Subject clauses

Subject clauses perform the function of subject to the predicate of the principal clause. Attention should be paid to the peculiar structure of the principal clause, which in this case has no subject, the subordinate clause serving as such.

What I want to do is to save us both.

A subject clause may be introduced by conjunctions that, if, whether, whether... or, because, the way or connectives. The latter may be either conjunctive pronouns who, whoever, what, whatever, which or conjunctive adverbs where, wherever, when, whenever, how, why, or asyndetically.

Complex sentences with subject clauses may be of two patterns:

1. When a subject clause precedes the predicate of the main clause:

What I need is a piece of good advice.

Whether I talked or not made little difference.

Because I ask too many questions does not mean I am curious.

How the book will sell depends on its plot and the author.

That he is a madman in an advanced stage of mania goes without saying.

Whoever moved in next would need it more than I.

Subject clauses of this type cannot be joined asyndetically, as the opening words signal the subordinate status of the clause.

2. When a subject clause is in final position, the usual place of the subject being occupied by formal it:

It seemed unfair to him that he should suffer more than his wife.

It is understood that modern science allows such experiments.

There is another view of the analysis of sentences of this type, according to which it is the subject of the principal clause, and the subordinate clause is a predicative clause.

In exclamatory sentences the formal it may be only implied.

How wonderful that they should meet at last! (How wonderful it is...)

In this pattern of the complex sentence the subject clause may be joined asyndetically.

It is a pity her brother should be quite a stranger to her.

Subject clauses are not separated from the principal clause by a comma except when we have two or more subject clauses coordinated with each other.

Who her mother was, and how she came to die in that forlornness, were questions that often pressed on Eppie's mind.

It was plain, pitiably plain, that he was aware of his own defect of memory, and that he was bent on hiding it from the observation of his friends.

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The complex sentence with nominal clauses | Predicative clauses

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