Lesson video

Hello and welcome to this lesson: Adverbial Complex Sentences Using the Comma Rule.

Today, our learning outcome is you can use the comma rule to write accurate adverbial complex sentences.

And here are our key words that are going to get us there.

My turn, your turn.

Clause, adverbial clause, main clause, adverbial complex sentence.

Great job.

Let's take a look at some definitions.

A clause is a group of words that contains a verb, and we have lots of different clauses in English.

An adverbial clause is a type of subordinate clause that starts with a subordinating conjunction.

A main clause is a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense.

An adverbial complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause and an adverbial subordinate clause.

Our lesson outlined today looks like this.

First, we'll look at the adverbial clause comma rule, and then we'll look at meanings of different subordinating conjunctions.

Let's get started on the adverbial clause comma rule.

First, let's listen to some sentences.

"I went to see the doctor when I was feeling unwell." "Because I had an infection, the doctor gave me medicine." "The doctor wrote me a note so I could have a day of rest." "When I arrived home, I went straight to bed." Oh, not a very good day that I had, it sounds like.

Now, in these sentences, which ones have commas? Now, you might remember from our previous lesson the adverbial clause comma rule, and you might have spotted it working already in these examples.

This sentence has a comma after the first clause, before the second clause, "The doctor gave me medicine" begins.

And this fourth sentence also has a comma.

"When I arrived home," comma, after the first clause, "I went straight to bed." Look at the difference between these two sentences.

"Because I had an infection," comma, "the doctor gave me some medicine." "The doctor gave me some medicine because I had an infection." In these sentences, the position of the main clause has been swapped.

The words in the main clause remain the same, but in the first sentence, I've put the main clause second.

And in the second sentence, I've put the main clause first.

We know it's a main, because it makes complete sense all by itself.

The other clause, "Because I had an infection," is an adverbial clause.

It doesn't make sense by itself.

It needs to join on to main clause in order to make sense.

But just like the main clause, I have swapped the position of the adverbial clause in each sentence.

In sentence one, I've put the adverbial clause first.

And in sentence two, I've put the adverbial clause second.

Now, I wonder if you can remember the rule.

If the adverbial clause comes first, we do need a comma.

If the main clause comes first, we do not need a comma.

Adverbial clause, comma, main clause in the first sentence.

Main clause, no comma, adverbial clause in the second sentence.

An adverbial clause always has to join to a main clause to make sense.

A main clause can come first, followed by the adverbial clause, or an adverbial clause can come first followed by the main clause.

What you need to remember is the comma rule.

If the main clause comes first in a complex sentence, a comma is not placed after it.

The second idea in the adverbial clause stretches the first idea, and you make an adverbial complex sentence.

But if the adverbial clause comes first in a complex sentence, a comma is placed after it.

The comma separates the adverbial clause from the main clause.

And here's main.

And again, you have formed an adverbial complex sentence.

Let's check your understanding so far.

True or false: this sentence needs a comma.

"When I am home, I'll wash my hands." Is it true or false that this sentence needs a comma? Pause the video now as you choose.

That's right, it's true.

And let's check why.

The adverbial clause is first, and the main clause is second.

The adverbial clause is "when I'm home," the main clause is "I'll wash my hands." And we know the rule.

If the adverbial clause comes first, you place a comma after it before the main clause begins.

B is not true.

A comma is never used in a complex sentence.

Well, we know that's not true, because we know our adverbial clause comma rule for the complex sentence.

For your first task today, I would like you to edit the comma errors in these adverbial complex sentences.

A.

"Because we are going on holiday you should pack your bag." B.

"When we've arrived at the train station we will find our tickets." C.

"So we all enjoy the holiday we've packed our luggage carefully." Edit the comma errors in these adverbial complex sentences.

You might need to add some commas in.

Pause the video now as you complete task one.

Great job, everyone.

Let's have a look at where those commas should have been placed.

In A, "Because we are going on holiday," adverbial clause first, then the comma, "You should pack your bag," main clause second.

"When we've arrived at the train station, adverbial clause first, then the comma, "We will find our tickets," main clause second.

"So we all enjoy the holiday." Adverbial clause first, then the comma.

"We've packed our luggage carefully." Main clause second.

Excellent job.

And you'll have seen in each of these examples a different subordinating conjunction starting each adverbial clause.

"Because" in A, "when" in B, "so" in C.

Those are my three subordinating conjunctions.

For task two today, I would like you now to edit the errors in these adverbial complex sentences.

A.

"You should pack your bag," comma, "because we are going on holiday." Hmm, I think you'll need to check, is the main clause or the adverbial clause first in that example, and then decide where's the error.

B.

"We will find our tickets when we've arrived at the train station." Hmm, again, you will need to check, is the main clause or the adverbial clause first? And then look for the error.

It might not be a comma error in B.

You might need to have your very careful checking eyes even sharper for B to find the error.

C.

"We've packed our luggage carefully," comma, "so we all enjoy the holiday." Hmm.

Again, I think you should check, is the main or the adverbial clause first in C, and then edit the error.

Pause the video now as you complete task two.

Great job, everyone.

And let's have a look where those errors were.

In A, main clause came first, adverbial clause came second, so we did not need a comma.

In B, there was a crazy capital letter starting the adverbial clause, "When we've arrived at the train station." We do not need a capital letter in the middle of a sentence.

And in C, the main clause came first, the adverbial clause came second.

We know the rule.

We do not need a comma if main comes first.

Great job, everyone.

Now it's time to move on to our second chunk of our lesson today: meanings of subordinating conjunctions.

You know several different subordinating conjunctions.

You know "because," "when," "so." Remember, subordinating conjunctions always starts adverbial clauses.

Now, different subordinating conjunctions are useful at different times.

Because is so useful for giving a reason.

When is so useful for giving a timeframe.

So is so useful for giving a result.

They're always subordinating conjunctions, so they always start adverbial clauses.

But we choose a subordinating conjunction carefully, so that it's doing the job we need it to do.

If we need to give a reason, we use because.

If we need to give a timeframe, we use when.

If we need to give a result, we use so.

Let's have a look at because in action.

Main clause, "We will take an umbrella because," subordinating conjunction, "it is raining very hard outside." "Because it is raining very hard outside" is the adverbial clause.

And here, because gives the reason for why we will take the umbrella that is given in our first main clause.

Let's swap these rounds.

"Because it is raining very hard outside," now adverbial clause is first, there's my comma.

I remembered my comma rule.

"We will take an umbrella," main clause second.

Even if the adverbial clause comes first and the main clause comes second, "because" subordinating conjunction still has the same job, to give a reason.

Let's have a look at "when" working hard as the subordinating conjunction for giving a timeframe.

Main clause first.

"Let's go to the beach," subordinating conjunction "when" to start my adverbial clause, "It is the summer holidays." "When it is the summer holidays" is my adverbial clause.

And "when" subordinating conjunction gives the timeframe to the main clause in my first half of the sentence.

"Let's go to the beach when it is the summer holidays." Let's swap the clauses round.

"When it is the summer holidays," comma after my adverbial clause first, "Let's go to the beach," main clause second.

I've remembered my comma rule.

"When" subordinating conjunction is still giving a timeframe, and my main clause is stretched with my second idea from my adverbial clause.

Let's have a look at "so" subordinating conjunction working hard to give a result to the main clause.

Main clause first.

"We must apply sun cream, so" subordinating conjunction, "We are safe in the sun's rays." Here, my adverbial clause, "So we are safe in the sun's rays," gives a result to my main clause, "We must apply sun cream." And we can swap the clauses round like this.

"So we are safe in the sun's rays," comma, after my adverbial clause first, "We must apply sun cream," main clause second.

Again, even though I've swapped the position of the clauses, "so" is still working hard to give a result to the main clause, "We must apply sun cream." Let's check your understanding so far.

I'd like you to match the subordinating conjunction, "because," "when," "so" to its purpose.

Which is for giving a result? which is for giving a reason? Which is for giving a timeframe? Pause the video now as you choose.

Great job.

"Because" is for giving a reason.

"When" is for giving a timeframe.

"So" is for giving a result.

Excellent work.

For task three today, I would like you to tell your talk partner in this talk task if the subordinating conjunctions have been used correctly.

Let's have a look at A.

"You should pack your bag when we are on the train." Hmm.

First step with your partner, find the subordinating conjunction.

Second step with your partner, remember the purpose of each of our subordinating conjunctions.

Is the subordinating conjunction in A doing the job it is supposed to do? And step three, with your partner, check.

Does that sentence make sense or has something gone wrong? In B, "We've packed our luggage carefully because there are 78 organs in a human body." Hmm, something has gone a little bit wrong in B as well.

With your partner, check the subordinating conjunction.

Check, does the adverbial clause work with the main clause? Pause the video now as you work hard with your talk partner.

Let's have a look at some answers you could have said with your partner.

In A, "You should pack your bag when we are on the train," "when" does not give the correct timeframe for the main clause.

It would be far too late to pack once they are on the train.

We need to pack our bags before we get on the train.

Even before we get to the train station, we must pack bags at home before leaving our home.

In B, "We've packed our luggage carefully because there are 78 organs in a human body." Here, "because" does not give a reason that links to the main clause.

The number of human organs has nothing to do with packing luggage carefully.

Remember, it's so important to read our sentences back to check for sense.

Great job.

In task four, I would now like you to get writing.

I would like you to use "because" subordinating conjunction to write two adverbial complex sentences with this main clause: "We will wear warm hats." Now, in A, your first sentence, you need to write the adverbial complex sentence with main clause first.

And I've given you that main clause.

"We will wear warm hats." You then need to stretch it with "because" and your adverbial clause.

Then in B, your second sentence, you need to write your adverbial complex sentence with the adverbial clause first.

So you'll need to swap the position of your adverbial clause and put your "because" adverbial clause first, then the main clause, "We will wear warm hats." Take your time, check your sentences carefully, and pause the video now.

Excellent work.

Let's have a look at some checking prompts to make sure your answers are accurate.

Do both your sentences include one main clause and one adverbial clause? Do both your sentences include subordinating conjunction "because," and have you remembered the comma rule? Remember, adverbial clause first, comma, main clause.

Read your sentences back, check them carefully, and make your edits.

Pause the video now.

Great job.

And here are some example sentences I wrote for you.

One, "We will wear warm hats because there is a brisk wind outside." Main clause, no comma, adverbial clause.

Two, "Because there is a brisk wind outside, we will wear warm hats." Adverbial clause first, comma, main clause.

Great job, everyone.

For task five, I'd like you to do the same task, but this time, use the subordinating conjunction "when" and this main clause, "I love eating lemon cake." In A, write your adverbial complex sentence with the main clause first, then subordinating conjunction "when" to stretch with your adverbial clause.

In B, write your adverbial clause first using "when" subordinating conjunction.

Then the main clause, "I love eating lemon cake" second.

Remember that comma rule.

Pause the video now as you complete your two sentences.

Great job.

Now, let's check your sentences.

Do both your sentences include one main clause and one adverbial clause? Do both your sentences include "when" subordinating conjunction? And have you remembered the comma rule correctly? Read your sentences back, check them carefully, and make your edits.

Pause the video now.

Great work.

And here are some example sentences.

One, "I love eating lemon cake when it is my birthday." Main clause first, adverbial clause second, no comma needed.

Two, "When it is my birthday, I love eating lemon cake." Adverbial clause first, comma after it, main clause second.

Excellent work.

For task six today, I think you've guessed it.

You are going to write two more adverbial complex sentences using "so" subordinating conjunction and this main clause, "Let's hold hands on the road." In A, write your main clause first, then stretch with subordinating conjunction "so" and your adverbial clause.

In your second sentence in B, write your adverbial clause first, starting with subordinating conjunction "so," and your main clause second.

Remember, I've given you the main clause, "Let's hold hands on the road," and don't forget your comma rule.

Pause the video now as you write to your two sentences.

Great work, everyone.

Now for a final check, do both your sentences include one main clause and one adverbial clause? Do both your sentences include "so" subordinating conjunction, and have you remembered the comma rule correctly? Read your sentences back, check them carefully, and make your edits.

Pause the video now.

Great work.

And here are some example sentences.

"Let's hold hands on the road so we are safe." Main clause first, adverbial clause second, no need for a comma.

"So we are safe, let's hold hands on the road." Adverbial clause first, comma after it, main clause second.

Excellent work.

Wow, what a lot of learning and writing in today's lesson.

Let's sum up all of our learning for today.

Commas have more than one purpose in English.

There are many different subordinating conjunctions that are useful for different purposes.

If the adverbial clause comes first, a comma is placed after it before the main clause begins.

The comma rule applies in any adverbial complex sentence for any subordinating conjunction used.

You have done brilliantly today.

Now it's time for you to do your exit quiz.

Consolidate all of your learning from today's lesson, and I really look forward to seeing you again in our next lesson.