Understanding the comma rule in adverbial complex sentences | English

Starter quiz

Fill in the gap: a subordinate clause is a group of words that contains a verb and __________ make complete sense.
- does
- does not ✓
- always
Fill in the gap: a subordinating conjunction is a word that starts an __________ clause.
- main
- adverbial ✓
- relative
Is this true or false? There are several different subordinate clauses.
- 'true' ✓
If you write one main clause and one adverbial clause, you have written a ______ sentence.
- 'complex' ✓
Which of these groups of words are subordinating conjunctions?
- and but or
- near opposite on
- in under at
- when because so that ✓
What is one feature of a subordinate clause that is different to a main clause?
- it is a group of words
- it contains a verb
- it does not make complete sense ✓

Where can an adverbial clause appear in a sentence?
- only at the beginning
- only at the end
- at the beginning or end ✓
Fill in the gap: an adverbial clause must __________ a main clause to make sense.
- replace
- join to ✓
- remove
Which of these pairs are subordinating conjunctions?
- and or
- in below
- when so ✓
Fill in the gap: if you move the adverbial clause in a complex sentence, you must __________ to make sure the sentence still makes sense.
- read it back ✓
- shout it out
- add new words
Fill in the gap: commas often have the job of separating __________ in sentences.
- conjunctions
- commands
- clauses ✓
Fill in the gap: if the adverbial clause comes first in a complex sentence, a __________ is placed after it before the main clause begins.
- full stop
- comma ✓
- question mark
- exclamation mark

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The position of an adverbial clause can move in an adverbial complex sentence.
The adverbial clause can come first in the sentence followed by the main clause.
If the adverbial clause comes first in the sentence, it is followed by a comma to separate it from the main clause.
The main clause can come first in the sentence followed by the adverbial clause.
If the main clause comes first in the sentence, no comma is used.

Pupils think the adverbial clause always comes second in an adverbial complex sentence.

The position of the adverbial clause can swap. The adverbial clause can come first or second in an adverbial complex sentence.

Adverbial clause - a type of subordinate clause that starts with a subordinating conjunction
Main clause - a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense
Comma - a punctuation mark used to separate the first adverbial clause from the second main clause in an adverbial complex sentence
Adverbial complex sentence - a sentence formed of a main clause and an adverbial clause