A. A complex sentence contains one or more dependent propositions or clauses, which define or explain the principal sentence; these are called dependent or subordinate, because they make complete sense only when taken in connection with the principal proposition or clause
For example. He eats that he may live. "He eats" is the independent, or primary clause; "he may live" the dependent or secondary. I am sad when I listen to that music. "I am sad," is the independent clause; the other is subordinate, and dependent on it.
B. These dependent propositions or clauses, are adjective, relative, adverbial, conjunctive, or participial where they are introduced by a relative pronoun, an adverb, a conjunction, a participle, or by a noun and participle absolute.
(1.) The Adjective Clause: as, A man, eager to learn, applied himself to study.
(2.) The Relative Clause: as, He was admired by all who heard him; who, connects this clause with the independent clause preceding it. "He, whose house you occupy, is wealthy."
(3.) The Adverbial Clause: as, "He retired when he saw fit; commencing with the adverb when. The adverbial clause expresses some circumstances of time, place, mode, cause, or reason.
(4.) The Conjunctive Clause: "I wish that you may be happy;" commencing with the conjunction that.
(5.) The Appositive Clause consists of, or commences with, a noun or pronoun placed in apposition to a preceding word or clause, which it explains or defines; as, Washington, the father of his country.
(6.) A Parenthetical Clause is one that is embraced in a paren thesis; as, The teacher (having come from Europe) entered upon his duties.
An absolute clause, not dependent for construction on other parts of the sentence; as, Listen to me, my friends. Sometimes the connecting word is understood-not expressed; as, You cannot say (that) I have been tardy. I believe (that) he is faithful. This is the person (whom) I meant.
(7.) The Participial Clause: as, "The work having been per formed, the men withdrew," that is, " when the work had been performed, the men withdrew;" the first clause is the participial, dependent clause. It is not material, so far as the sense is concerned, whether the independent, or the dependent clause is placed first.
(8.) There is another kind of clause which may be termed an Infinitive Clause; it consists of an infinitive verb with its subject (in the objective case) united to the other clause without a connective, and following a transitive verb as its object; as, "I believe God to be just" — equivalent to, "I believe that God is just."
