Introduction

An adverbial clause, sometimes called an adverb clause, is a collection of words that functions as both an adverb and a dependent clause in a sentence. A subject, a predicate, and a subordinating conjunction are all parts of an adverbial sentence. Adverbial clauses can modify an adjective, a verb, or another adverb, much like other adverbs.

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In a sentence, adverb clauses clarify time, location, manner, purpose, and more. These sentences start with a trigger word, or subordinating conjunction in formal English grammar. As in the phrase "He arrived after we had breakfast," subordinating conjunctions include "after," "in order to," "as," "before," "where," and "during." We are the subject, "after," is the subordinating conjunction, and the predicate, "having begun breakfast," modifies the verb "arrived."

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Types

An adverbial clause is a clause that functions as an adverb in a sentence. There are four main types of adverbial clauses: temporal, conditional, relative, and concessive. 

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Temporal adverbial clauses usually come at the beginning or end of a sentence and tell us when something happened. For example:

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After we finished our meal, we went for a walk.

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Before you leave, please remember to turn off the lights.

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Conditional adverbial clauses express a condition and are often introduced by the word 'if.' For example:

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If you study hard, you will get good grades.

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Unless you want to fail, you should hand in your homework on time.

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Relative clauses usually come after the noun they modify and provide additional information about that noun. For example:

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The book that I bought yesterday is very interesting.

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The man who lives next door is a doctor.

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Concessive clauses express concession or contrary-to-fact conditions. In other words, they express situations that are not true or are contrary to what is expected. For example:

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Even though I am failing, I will not give up.

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Despite being very tired, she stayed up to finish her work.

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Conclusion

As in the sentence "We travel to the seaside because we own a house there," adverbial clauses have a subject and a predicate. We are the subject, "own a home there," is the predicate, and the adverbial sentence begins with "because."

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Adverbial phrases, on the other hand, don't have a subject or a predicate, as in "We left the coast the week before." The word "the week before" serves as an adverbial modifier of when the subjects left the coast in that sentence, yet there is no subject or predicate.  You can also download our app from the playstore or visit our website.

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