29 · Clauses
Adverbial clauses
An adverbial clause relates one situation to another. The examples here give a time or a reason: before the power failed places one event in time, while because the belt broke explains another event.
Because marks the clause because the belt broke; that whole clause gives a reason for the stalling.
Before remains inside before the power failed; the whole clause gives a time for the flickering.
the evidence
Find the inner frame and its outer job
After the marker, find the clause’s own subject and predicate. Then ask how that complete unit relates to the other event. Removing it may leave a complete main clause, and some examples can move to the front. Those are useful clues here, but other optional units can pass the same tests.
The marker travels with its clause.
Because is a subordinator by form and a marker by function. It begins the dependent clause rather than joining two finished sentences as an equal partner. A marker helps reveal the boundary, but the situation-to-situation relationship makes the clause adverbial.
Ten sentences from this lesson, one decision at a time.