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Why It Matters
Embedded clauses add depth and detail to your sentences without needing a separate sentence. They show the examiner you can write complex sentences with control.
Examples
“The old man, who had lived in the village for sixty years, knew every stone in every wall.”
-- Relative clause“The letter — creased, stained, and clearly very old — fell from between the pages.”
-- Descriptive clause with dashes“My sister, always the brave one, volunteered to go first.”
-- Appositive phraseUse commas, dashes, or brackets to mark embedded clauses. Dashes feel more dramatic, commas feel more natural, brackets feel like an aside. Choose the punctuation that matches the tone.
Practice Exercises
Try these exercises to practise using embedded clauses in your own writing. Click "Show Suggestions" to see example answers.
1
Add an embedded clause to: "The house stood at the end of the road."
The house, barely visible behind a curtain of ivy, stood at the end of the road.
The house — tall, narrow, and utterly uninviting — stood at the end of the road.
2
Add an embedded clause to: "My best friend smiled."
My best friend, who always knew exactly what to say, smiled.
My best friend — the only person who truly understood — smiled.