Using the comma rule in adverbial complex sentences | English

Starter quiz

Where can an adverbial clause appear in a sentence?
- at the beginning or end ✓
- only at the end
- only at the beginning
Fill in the gap: an adverbial clause only makes sense if it is joined to a ______ clause.
- 'main' ✓
What starts an adverbial clause?
- a co-ordinating conjunction
- a preposition
- a subordinating conjunction ✓
Which of these groups are subordinating conjunctions?
- when so because ✓
- my your our
- her his their
- and but or
Fill in the gap: commas can separate words or __________ in sentences.
- clauses ✓
- punctuation
- capital letters
When does an adverbial complex sentence need a comma?
- it never requires one
- when the adverbial clause is at the end ✓
- it always requires one
- when the adverbial clause is at the beginning

Fill in the gap: any clause is a group of words that contains a ______.
- 'verb' ✓
Which clause starts with a subordinating conjunction?
- main
- relative
- adverbial ✓
Fill in the gap: to form a complex sentence, you must join a main clause to any type of ______ clause.
- 'subordinate' ✓
Which of these groups are subordinating conjunctions?
- because when so ✓
- and but or
- mine yours theirs
- I me my
Match the subordinating conjunction to its purpose.
- because
  
  ⇔
  
  for giving a reason ✓
- when
  
  ⇔
  
  for giving a time frame ✓
- so
  
  ⇔
  
  for giving a result ✓
Fill in the gap: if the adverbial clause comes __________ in a complex sentence, a comma is placed after it ends and before the main clause begins.
- first ✓
- second
- last

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The position of an adverbial subordinate clause can move in an adverbial complex sentence.
If the adverbial clause comes first in the sentence, it is followed by a comma to demarcate from the main clause.
If the main clause comes first in the sentence, there is no comma used.
A comma is a punctuation mark that has more than one purpose.
Commas often help the reader see clause demarcation in a range of sentence types.

Pupils do not know when to use a comma to demarcate between the adverbial and main clause.

If the adverbial clause is first in the sentence, a comma is placed after it. If the main clause is first, no comma is placed after it.

Clause - a group of words that contains a verb
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
Adverbial complex sentence - a sentence formed of a main clause and an adverbial subordinate clause