Final clause
Encyclopedia
A final clause in linguistics
is a dependent adverbial clause
expressing purpose. For this reason it is also referred to as a purposive clause or a clause of purpose.
In English
, final clauses are relatively rare. A final clause is a reply to a question containing the question word wherefore or what for (sometimes also why). The prescription for their construction is rather complicated:
A final clause is introduced by the following linking words (conjunctions
):
Depending on the conjunction used, two forms of final clause exist:
Final clauses that refer to the same subject as the main clause of the sentence can be expressed with to, in order to, so as to, for fear of, et cetera. This 'short form' of the final clause is much more common than the final clause itself.
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
is a dependent adverbial clause
Clause
In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. In some languages it may be a pair or group of words that consists of a subject and a predicate, although in other languages in certain clauses the subject may not appear explicitly as a noun phrase,...
expressing purpose. For this reason it is also referred to as a purposive clause or a clause of purpose.
In English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, final clauses are relatively rare. A final clause is a reply to a question containing the question word wherefore or what for (sometimes also why). The prescription for their construction is rather complicated:
A final clause is introduced by the following linking words (conjunctions
Grammatical conjunction
In grammar, a conjunction is a part of speech that connects two words, sentences, phrases or clauses together. A discourse connective is a conjunction joining sentences. This definition may overlap with that of other parts of speech, so what constitutes a "conjunction" must be defined for each...
):
- that (sometimes preceded by in order or so, or, in literary language, to the end)
- lest (equivalent to that not, sometimes with the meaning for fear that, both of these naturally belonging to the that category)
Depending on the conjunction used, two forms of final clause exist:
- if that is used, the final clause takes may in the presentPresent tenseThe present tense is a grammatical tense that locates a situation or event in present time. This linguistic definition refers to a concept that indicates a feature of the meaning of a verb...
and futureFuture tenseIn grammar, a future tense is a verb form that marks the event described by the verb as not having happened yet, but expected to happen in the future , or to happen subsequent to some other event, whether that is past, present, or future .-Expressions of future tense:The concept of the future,...
, and might in the pastPast tenseThe past tense is a grammatical tense that places an action or situation in the past of the current moment , or prior to some specified time that may be in the speaker's past, present, or future...
, sometimes also shall because of the LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
subjunctive- Wherefore do you play the violin? – I play the violin that I may enjoy myself.
- What did you hit me for? – I hit you so that they might not become suspicious of us.
- Why did you go to the city? – I went to the city in order that I might buy some new clothes in the shopping centre.
- I grabbed the rope that I might not fall.
- if lest is used, the final clause takes should or may (the latter being obsolescent, and used only for the present and the future), or the subjunctiveSubjunctive moodIn grammar, the subjunctive mood is a verb mood typically used in subordinate clauses to express various states of irreality such as wish, emotion, possibility, judgment, opinion, necessity, or action that has not yet occurred....
(mostly in American EnglishAmerican EnglishAmerican English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
)- I grabbed the rope lest I should fall.
- I play the violin lest I should (or may) be bored.
- He does what he is told lest he be sacked. (subjunctive)
- He used the subjunctive lest they thought him uncouth. (past subjunctive, which appears the same in UK English as the past)
Final clauses that refer to the same subject as the main clause of the sentence can be expressed with to, in order to, so as to, for fear of, et cetera. This 'short form' of the final clause is much more common than the final clause itself.
- She reads that she may be wise. = She reads to be wise.
- You cried for fear that you might not have impressed the examiners. = You cried for fear of not impressing the examiners.
- I paint in order that I may be happy. = I paint to be happy.