Mastering Subordinate Clauses in English Grammar

Textual Properties and Persuasion in Advertising

Textual properties involve adaptation, coherence (content text), and cohesion (linking words). Advertising language is the art of persuasion, aiming to convince recipients to act, typically by purchasing a product. The report's purpose is to publicize the existence of products you wish to sell.

Denotative vs. Connotative Advertising

• The denotative advertisement objectively uses argument.
• The connotative advertisement carries symbolic meaning and uses emotional speech to reach the recipient.

Subordinate Clauses in Sentence Structure

Subordinated Nouns (Nominal Clauses)

These include:

• Completives: Introduced by the conjunction "that" + clause. The "that" acts only as a link and has no independent syntactic function.
• Infinitives: Introduced by an infinitive, which may be preceded by a preposition. The infinitive verb of the subordinate clause acts as a link. If the preposition "in" is found before an infinitive, replace it with "a" or "from".
• Relative Clauses: Introduced by a relative pronoun, which performs a syntactic connection function. The antecedent is the noun or pronoun being referred to.

Subordinate Adverbials

These clauses modify the main verb or the entire sentence:

• Temporal: Expresses when the main action occurs.
• Locative: Expresses where the main action is performed.
• Modal: Expresses how the main action is performed.
• Improper (Sentential Modifiers): Modify an entire sentence; they do not commute with any adverb and express relations of implication.
• Consecutive (Result): Express a logical consequence of the main clause's content.
• Causal: Express why or from what cause the main clause is stated.
• Final: Express the intention of the main clause.
• Conditional: Expresses the necessary condition for the main clause's action to occur.
• Concessive: Express an obstacle that prevents the main clause's action.
• Comparative: Relates two sentences by establishing a comparison between them.

Adjectival Subordinate Clauses

Function and Types

These clauses replace an adjective and always function as an Attribute (CN), complementing a main element of the sentence (the antecedent).

They are headed by a relative pronoun that serves two functions: a link and replacing the antecedent in its syntactic role.

Types of Adjectival Clauses

• Explanatory: Set off by commas.
• Especificative: Limit or restrict the meaning of the antecedent.

Relative Pronouns Used

Common relative pronouns include: who, what, which, where, that, and the more literary forms like art + which or whom.