A sentence which contains one or more dependent

Ex: When it rained, we went inside

clauses in addition to its independent clause joined
If you cannot have what you like, you had better like what you want.
by a subordinating conjunction (subordinator)

Complex Sentences

Subordinator

T ypes of dependent clauses in complex sentences

*Nominal clauses (noun clauses)
*Adjectival clauses (adjective/ relative clauses)
Do you know whether/if there’s a good f ilm on *Adverbial clauses (adverb clauses)
*Used with embedded Yes/No questions
tonight?

I don’t know if I can do anything to help. *IF is pref erred when the noun clause is the object of the verb WHETHER and IF * Subject: T hat he is not the best choice goes without
saying.

*WHET HER is used in other positions * Object: 

*A dependent clause which f unctions as a noun or + Indirect object: Lif e sends karma to whoever deserves it.
noun phrase + Direct object: I didn’t know how she got there all by
*=> subject, object, or complement herself .
It is debatable whether it’s necessary to tell her all about
*T alking about choices or alternatives * Complement: 
this.
+ Subject complement: T he problem is that she hasn't
Definition
arrived yet.
Whether we will pass this course remains to be seen. *Noun clause as subject + Object complement: T hey have made her whatever she is
today.
*Beginning with T HAT , a question word, or IF/
T he question is whether we should risk everything again this WHET HER
*Af ter BE (noun clause as subject complement)
time.

T hat he is not the best choice goes without saying.

We need to discriminate between whether she really needs the Derived f rom statements ➔ that-clauses
She believed (that) everything would be f ine.
money or is just being greedy.
*Af ter a preposition (not IF) WHETHER is used ...

Two types of nominal clauses T he question is what we can do to solve the problem.
T he question whether to wait another year will be discussed (What can we do to solve the problem?)
*Af ter a noun
today.
Derived f rom questions ➔ wh-clauses
T he question is whether we can do anything to solve the
I can’t decide whether to go or not. *Bef ore a to-Inf initive problem.
(Can we do anything to solve the problem?)

We have to decide whether or not we are going.

*Immediately bef ore OR NOT Noun clauses T he president AGREES that solar power IS the
answer to the energy crisis. (Khi mệnh đề chính thì hiện tại
NOT E: We have to decide if / whether we are going or not (correct)
đơn và mệnh đề danh từ là direct object thì noun clause dùng
thì gì cũng được)

We had a talk about who should be invited. Noun clause af ter PREPOSIT IONS
T he president AGREED that solar power WAS the
*T he verb tense in the independent clause determines
Sequence of Tenses  the verb tense in the dependent noun clause
answer to the energy crisis. (Khi mệnh đề chính thì quá khứ
đơn thì noun clause cũng phải thì quá khứ đơn)
It wasn't possible that he could be mistaken. (With IT )
= T hat he could be mistaken wasn't possible. Structure

He T OLD me that he truly LOVES her. 

(Nếu mệnh đề danh từ vẫn còn đúng so với hiện tại thì được
I'm disappointed that I didn't get the job. (af ter an adjective) quyền dùng hiện tại đơn trong khi mệnh đề chính dùng quá
In dif f erent structures
= T hat I didn't get the job is disappointing. khứ đơn) => The fact is always true

I heard the rumor that the prof essor had been kidnapped.
(af ter a noun)
= T he rumor is that the prof essor had been kidnapped.
(subject complement)

He thought (that)......
Inf ormally af ter common reporting verbs
She said (that)......

She shouted that she was okay. NOT af ter some verbs (email, reply, shout, etc)

Leaving out THAT in that-noun clauses (Trường hợp

I'm glad (that) he's okay. Af ter adjectives
bỏ THAT)

I didn't believe his claims that he was ill. NOT af ter Nouns

T hat he was lying was obvious.

NOT in that-clauses as Subject or Subject complement
T he problem was that he was lying.

Noun clauses as object