sentence analysis 9/12/06

[hela]

Dear teachers,

1) A day will come when you will no longer remember my face.
Is “when you will no longer...” a relative clause?

2) Tell me when you will arrive.
Is this an indirect question? And “when you will arrive” a nominal clause?

All the best,
Hela

[Rusty]

Dear teachers,

1) A day will come when you will no longer remember my face.
Is “when you will no longer...” a relative clause?

2) Tell me when you will arrive.
Is this an indirect question? And “when you will arrive” a nominal clause?

All the best,
Hela
Hi Hela: I always like to get a second opinion when it come to sentence analysis. I'll answer your question before it slips off the bottom of the screen. Maybe somebody else will add more.

1) A day will come when you will no longer remember my face.
Is “when you will no longer...” a relative clause?

(I'd call this an adjectival clause describing day).

2) Tell me when you will arrive.
Is this an indirect question? And “when you will arrive” a nominal clause?

(My opinion: when you will arrive is a nominal clause acting as the direct object of tell).

[hela]

Dear Rusty,

What would be the difference between an "adjectival clause" and a "relative clause"? Isn't "when" a relative adverb here?

See you later :)

[Rusty]

Dear Rusty,

What would be the difference between an "adjectival clause" and a "relative clause"? Isn't "when" a relative adverb here?

See you later :) There are two things to note.
1) An adjectival clause is one type of relative clause.
2) An adjectival clause can begin with a relative adverb.
Here are two references:
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/adjectiveclause.htm
"An adjective clause--also called an adjectival or relative clause--will meet three requirements. First, it will contain a subject and verb. Next, it will begin with a relative pronoun [who, whom, whose, that, or which] or a relative adverb [when, where, or why]. Finally, it will function as an adjective, answering the questions What kind? How many? or Which one? "
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/clauses.htm
Adjective clauses work like multi-word adjectives. "My brother, who is an engineer, figured it out for me." or "The bridge that collapsed in the winter storm will cost millions to replace." A special kind of adjective clause begins with a relative adverb (http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/adverbs.htm#relative_adverbs) (where, when, and why) but nonetheless functions as adjectivally.

[hela]

Thank you Rusty for this very useful piece of information. :)