Clauses that name and describe

Main and subordinate clauses. A main clause can stand alone as a sentence. A subordinate clause cannot; it depends on the main clause.

A noun clause does the job of a noun (a thing), as the subject or object. Ask what?: 'She realised that the pot was ready.' (What did she realise? that the pot was ready.) Noun clauses often begin with that, why, what, how, whether: 'Mesoba explained why his wife had waited.'

A relative (adjective) clause describes a noun, usually straight after it: 'the riverbank where the clay was found', 'Onula, who ran the dormitory'.

Which word begins a relative clause?

• who for people;
• whose for belonging;
• which for things;
• where for places.