(a) He drank water because he was thirsty.
(b) MAIN cwsa: He dmnk water.
(c) ADVHRB CLAUSE: because he was thirsy
I. .'MAIN CLAUSE ADVJ3RB CLAUSE
(d) 'He dmk water1 (no comma) 'bscause he was rhirsy.'
ADVERB CUUSE MAIN CLAUSE
(e) '~ecawe he was thirsty: 'he drank water.'
(comma)
(f) INCORRRCT UV WRITING:
He dm& water. Becauee he war thirsty.
(p) CORRBCT IN SPBAKING:
A: Why did he drink some water?
B: Because he WP. thirnty.
Because expresses a cause; it gives a reason. Why did he
drii water? Reason: he was thirsty.
A main clause is a complete sentence:
He drank ware* = a complete sentence.
An adverb clause is ~ar a complete sentence:
because he was thirsty = NOT a complete sentence.
Because inwduces an adverb clause:
because + subject + verb = an adverb clause.
An adverb clause is connected to a main dause, as in (d)
and (e).*
In (d): main clause + no comma + adverb clause
In (e): adverb clause + comma + main dause
(d) and (e) have exactly the same meaning.(f) is incorrect in written English: because he was thirszy
cannot stand alone as a sentence that starts with a capital
letter and ends with a period. It has to be connected to a
main clause, as in (d) and (e).
In spoken English, an adverb clause can be used as the
short answer to a question, as in (g).
L
'See Chan 2-10, p. 48, for a discussion of other adverb clauses. "Time &uses" are adverb &uses that are introduced by
wh, 4ha; brfom, tnhila, until, and ol soon ol.EXERCISE 19. Adverb clauses with BECAUSE. (Chart 8-6)
Directions: Combine each pair of sentences in two different orders. Use because.
Punctuate carefully.- We didn't have class.
The teacher was absent.
+ We didn't have class because the teacher was absent.
+ Because the teacher was absent, we didn't have class.
- The children were hungry.
There was no food in the house. - The bridge is closed.
We can't drive to the other side of the river. - My car didn't start.
The battery was dead. - Larry and Patti laughed hard.
The joke was very funny.
Connecting Ideas 239