ about Juliette's potion, ______________________________ he ________________________________ himself.

Had Romeo known about Juliette's potion, he would not have killed himself.

This is a conditional with had instead of if (You can also say If Romeo had known...), so there is inversion. You put the (first) auxiliary verb before the subject, Had Romeo, and then the rest of the sentence stays the same. The second part is a normal clause where the verbs follow the subject he would not have killed. Not goes after the first auxiliary verb. Had Romeo known about Juliette's potion is the subordinate clause.

Question 2

The lights go down. The play will start.

Make a complex sentence.

The play will start after the lights go down.

after the lights go down is the dependent clause. It indicates a condition. You can also start with it too, but then you need a comma: After the lights go down, the play will start.

Question 3

Choose the correct order.

Cody had just left when his boss arrived.

Cody had just left when his boss arrived. Cody had just left is the independent clause, when his boss arrived is the dependent clause. when signals a subordinating conjunction.

Question 4

Choose the correct sentence(s).

The doctor said he would be back at work in six weeks.

Morgan thought in the swimming pool he would be at six o'clock

The taxi driver reckoned the journey would take 30 minutes.

Thought Louis that he in a nice hotel would be staying.

Correct! he would be back at work in six weeks can be replaced by this, and is a noun phrase. It functions as a direct object.
Incorrect. Subject/Verb/Object: Morgan/thought/.... The object is a noun phrase, but it follows the same word order (S/V/Oplace|Otime): he/would be/in the swimming pool/at six o'clock. (Morgan thought he would be in the swimming pool at six o'clock)
Correct! Normal word order: Subject/Verb/Object: The taxi driver/reckoned/.... What did he reckon? That the journey would take 30 minutes. This is a noun phrase, and it takes normal word order.
Incorrect - You probably spotted that one! What should it be? Use normal word order to make an independent clause, with Subject/Verb/Object: Louis/thought/(that/he/would be staying/in a nice hotel).

Question 5

Damage was done. It was unclear who will pay for it.

Make a complex sentence.

Who was going to pay for the damage was unclear.

This is an example of a relative clause starting with who: It functions as a subject - It is unclear.

Question 6

Choose the correct order.

A phone was left on the bar. Someone came to pick it up.

Someone came to pick up the phone that was left on the bar.

That was left on the bar is the dependent clause saying something about the phone. The phone is it, so you use that to introduce it. The rest of the sentence uses normal word order.

Question 7

The boy swallowed a coin. He went to hospital.

Create a correct sentence.

The boy who swallowed a coin went to hospital.

The boy who swallowed a coin is the dependent clause in the complex sentence. who swallowed a coin says more about the boy, so it becomes part of the subject. The rest of the sentence follows normal order.

Question 8

Select the correct sentence(s).

She burnt the letters that Mark sent her.

She burnt the letters who Mark sent her.

She burnt the letters that sent Mark her.

Correct! The letters that Mark sent her is the object in this sentence.
Who is for people. Letters are things, so you use that instead.
Incorrect - the letters that sent Mark follows normal word order: Subject (the letters) / Verb (sent) / Object (Mark) - this cannot be true (letters cannot send anything!).

Question 9

Select the sentence with a subordinate clause.

The weather is nice, and I am going for a swim later.

I am going for a swim later because the weather is nice.

The two parts of the sentence can be used on their own (The weather is nice/I am going for a swim later), this means there is no subordination.

Correct! Words like because signal that there is a subordinate clause. Because the weather is nice is the subordinate clause.

Question 10

Your shoes were left by the door. I know this.

Create a complex sentence.

I know that your shoes were left by the door.

I know your shoes you left by the door.

Your shoes that were left by the door I know.

I know your shoes were left by the door.

I know which your shoes were left by the door.

Correct! Use that to link to the noun-clause that your shoes were left by the door.
Incorrect order or wrong meaning. I know that your shoes were left by the door.
Incorrect order. You need to start with the subject + verb, which is I know. Then follow on asking What do I know? to get the object: Answer that your shoes were left by the door - a noun phrase that forms the object of the verb know. You end up with I know that your shoes were left by the door.
Correct! You can leave out that - the meaning is still clear.
Incorrect. Which is incorrect here, it needs to be that. You can create a similar sentence using which of...: I know which of your shoes were left by the door but it means something different. (I know you have more shoes. You left one pair by the door. I know what they look like.)