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Definition of Clause

A "clause" means any set of words (in a sentence) that has a verb.

For example, let's take the sentence:

"You are a good student."

This is a clause, because it has one verb.

Let's take a more complicated sentence!

"You are a good student, but you need to improve your Malayalam, or else you won't be able to survive in Kerala!"

This sentence (which is a LOT more complicated than the first one!) can be broken down into clauses like this:

1. You are a good student

2. You need to improve your Malayalam

3. Else you won't be able

4. To survive in Kerala!

(The words "but" and "or" are simply conjunctions, or words that connect more than one sentence together.)

"Else you won't be able" is all just ONE clause because:

1. "Won't" isn't a verb by itself; it's just the future tense form.

2. "Be able" is the infinitive form of the verb "can." That is, you can say "to be able," but you can't say, "to can!" (Unless you mean "to be in the canning industry"...!)

Please, please, PLEEEEEEASE let me know if you did NOT understand this (or had ANY PROBLEMS OF ANY SORT with this concept)!!!!

Lesson #10 with phonetics and English translation

Lesson #10 with English translation

Lesson #10 with English translation for everything except the conversation

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