I’ll try to answer your question as quickly and simply as I can.
The best scheme for studying
adverbial clauses is to think of them simply as modifiers of verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs—in contrast to
noun clauses, which always work as nouns whether as subject, object, or complement of a sentence. Both adverbial clauses and noun clauses are functionally and structurally dependent on a main clause because even if they have a subject and predicate of their own, certain
dependency markers known as subordinating conjunctions render them incapable of standing by themselves.
KINDS OF ADVERBIAL CLAUSES BY FUNCTION:Very broadly, adverbial clauses can be classified by grammatical function into three kinds:
1. Adverbial clause as modifier of verbs. In the sentence “The lovers
parted after they questioned each other’s fidelity,” for instance, the entire adverbial clause “after they questioned each other’s fidelity” modifies the verb “parted” as well as the main clause itself, “the lovers parted.” The conjunction “after” is the dependency marker that links and subordinates the adverbial clause to that main clause.
2. Adverbial clause as modifier of adjectives. In the sentence “The structural problem is so serious
that we need an expert to fix it,” for instance, the entire adverbial clause “that we need an expert to fix it” modifies the adjective “serious” as well as the main clause itself, “the structural problem is so serious.” The conjunction “that” is the dependency marker that links and subordinates the adverbial clause to that main clause.
3. Adverbial clause as modifier of other adverbs. In the sentence “The petitioners accepted the court’s decision willingly
even if it meant losing half of the family fortune,” for instance, the entire adverbial clause “even if it meant losing half of the family fortune” modifies the adverb “willingly” as well as the main clause itself, “the petitioners accepted the court’s decision.” The conjunction “even if” is the dependency marker that links and subordinates the adverbial clause to that main clause.
TYPES OF ADVERBIAL CLAUSES ACCORDING TO THE CONJUNCTION USED: IMAGE CREDIT: EN.PPT-ONLINE.ORGThere are eight types of adverbial clauses depending on the specific kinds of conjunctions used to link them to the main clause: the adverbial clause of time, adverbial clause of place, adverbial clause of comparison, adverbial clause of condition, adverbial clause of purpose, adverbial clause of concession, adverbial clause of manner, and adverbial clause of result.
1. Adverbial clause of time. This type of adverbial clause modifies the action in the main clause by indicating when it happened or by situating its occurrence in relation to another event or activity, as in the sentence “The audience roared
as the beauty contest jurors disqualified the hands-down favorite during the finals.” Used for adverbial clauses of time are the conjunctions “as,” “when,” “before,” “after,” “since,” “while,” “as long as,” “till,” and “until.” The correlative conjunctions “hardly had…when,” ‘scarcely had…when,” “barely had…when,” and “no sooner…than” also serve to link adverbial clauses of time to main clauses, as in “
Hardly had the beauty contest jurors finished announcing the disqualification of the hands-down favorite
when the audience roared in disapproval.”
2. Adverbial clause of place. This type of adverbial clause indicates (a) where the action in the main clause takes place or (b) indicates the position of something—whether the subject or object—in the main clause, as in the sentence “The rescuers found the missing mountain-climber in a cave
where he had taken refuge for almost a month.” Used for adverbial clauses of place are the conjunctions “where,” “wherever,” “anywhere,” and “everywhere.”
3, Adverbial clause of comparison or degree. This type of adverbial clause compares an attribute that’s common to the subject of the subordinate clause and the subject of the main clause, as in the sentence “Clara can’t write business letters
as well as her younger but more experienced officemate does it.” Used for adverbial clauses of comparison or degree are the conjunctions “as…as,” “than,” and “as.”
4. Adverbial clause of condition. This type of adverbial clause states an expected consequence of an assumed counterfactual condition in the main clause, as in the sentence “You will surely regret it
if you don’t take this very special limited offer now.” Used for adverbial clauses of condition are the conjunctions “if,” “unless,” and “lest.”
5. Adverbial clause of purpose. This type of adverbial clause indicates the purpose or reason for the action stated in the main clause, as in the sentence “The construction company had to demolish an old, dilapidated two-storey building on that prime location
so that a high-rise condominium could be built on it.” Used for adverbial clauses of purpose are the conjunctions “so that,” “in order that,” and “in order to.”
6. Adverbial clause of concession. This type of adverbial clause makes a statement that makes a usually unexpected contrast or contradictory admission regarding a declaration made in the main clause, as in the sentence “Peter still likes Jane
although he is getting fed up by her volcanic temper.” Used for adverbial clauses of concession are the conjunctions “although,” “though,” “while,” and “even if.”
7. Adverbial clause of manner. This type of adverbial clause specifies how something is done or accomplished by comparing it to the manner or way a similar action in the main clause is done or accomplished, as in the sentence “Amelia’s overly strict father always hated her stubbornness
the way her grandfather also hated her father’s stubbornness when he was Amelia’s age.” Used for adverbial clauses of manner are the conjunctions “the way,” “as,” and “like.”
8. Adverbial clause of result. This type of adverbial clause indicates the result or outcome of an action or event stated in the main clause, as in the sentence “The inheritance the entry-level stock clerk got from his wealthy grandparents was
so substantial that he never had to seek employment ever again.” Used for adverbial clauses of result are the conjunctions “so…that,” “such that,” and “inasmuch as.”
I am confident that this quick overview of the basics and workings of adverbial clauses will start you off on the right foot in mastering them.