Inner Sentence / Embedded Thought
Which thought is placed inside another?
Signification
A clause or proposition used inside another sentence as an object, reason, description, condition, or reported thought.
Comment le repérer
Find the smaller sentence that is packaged inside the larger one.
Exemples
that|who|which|to|because
I know that|the man who|the idea to leave
I know that you are busy.
Visual guide
LARGER MESSAGE
I know [that you are busy].
[INNER THOUGHT]
Bracketed thought = clause
inside another sentence.
Same inner thought, different packaging: that + clause: I know [that...] relative: man [who...] to-form: idea [to leave] reason: [because...]
Vue par langue
Dans votre langue maternelle
Embedded clauses use que, relative pronouns, infinitives, and mood choices.
Je sais que tu es occupé.
I know that you are busy.
Dans votre langue d’apprentissage
L’anglais insère souvent des idées, paroles rapportées, questions ou informations descriptives à l’intérieur de phrases plus grandes.
I know that she is right.
that she is right = idée intégrée dans la phrase principale
Les apprenants peuvent utiliser le mauvais ordre des mots dans les questions intégrées, ou employer that trop souvent ou pas assez.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.