Worksheet 1
A. Look at the following sentence.
The girl who is wearing a black dress is my neighbour.
This sentence can be divided into two groups of words—
- the girl is my neighbour
- who is wearing a black dress
B. Read the sentences given below and write the clauses. Also, mark the subject and the finite verb in each clause.
- They stopped when the sun set.
- I: They stopped → Subject: They, Finite verb: stopped
- D: when the sun set → Subject: the sun, Finite verb: set
- There was a king who chose to live in a forest.
- I: There was a king → Subject: There, Finite verb: was
- D: who chose to live in a forest → Subject: who, Finite verb: chose
- Tell me how you completed the work.
- I: Tell me → Subject: (You) (understood), Finite verb: tell
- D: how you completed the work → Subject: you, Finite verb: completed
- The girl who was from Delhi won the crown.
- I: The girl won the crown → Subject: The girl, Finite verb: won
- D: who was from Delhi → Subject: who, Finite verb: was
- The man whose car was stolen had to stay in the police station.
- I: The man had to stay in the police station → Subject: The man, Finite verb: had
- D: whose car was stolen → Subject: car, Finite verb: was stolen
- The movie that we saw was boring.
- I: The movie was boring → Subject: The movie, Finite verb: was
- D: that we saw → Subject: we, Finite verb: saw
- You won’t reach the school on time unless you hurry.
- I: You won’t reach the school on time → Subject: You, Finite verb: will not reach
- D: unless you hurry → Subject: you, Finite verb: hurry
- The lady whom we saw yesterday is my neighbour.
- I: The lady is my neighbour → Subject: The lady, Finite verb: is
- D: whom we saw yesterday → Subject: we, Finite verb: saw
- The bridge which was built a year back has collapsed.
- I: The bridge has collapsed → Subject: The bridge, Finite verb: has collapsed
- D: which was built a year back → Subject: which, Finite verb: was built
- If the guests are coming, the flat should be properly cleaned.
- I: The flat should be properly cleaned → Subject: The flat, Finite verb: should be cleaned
- D: If the guests are coming → Subject: the guests, Finite verb: are coming
Worksheet 2
A. Read the following.
- Dr Bernard is a man.
He performed the first heart transplant surgery.
- Dr Bernard is the man who performed the first heart transplant surgery.
- ‘The Best Host’ is a hotel.
It serves Italian food.
- ‘The Best Host’ is the hotel which serves Italian food.
B. Combine the following sentences using ‘who’/’that’. One example has been done for you.
- The man who had assassinated a minister has been given death sentence.
- The cricketer who had fixed a match has been banned from playing.
- The social activist who works for spreading literacy has got an award.
- The actor who played the role of Sardar Patel won the best actor award.
- The woman who writes poetry is our immediate neighbour.
- The anti-thief car alarms that start ringing just with a touch are a nuisance.
- The man who always thinks positively is sure to succeed in life.
- The new flyover that had been under construction for three years has been thrown open to the public.
- The girl who is our country’s best weight-lifter has won the silver medal in the Olympics.
Worksheet 3
Complete the following passage by filling the blanks with ‘which’, ‘who’, ‘whom’, ‘whose’ or ‘that’.
Delhi, which is called the heart of India, is considered to be an amazing tourist spot. The city has many monuments, some amazing shopping complexes and a few botanical gardens. It is also famous for some luxury hotels which are known for their hospitality. The Delhi Palace, which is situated on the right bank of the Yamuna river, is one such hotel. Mr Mehta, who built this hotel forty years back, attributes its success to his staff who is highly dedicated and efficient and to his son, who is an epitome of professionalism. His son, whose reputation for being an excellent manager is widespread, looks after the hotel arrangements himself now. The guests whom he treats like his family members, speak volumes for his hospitality. Amit Ghosh, who once stayed in this hotel, calls it the next best place to home. The river which flows by the hotel carries in itself numerous flowers whose fragrance floats in the air the whole day.
Worksheet 4
A. Read the following sentences and identify the main clause (MC) and the subordinate clause (SC) in each of the sentences.
- MC: She thought
SC: that she was safe there - MC: The CCTV footage proved
SC: that the man had stolen the cash - MC: I think
SC: that you need to meditate - MC: Tell me
SC: how you solved this problem - MC: Can you tell
SC: who wrote the Geetanjali - MC: She was very hopeful
SC: that she would win - MC: I believe
SC: that he is a good person - MC: They felt
SC: that they should have won the tournament
B. Rewrite the following clues and complete the sentences using the words given in the brackets. One example has been done.
- That he will lose the college election is certain.
- She says that her uncle is unwell.
- Whosoever is guilty should be punished by law.
- I don’t know when I shall return.
- Why he left the office is a mystery.
- Whether we can reach on time is uncertain.
- Tell me why you hurt others.
- Whoever owns this house must be rich.
- I was surprised to hear that their team had won the tournament.
Worksheet 5
A. Identify the main clause (MC) and the subordinate clause (SC) in the sentences given below.
- MC: Sumit makes friends
SC: wherever he goes - MC: He slept early
SC: so that he could wake up early the next morning - MC: We shall go out to enjoy ourselves
SC: If it rains - MC: Talk to him
SC: whenever it is convenient to you - MC: Clean your room
SC: before you go to sleep - MC: Wait
SC: till the light turns green - MC: He will surely help me
SC: because he is my friend - MC: You won’t fare well
SC: unless you work hard - MC: I would not buy it
SC: even if it were for free - MC: He visited the house
SC: while I was away
B. Complete the following sentences by adding suitable subordinate clauses.
- Put this table wherever it fits best.
- I shall meet you after the meeting ends.
- It was dark when the lights went off.
- Think before you speak.
- They arrived after the ceremony had started.
- I will take the message if he is not available.
- Since he wasn’t home, I gave the letter to his mother.
- She walked into the room quietly so that nobody noticed her.
Worksheet 6
Read the following sentences about Kalpana Chawla, the girl who lost her life while returning to the earth after her journey into the space. Identify the main clause and the subordinate clause(s). Remember that one complex sentence may contain more than one subordinate clause. One example has been given to help you.
- MC: It was characteristic of her
SC: that she chose the latter - MC: Kalpana first gave vent to her resolve
SC1: As she reached her eighth grade
SC2: when she proclaimed
SC3: that engineering was going to be her vocation - MC: Kalpana believed
SC: that her vocation would be flight engineering - MC: Her batchmates noticed
SC1: After she started topping her class
SC2: that she had started getting very organised - MC: Kalpana had already begun to trawl American Universities
SC: While she was heading towards the conclusion of her graduation degree - MC: Kalpana zeroed in on UTA
SC1: because she was convinced
SC2: that it offered good research opportunities - MC: She kept up her entreaties to the family
SC1: Though she was angry at the initial rejection
SC2: as time started closing in on her admission date - MC: It is something
SC: that you would want to do
Do It Yourself
- Identify and underline the main clauses in the sentences given below.
If you are patient, you may be able to watch a cricket chirping. If it is dark outside, carry a torch. Listen carefully so that you know where to look. While the cricket is chirping, walk slowly towards him. It will be a male because only a full grown male cricket can chirp. Stop when he stops chirping. Move closer when he begins again. After several stops, you may be able to get close enough to see him.
- If you are patient, you may be able to watch a cricket chirping.
- If it is dark outside, carry a torch.
- Listen carefully so that you know where to look.
- While the cricket is chirping, walk slowly towards him.
- It will be a male because only a full grown male cricket can chirp.
- Stop when he stops chirping.
- Move closer when he begins again.
- After several stops, you may be able to get close enough to see him.
2. Combine the following sentences using the conjunctions given in the brackets.
a) Most of the states were hit by a severe drought because the monsoons failed miserably.
b) I went to a Gujarati restaurant which my friend had suggested.
c) After he read my letter, he called me up.
d) I liked the book so much that I bought a personal copy.
e) We know that Ritika is intelligent.
f) Tell me where you live.
3. Supply a suitable main clause for the following subordinate clauses.
a) Let’s go out while it is sunny.
b) People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
c) She couldn’t remember where she had kept her purse.
d) That was the opportunity that I certainly needed.
e) I don’t understand why he left that job.
f) Nobody knows how it happened.