Grammar and Syntax: The Use of Dependent Clauses and Tense Consistency in Complex Sentences

Definition and Structure of Complex Sentences

  • Definition of a Complex Sentence: A complex sentence is defined as a sentence that contains exactly one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

  • The Metaphor of Independence and Dependence:

    • To illustrate the relationship between clauses, consider the example of a mother named Rejoice and her children.

    • Rejoice represents the independent clause. She functions on her own but supports others.

    • Her children (a son and a daughter) represent the dependent clauses. Just as the son is dependent on Rejoice, his mother, for food, shelter, and basic necessities, a dependent clause relies on the independent clause to provide complete meaning.

    • In a complex sentence, the main clause (the mother) is distinguished and separated from the subordinating clauses (the children) by specific elements that constitute subordination, such as subordinators.

Identifying Clauses through Examples

Identifying the components of a complex sentence requires recognizing the complete thought (independent clause) and the subordinator that marks the dependent thought.

  • Example 1: "She said that she was tired."

    • Main Clause: "She said." This is a complete thought.

    • Subordinator: "that."

    • Dependent Clause: "that she was tired." This clause depends on the main clause "She said."

    • Comparison: In the metaphor, "She said" is Rejoice, and "that she was tired" is the son who is tired.

    • Variation: The speaker noted a preference for the version, "He said that he's tired."

  • Example 2: "When the rain stopped, we continued the journey."

    • Independent Clause: "we continued the journey."

    • Dependent Clause: "When the rain stopped."

    • Function: This clause identifies the time at which the action in the independent clause occurred. The use of "When" marks it as a subordinate clause of time.

  • Example 3: "Because he studied hard, he passed the exam."

    • Subordinator: "Because."

    • Effect: The presence of the word "Because" automatically makes the first part of the sentence a subordinator/dependent clause.

    • Independent Clause: "he passed the exam." This part contains no subordinator and can stand alone.

Tense Consistency in Complex Sentences

In complex sentences, the relationship between different actions must be logically reflected through the correct use of grammatical tense. This ensures that the sequence of events is clear to the reader or listener.

  • Purpose of Tense Consistency:

    • To show if actions happened at the same time.

    • To show if one action happened before another.

    • To indicate if an action is still true at the time of speaking.

    • To indicate if an action was already completed at the time of reporting.

Rule 1: Main Clause in the Present Tense

When the main clause is in the present tense, it often indicates that the information being shared is still true at the present moment.

  • General Rule: When the main verb is in the present tense, the dependent clause should generally remain in the present tense to maintain consistency.

  • Examples of Correct Usage:

    • "She says that she likes rice." (Main verb: "says" is present; Dependent verb: "likes" is present).

    • "The teacher explains that water boils at 100100 degrees Celsius." (Main verb: "explains" is present; Dependent verb: "boils" is present).

    • "He believes that honesty is important." (Main verb: "believes" is present; Dependent verb: "is" is present).

    • "The doctor says that exercise improves health."

    • "My father thinks that education obeys no [sic]." (Main verb: "thinks"; Dependent verb: "obeys").

  • Implication of Present Perfect: In the case of "He has been sick," the person still carries the state or the action is still relevant/true. Conversely, "He had been sick" implies the action is no longer true.

  • Incorrect Forms (Avoid):

    • "She says that she liked rice."

    • "The doctor says that exercise improved health."

Rule 2: Reporting Verbs in the Past Tense

When the reporting verb (the main clause) is in the past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause must automatically shift into a past form.

  • Exception: This shift is required unless you are using direct quotation marks.

  • Examples of Correct Usage:

    • "He said that he was hungry." (Incorrect: "He said that he is hungry").

    • "The teacher explained that the lesson was difficult."

    • "She admitted that she needed help."

    • "They announced that the event was cancelled."

    • "The witness stated that he saw the accident."

  • Incorrect Forms (Avoid):

    • "She admitted that she needs help."

Rule 3: Use of Past Perfect for Earlier Past Actions

This rule applies when a sentence describes two different actions that both occurred in the past.

  • The Formula: The action that happened first chronologically must be expressed in the past perfect tense (had+past participle\text{had} + \text{past participle}). The second action (the more recent one) is expressed in the simple past.

  • Examples:

    • "She realized that she had forgotten her bag." (Chronologically: She forgot the bag first [past perfect], then she realized it later [simple past]).

    • "The student discovered that someone had stolen the projector." (Chronologically: The theft occurred first [had stolen], then the discovery happened [discovered]).

    • "He admitted that he had lied." (Chronologically: The lie happened first [had lied], then the admission happened [admitted]).

    • "They found out that the company had closed down."

  • Note on Sentence Structure: Even though the first chronological action (past perfect) often comes second in the sentence structure, it represents the earlier event in time.

Rule 4: Handling Universal Truths

Universal truths are facts that do not change over time. These require special handling regarding tense.

  • The Rule: Even if the reporting verb is in the past tense, a universal truth remains in the present tense.

  • Examples:

    • "The teacher explained that the earth revolves around the sun." (Note: Using "revolved" would incorrectly imply the earth has stopped revolving).

    • "He said that water boils at 100100 degrees Celsius."

    • "The scientists explained that planets need sunlight."

Rule 5: Future Actions in Dependent Clauses

This applies when the reporting verb is in the present, but the dependent clause refers to an event that has not yet occurred.

  • The Rule: Use the future tense (typically involving "will") for actions that are yet to happen.

  • Examples:

    • "She says that she will attend the meeting."

    • "He believes that the team will win." (Speaker Note: Mentioned buying a jersey for a game on Wednesday, the 17th17^{th}).

    • "They announced that the examination will begin at nine."

  • Incorrect Forms (Avoid):

    • "She says that she attends the meeting."

    • "They announced that the examination begin."

Questions and Discussion

Dialogue/Identification Exercise:

  • Question: Which of these is the correct sentence based on the rules?

    1. "He said that he likes football."

    2. "He said that he liked football."

  • Context: The group was asked to identify which rule these examples fall under (Rule 22 regarding past tense reporting verbs).