General English Level 4 V 3
UNIT 01 The media TOPIC 03 Get the gossip
LANGUAGE FOCUS 05 Adverbial clauses
In this activity you will look at adverbial clauses of place, time and purpose.

Adverbial clauses are one of the types of clauses (subordinate clauses) which add information about the main clause.

1. Adverbial clauses of place

Judy says:
People want to see William wherever he goes.

wherever he goes is an adverbial clause of place that tells us where people want to see Prince William.

An adverbial clause gives us more information about the verb in the main clause.
Adverbial clauses of place can start with the conjunctions: wherever and where .

main clause adverbial clause
I take my mobile phone wherever I go.

adverbial clause main clause
Wherever I go, I take my mobile phone.

Examples

Wherever Prince William goes , the crowds cheer.
She always makes friends, wherever she goes.

2. Adverbial clauses of time

The report says:
After his mother, Lady Diana, died......, his father, Prince Charles, got an agreement from the press.

After his mother died is an adverbial clause of time that tells us when Prince Charles got an agreement with the press.

Adverbial clauses of time can start with the conjunctions: after, before, as, since, until, when, whenever, while.

adverbial clause main clause
Whenever I see that movie, I feel really sad.

main clause adverbial clause
I feel really sad whenever I see that movie.

Examples

Read the examples.

As he strolls through the streets of St Andrews, he smiles shyly at the people….
The cameras have loved William since he was a baby.
Lady Diana died in a car crash while she was escaping from the paparazzi.
I have been working in this factory since I was 16 years old.

3. Adverbial clauses of purpose

The report says:
H e did this in order to protect the privacy of his two sons.

in order to protect the privacy of his two sons tells us the why he made the agreement (with the press).

Adverbial clauses of purpose can start with the conjunctions: in order to, so, so as to, so that.

main clause adverbial clause
He showed her the route so that she wouldn't get lost.

adverbial clause main clause
So that she wouldn't get lost, he showed her the route.

Examples

Read the examples.

She spoke quietly so as not to wake the baby.
So that they would feel safer, they travelled together.

Position of adverbial clauses
The position of adverbial clauses depends on what we want our listeners or readers to focus on (pay most attention to). If we want them to focus on the information in the adverbial clause, we might put it first. Usually, however, the adverbial clause goes after the main clause.

When we put the adverbial clause before the main clause, we need to put a comma after the adverbial clause.

Now go to 06 WRITING Adverbial clauses.