Year 3 English · Clauses and sentences · Lesson 4.6

Year 3 English: Fronted adverbials and moving clauses

Part of the Year 3 English clauses and sentences chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

4.6

Fronted adverbials and moving clauses

Year 3
Name a fronted adverbial, which comes at the start of a sentence and tells when, where or why, Tell a phrase with no verb from a clause with a verb, and move a clause to the front

Story. It is a sunny morning, and the school trip is ready. In the morning, the sun is bright. Carefully, Ali carries the tray of juice. When the bell rings, the children climb on the bus.

A fronted adverbial comes at the start of a sentence, and it tells us when, where or why. It can be a word, a phrase or a clause:

Kind	Example	Has a verb?
one word	Carefully, Ali carried the tray.	no
a phrase	After lunch, we played football.	no
a subordinate clause	When the bell rang, the children ran in.	yes: rang

A fronted adverbial with no verb is a phrase. A subordinate clause has a verb, so it is a clause. Clauses can move: We went to the park because it was sunny. means the same as Because it was sunny, we went to the park.

A subordinate clause at the start. It has a verb, rang, so it is a clause.

Key ideas

A fronted adverbial comes first and tells when, where or why.
It can be a word, a phrase or a clause.
A phrase has no verb: after lunch, because of the rain.
A clause has a verb: because it was sunny, when the bell rang.
Put a comma after it. Chapter 5 practises commas in more detail.

Worked example 4.6.1

Move the subordinate clause to the start of this sentence, and write the new sentence: We stayed inside because it rained.

Method. Move the subordinate clause to the front, and keep the same meaning.

Find the subordinate clause. A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.
We stayed inside because it rained.
Find the main clause. A main clause makes sense on its own, so it could be a sentence on its own.
We stayed inside because it rained.
Move the subordinate clause to the front. The meaning stays the same. Start with a capital letter and put a comma after the clause.
Because it rained, we stayed inside.
Write the answer.
Because it rained, we stayed inside.

Check. The new sentence means the same as the old one. ✓

Watch out. Only the order changes. The clause still starts with its conjunction.

Worked example 4.6.2

What word class is Because in this sentence? Because of the rain, we stayed at home.

Method. Find the job of Because in the sentence.

Read the word in its sentence. Look at its job in the sentence, not only at its spelling.
Because of the rain, we stayed at home.
Test the word. A preposition is followed by a noun or a pronoun, such as after lunch.
Because is a preposition here
Write the answer.
preposition

Check. Because does the job of a preposition here. ✓

Watch out. A preposition is followed by a noun or a pronoun.

Worked example 4.6.3

Is the group of words When the bell rang a main clause or a subordinate clause in this sentence? When the bell rang, the children ran in.

Method. Look for the verb, then test whether the group can stand alone.

Find the verb in the group of words. A clause has a verb.
rang
Test: can it stand alone as a sentence? A subordinate clause starts with a conjunction such as when or because. It needs a main clause and does not make sense alone.
When the bell rang, the children ran in.
Write the answer.
subordinate clause

Check. The group of words is a subordinate clause. ✓

Watch out. The subordinate clause starts with its conjunction, such as when, because or although.

Watch out

Watch out: because of the rain has no verb, so it is a phrase. because it rained has a verb, so it is a clause. The first word is the same, but the job is different.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Say a sentence with the time or reason at the start: After lunch, we played football. Then ask your child to move it to the end. Check that the meaning stays the same.