イギリス英会話ブログ

In this post I want to introduce subject and object clauses. If you can master this topic you will be able to make longer sentences.

Usually we use single nouns as subjects or objects. For example:

• I met a young man last night. (object)

A clause usually contains at least a noun and a verb, and sometimes an object too. The kind of sentence I want to introduce is like this :

• The young man I met last night was from Brazil. (subject clause)
• I can’t remember the name of the young man I met last night. (object clause)

The words in bold type are clauses - in the first sentence a subject clause, and in the second sentence an object clause. As you can see, in subject and object clauses the order of the words changes from S-V-O (subject - verb - object) to O-S-V (object - subject - verb). Look at how these clauses are formed :

• I am reading a book –> the book I am reading
• I asked a question –> the question I asked
• I paid some money last week –> the money I paid last week
• She wore a kimono to the party –> the kimono she wore to the party

Note that ‘a’ or ‘an’ changes to ‘the’, because it is clear which object or person you are talking about. These clauses can be used as subjects - in front of a verb - or as objects - after a verb. Like this :

• Did I tell you about the book I am reading? (object)
• The question I asked was too difficult for them to answer. (subject)
• The money I paid last week was for February’s lessons. (subject)
• I really liked the kimono she wore to the party. (object)

One thing you have to be careful about is prepositions that come after the verb. For example, in sentences like this:

• I was waiting for a bus. –> the bus I was waiting for
• The bus I was waiting for never came.

• He went out with some people. –> the people he went out with
• I don’t know the people he went out with.

It may seem strange to end a sentence with a preposition, but in this case it is correct.
That’s it really, so let’s try some practice sentences. See if you can translate these sentences in to English. Listen to the audio to check your answers.

1. 私があなたにあげた本を読みましたか？
2. 彼が通っている英会話スクールは、どこにありますか？
3. 家に来たセールスマンは、くどかった。
4. 昨日のパーティに来ていたあの男の人はなんと言う名前だった？
5. 沖縄で買ったあの酒は、もう飲みましたか？
6. 私が今朝あなたにあげたあのファックスはどうしちゃったのですか？
7. 先週会ったイギリス人は、ロンドン出身だった。
8. 風邪を引いて、誘われたあのコンパに行けない。

How did you do? As I said before, if you can get used to using subject and object clauses your English will sound much more fluent. Good luck!