UNIDAD IV CLÁUSULAS Una cláusula es un

UNIDAD IV
CLÁUSULAS
Una cláusula es un grupo de palabras relacionadas que contienen sujeto y verbo, y
se usa como parte de una oración compleja para relacionar las ideas que contiene ésta.
La diferencia entre una cláusula y una frase es que ellas poseen sujeto y predicado,
en cambio las frases carecen de verbo y/o sujeto.
TIPOS DE CLAÚSULAS
CLÁUSULA INDEPENDIENTE O PRINCIPAL: puede funcionar como su oración
simple porque expresa un pensamiento completo aún cuando se la separe de la oración
compleja. Es considerada una oración por si sola.
CLÁUSULA DEPENDIENTE O SUBORDINADA: se les llama subordinadas porque su
función es precisamente subordinar una idea secundaria a una principal. Este tipo de
cláusulas funcionan como adjetivos, sustantivos o adverbios dentro de la oración compleja,
por lo tanto, habrá cláusulas adjetivales, nominales y adverbiales.
Las cláusulas se pueden combinar en tres formas diferentes:



Por Coordinación: involucra la unión de cláusulas independientes con una de las
conjunciones coordinadas: and, but, or, nor, for, yet y so.
Por Subordinación: involucra el cambio de las cláusulas en un elemento
subordinado a través del uso de una conjunción subordinada o un pronombre
relativo. Cuando la cláusula comienza con una palabra subordinada, es llamada
cláusula dependiente porque necesita de una claúsula principal para tener
significado.
Por el uso del punto y coma: puede conectar dos cláusulas independientes con o
sin la ayuda de un adverbio conjuntivo. ( however, moreover, nevertheless, etc.)
Existen tres tipos básicos de cláusulas dependientes, categorizadas de acuerdo a su
función en la oración:
1.- Nominal: se usa como un sustantivo, recibe el nombre de Noun Clause (cláusula
nominal). Por lo tanto, generalmente preceden o siguen a un verbo. Este tipo de cláusulas es
introducida por: that, what, when, whoever sin antecedente.
a) Everybody knows/who suggested that proposal.
(independent clause)
b) What civil engineers
(noun clause)
(noun clause)
do about this matter/ concerns to industrial engineering too.
(independent clause)
En el ejemplo (a) la cláusula nominal sigue a un verbo y funciona como objeto del verbo,
mientras que en el ejemplo (b) la cláusula nominal precede al verb (concern) y funciona
como sujeto del verbo.
Algunas veces la cláusula nominal es usada como objeto de una preposición
Ejemplo:
- They agreed with [what they said]
Prep. (noun clause)
- Both industrial engineers and green peace group are worried about [how to decrease the
environ mental pollution.]
(noun clause)
2.- Adjective clause (cláusula adjectival): como su nombre lo indica, funcionan en una
oración compleja como adjetivos, modificando a un sustantivo o pronombre. Este tipo de
cláusula, generalmente comienza con un pronombre o adverbio relativo cuyo antecedente
es un sustantivo o pronombre ya mencionado o sobre entendido de la oración al cual
añaden información.
Ejemplo:
antecedent
- Dr. Black is the ( expert ) [who investigates the application of this new manufacturing
technique]
(adjectival clause)
(noun)
(relative pronoun)
- These are the (construction tools) brought from United Kingdom [which has a high level
of quality.]
(adjectival clause)
Noun
(antecedent)
- That was the (time) [when all researchers met.
(adjectival clause)
(noun)
Antecedent
(noun)
- The (material) [of which the apparatus is made of] is a good conductor of heat]
(adjectival clause)
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En el lenguaje técnico algunas veces una preposición se usa delante de “which”.
3.- Cláusula Adverbial (Adverbial Clause): La función de este tipo de cláusulas en las
oraciones complejas es la de adverbio, modificando a un verbo, un adjetivo u otro adverbio.
Estas cláusulas son empleadas con gran frecuencia en el lenguaje científico para establecer
relaciones de tiempo, causa o razón, propósito, comparación, lugar, condición y contraste.
Estas cláusulas comienzan con una conjunción subordinada que expresa la relación entre la
cláusula y el resto de la oración compleja.
Las conjunciones subordinadas de uso más frecuente en la composición de una cláusula
adverbial son:
After
Before
When
while
until
whenever
when
wherever
where
although
though
provided that
if
unless
whether
since
whereas
because
as long as
as
in order to (that)
than
that
a) Conjunciones subordinadas que introducen una cláusula que expresa una relación de
“tiempo”:
after
until
as (as soon as)
when
before
whenever
since
while
Ejemplo:
- [Before the machines are properly tested,] they must not be used.
Adverbial clause (time)
independent clause
- [while the metal is still molten,] it is poured into molds.
Adverbial clause (time)
independent clause
b) Conjunciones subordinadas que introducen una cláusula que expresa una relación de
“lugar”
where
wherever
Ejemplo:
[Wherever the artificial satellite goes,] we will know about its position
Adverbial clause (place)
independent clause
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- He has always lived [where he was born.]
Independent clause
adverbial clause (place)
c) Conjunciones subordinadas que introducen una cláusula adverbial que establece relación
de “causa o razón”
as
because
since
whereas
Ejemplo:
- [As the instruments were defective,] the experiment was a failure.
Adverbial clause (cause)
independent clause
- [whereas the mass production process was not working efficiently], the engineers had to
Adverbial clause (cause)
independent clause
implement new advanced technological strategies,]
d) Conjunciones subordinadas que introducen cláusulas que expresan “propósito”.
- In order that
- So that
- So
- Therefore
Ejemplo:
Astronauts undergo the most rigorous training [(so that) they will be able to handle any
emergency outer space.]
adverbial clause (purpose)
Professors are going to take an advanced English course [(in order that) they can acquire
the language properly.]
Adverbial clause (purpose)
e) Las conjunciones subordinadas que expresan una relación de “comparación” son:
- as
- than
- the + comparative form
- utiliza las terminaciones –er y est
- the more
Ejemplo:
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- It is really more interesting [than we were told it would be.]
Adverbial clause (comparison)
- The harder they look for more information, [the more confused they become.]
Adverbial clause (comparison)
- Steel is harder [than iron (is)]
Adverbial clause (comparison)
f) Las cláusulas subordinadas que expresan una idea de contraste están introducidas por las
siguientes conjunciones subordinadas.
- Although (though)
- Eventhough
- In spite of
Ejemplo:
- Although the experts got enough information about that strange element, [they are still
mixed up on the properties and its composition.]
Adverbial clause (contrast)
- [In spite of we did our best,] wrong conclusions were obtained.
Adverbial clause (contrast)
g) Las conjunciones subordinadas que intervienen en las cláusulas que establecen una
condición son:
- As (so) long as
- If
- Unless
- Supposing (that)
- on condition that
- provided that
- whether
Ejemplos:
- [Unless a careful plan is used,] wrong conclusion will be obtained.
Adverbial clause (condition)
- [If all the ice in the world melted,] the level of the sea would rise by about 250 feet.
Adverbial clause (condition)
- [As long as the supply of heat in a closed system increases,] the temperature rises.
Adverbial clause (condition)
Independent clause
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En este tipo de oración el escritor expresa que dada la condición, el resultado es
normal, usual, lógico de esperarse. Emplea para ello el tiempo presente en ambas cláusulas.
Las oraciones condicionales tienen claramente dos partes:
1.- La cláusula que establece la condición
2.- La cláusula que indica el resultado de esa condición.
COMPLEX SENTENCE DEFINITION:
A sentence that contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
The complex sentence is one of the four basic sentence structures. The other structures are
the simple sentence, the compound sentence, and the compound-complex sentence.
In the complex sentence John left when his sister arrived, the clause when his sister
arrived is a dependent clause because it is preceded by the word when, which is a
subordinating conjunction. Dependent clauses are not complete sentences; they cannot
stand alone as a complete sentence. For example, *When his sister arrived cannot stand
alone. Dependent clauses must be attached to independent clauses in order to form a
complete sentence. In the complex sentence above, John left is the independent clause."
 Martina laughed when her mother dropped a pie upside down on the floor.
 "When my brother got his pants leg caught on the top of a high fence and hung upside
down, weeping and muttering curses because his pants were newly torn and Mother would
spank him for sure, no angel was with him."
Although volume upon volume is written to prove slavery a very good thing, we never hear
of the man who wishes to take the good of it by being a slave himself."
"Because he was so small, Stuart was often hard to find around the house."
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different
drummer."
Compound sentences
The second type of sentence is the compound sentence. This sentence is composed of two
simple sentences joined together by a comma and a joining word (coordinating
conjunction). We could also describe a compound sentence as two independent clauses
joined by a conjunction. There are seven coordinating conjunctions:
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






and
but
so
or
for
nor
yet.
Example
Another definition:
A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses.
Compound sentences can be formed in three ways:
(1) using coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet);
(2) using the semicolon, either with or without conjunctive adverbs;
(3) on occasion, using the colon.
Examples and Observations:
They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom."
(Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Braveheart, 1995)
"Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't go to yours."
(Yogi Berra)
The structure of a compound sentence sends certain messages to readers, no matter how
you fill in the blanks. First, it tells readers that the sentence contains two relatively
important ideas, each one deserving its own independent clause. Second, it tells readers that
these two ideas are approximately equal in importance, since they are balanced as a pair.
And third, it alerts readers to the relationship between the two ideas, depending on the
connector. For example, and suggests that the two ideas are being added together, but
indicates that they are being contrasted, and or tells us that they are alternatives. A
semicolon suggests balance between two similar or sharply contrasting statements."
(Diana Hacker and Betty Renshaw, Writing With a Voice, 2nd ed. Scott, Foresman, 1989)
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"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."
(John F. Kennedy)
"Tell the truth, work hard, and come to dinner on time."
(Gerald R. Ford)
"I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming."
(attributed to Jimmy Carter, among others)
"You can put wings on a pig, but you don't make it an eagle."
(Bill Clinton)
"Money is not the only answer, but it makes a difference."
(Barack Obama)
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