Clause

 

Clause

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Clause (वाक्य खंड / वाक्यांश जिसमें कर्ता और क्रिया होती है)

Clause: A clause is a group of words that has a subject (कर्ता) and a verb (क्रिया).

👉 It can be a full sentence or a part of a bigger sentence.

Example:

1. She sings. 

(Clause 1 → She sings (subject = She, verb = sings)

2. I know that she sings.
Clause 1 → I know (subject = I, verb = know)
Clause 2 → she sings (subject = she, verb = sings)

3. Ravi plays and Sita sings.
Clause 1 → Ravi plays (subject = Ravi, verb = plays)
Clause 2 → Sita sings (subject = Sita, verb = sings)

Write the sentences that do not contain any clause.

📌 Remember:
A clause must have a subject (कर्ता) and a verb (क्रिया).
Such sentences are called phrases or minor sentences.

Examples (no clause, only phrase/word):

Good morning.
On the table.
After the match.

No problem.

Thank you.

But in “Thank you”, isn’t thank the verb and you the subject?

In normal grammar, a clause needs a subject + verb (finite).

In Thank you, there is no explicit subject like I.

The full sentence is actually:
👉 I thank you.

In daily use, we drop I and just say Thank you.


So, strictly speaking:
Thank you is a shortened sentence.

It does contain a verb (thank), but the subject is omitted, not written.

Are both subject and verb required to form a clause, or is one of them enough?

A clause must have both:
A subject (कर्ता)
A finite verb (क्रिया – shows tense/person/number)
👉 If either subject or finite verb is missing, it is not a clause.
(It may be a phrase (शब्द समूह), fragment (अधूरा वाक्य / वाक्य खंड), or elliptical (अपूर्ण वाक्य / संक्षिप्त वाक्य) expression.)

Examples
She runs. (Subject = She, Verb = runs)
When it rains, we stay home. (Clause 1 = it rains; Clause 2 = we stay home)

Only subject, no verb = Not a clause
The tall boy
My best friend

Only verb, no subject = Not a clause
Running fast
To eat food

Everyday short forms (elliptical clauses) 

अपूर्ण वाक्य / संक्षिप्त वाक्य - ऐसा वाक्य जिसमें कुछ शब्द छूट जाते हैं, पर अर्थ स्पष्ट रहता है।
Thank you. → Full: I thank you. (Subject omitted, but verb present)
See you soon. → Full: I will see you soon.

What happens if there are two or more verbs or subjects in a sentence?

1. If there are two or more subjects with one verb
👉 Still one clause (because one subject–verb group).

Ravi and Sita play cricket.
(Subjects = Ravi + Sita, Verb = play → one clause)

2. If there are two or more verbs with one subject
👉 Still one clause (because subject is the same).

Ravi sings and dances.
(Subject = Ravi, Verbs = sings + dances → one clause)

3. If there are two or more subject–verb pairs
👉 Then we have two or more clauses.

Ravi sings and Sita dances.
(Clause 1 = Ravi sings, Clause 2 = Sita dances)

I was reading when my friend called me.
(Clause 1 = I was reading, Clause 2 = my friend called me)

✅ Shortcut Rule:
Count the subject–verb pairs.
Each pair = one clause.