Inner Sentence / Embedded Thought
Which thought is placed inside another?
Betekenis
A clause or proposition used inside another sentence as an object, reason, description, condition, or reported thought.
Zo herken je het
Find the smaller sentence that is packaged inside the larger one.
Voorbeelden
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...]
Taaloverzicht
In je moedertaal
Embedded clauses use dat/of/relative words and typically place verbs at the end.
Ik weet dat hij komt.
I know that he comes.
In de taal die je leert
English embeds thoughts, reports, questions, and relative information inside larger sentences.
I know that she is right.
that she is right = embedded thought
Learners may use wrong word order in embedded questions or over/underuse that.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.