ADVERBIAL CLAUSESIntroductionAdverbials are clause elements that serve three major functions: They tell the circumstances relating to the clause, such as 'how?', 'when?', 'where?', 'how much?', 'how long?', and 'why?' (circumstance adverbials). They express a speaker's feelings, evaluation, or comments on what the clause is about (stance adverbials). They link the clause (or some part of it) to another clause (linking adverbials).Of the three classes, circumstance adverbials are the most integrated into the clause.

Semantic categories of circumstance adverbial clausesAdverbial clauses fit into many of the semantic categories such as time, place, and contingency. Here are some examples:

Time:Wait until you are called. /Drop by whenever you get the chance./ we came in just as it started to rain.

Place:They went wherever they could find work.

Manner (comparison):He smoothed the short sprays of leathery green leaves between his finger and thumb as if their texture might tell him something.

Contingency (reason):I'll have to say I'm Rachel because our voices sound the same.

Contingency (condition):If you put the baby down, she will scream.

Respect:As dinosaurs go, they were the biggest of the big. However, there are some additional meaning distinctions to make for circumstance adverbials that are clauses.

1.Clauses of condition In general conditional clauses convey a direct condition in that the situation in the main clause is contingent on the situation in the conditional clause. For example, in uttering ‘If it rains, (then) the picnic will be cancelled,’ the speaker intends the hearer to understand that the truth of the prediction “the picnic will be cancelled” depends on the fulfilment of the condition of the rain.Clauses of condition can be divided into three subtypes: open, hypothetical, and rhetorical.

A.Open condition:A direct condition can be either an open condition or a hypothetical condition. Open conditions are neutral; they leave the condition unresolved.If Colin is London, he is undoubtedly staying at the Hilton.The sentence leaves unresolved whether Colin is in London, and hence leaves unresolved whether he is staying at the Hilton.In an open condition, the clause does not say whether or not the condition is fulfilled:1. Read the paper if you don't believe me!

2. If the water temperature falls below 22 "C there is a sharp decrease in yield of grain. 3. He won't go with you unless he feels he has to. For example, in 1 you might or might not believe me, and in 2 the temperature may or may not fall below 22 degrees. These clauses do not commit themselves to the truth or falsehood of the proposition they contain.

B.Hypothetical (also unreal condition) A hypothetical condition implies that the condition is not fulfilled:4. If he had had a coin he would have tossed it. <Unfulfilled in the past>5. if he changed his options, he would certainly be a more likable person. <Unfulfilled in the present/future>In 4, it is clear that he did not have a coin, and in 5 that I cannot correct this.

C.Rhetorical conditionThese clauses take the form of a condition, but combined with the main clause, they actually make a strong (unconditional) assertion. For example:If they are Irish, I’m the Pope.The whole sentence functions as a statement meaning: he is not Irish.'

2. Clauses of preference, proportion, and supplementIn addition to the semantic categories presented in 11.6, clauses can fulfill other semantic categories.

A.PreferenceClauses can be used to show preferences:They will fight to the finish rather than surrender.

B. ProportionClauses can also be used to express proportions. These adverbial clauses often begin with the + comparative and require the + comparative in the main clause (both underlined):The more she thought about it, the less she liked it.You're out to shock and the more you astound and astonish people the happier you'll be.

C.SupplementThese clauses supplement the information in the main clause, although the exact semantic relationship (e.g. of time, reason, or condition) varies. Usually supplement clauses are non-finite, especially ing-clauses and ed-clauses:1 He shook his head, still gazing at the patterns of sunshine on the grass outside the hut. 2 Overcome by curiosity I stared at his odd face, at the scar, the downweeping, blank eye, the upturned mouth, as if they could tell me something.We might interpret both of these supplement clauses as time relationships (same time in 1 and a series of events in 2). However, the adverbial in 1 could also be interpreted as a manner clause, and 2 could be interpreted as a reason clause.Comment clauses:

Comment clauses are parenthetical. They may occur initially, finally, or medially, and thus generally have a separate tone unit:

Kingston, as you probably know, is the capital of Jamaica.

I’m not sure what to do, to be honest.

Stated bluntly, he had no chance of winning.