Read the sentence given below and choose the correct statements about its clauses:
When the bus stopped at Jhansi, we bought tea from a vendor who had a small brass kettle.
(A) “When the bus stopped at Jhansi” is an adverb clause of time.
(B) “who had a small brass kettle” is an adjective clause that describes “tea”.
(C) “we bought tea from a vendor” is the principal clause.
(D) The sentence has two subordinate clauses.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (C) and (D) only
(A) “When the bus stopped at Jhansi” is an adverb clause of time. — Correct.
- This clause tells when we bought tea. A clause that tells when is an adverb clause of time.
(B) “who had a small brass kettle” is an adjective clause that describes “tea”. — Incorrect.
- It is an adjective clause, but it describes “a vendor”, the noun just before it. “Who” stands for a person, not for a thing like tea.
(C) “we bought tea from a vendor” is the principal clause. — Correct.
- This clause makes sense on its own. The other two clauses depend on it, so it is the principal (main) clause.
(D) The sentence has two subordinate clauses. — Correct.
- The two subordinate clauses are “When the bus stopped at Jhansi” and “who had a small brass kettle”. Neither makes sense on its own.