Complex sentences
At C1 you build long sentences with several subordinate clauses – without losing control of the word order.
We teach Bokmål, the written standard most people in Norway use.
In short: Every clause – main or subordinate – has its own word order. Keep track, and split the sentence when it gets too long.
Rules
- Main clause: The verb is in second place: I fjor flyttet vi til Bergen.
- Subordinate clause: Adverbs like ikke come before the verb: … fordi vi ikke fant jobb i Oslo.
- Subordinate clause first: The main-clause verb then comes right after the comma: Fordi vi ikke fant jobb, flyttet vi.
- Embedded clause: It sits inside the main clause and gets a comma after it: Mannen som bor i tredje etasje, har kjøpt hytte.
- Several levels: The rule applies at every level: Jeg tror at han sa at han ikke kunne komme.
- Comma rule: Comma after a subordinate clause that comes first or is embedded – never before at (that): Jeg vet at du har rett.
- Avoid run-ons: Don't join two main clauses with just a comma: Det regnet. Vi ble hjemme. / Det regnet, så vi ble hjemme.
- Infinitive phrase: It can replace a clause: Hun lovet at hun skulle ringe → Hun lovet å ringe.
- For å / uten å: in order to / without -ing: For å spare tid tok vi fly. Han gikk uten å si noe.
- Past participle: Compresses a relative clause: en rapport som er skrevet av to forskere → en rapport skrevet av to forskere.
- Present participle: Describes something ongoing: en økende andel (a growing share), Hun kom løpende (she came running).
- In moderation: Compression is elegant, but too many nouns make a text heavy. Read the sentence aloud.
Typical mistake: Putting ikke after the verb in a subordinate clause, as in the main clause: *fordi vi fant ikke jobb. Correct: fordi vi ikke fant jobb.
Examples
- Jeg tror at han sa at han ikke kunne komme.I think he said that he couldn't come.
- Fordi vi ikke fant jobb i Oslo, flyttet vi til Bergen.Because we couldn't find work in Oslo, we moved to Bergen.
- Mannen som bor i tredje etasje, har kjøpt hytte.The man who lives on the third floor has bought a cabin.
- Hun lovet å ringe så snart hun kom hjem.She promised to call as soon as she got home.
- For å spare tid tok vi fly i stedet for tog.To save time, we flew instead of taking the train.
- Han gikk uten å si et eneste ord.He left without saying a single word.
- Vi leste en rapport skrevet av to forskere ved Universitetet i Oslo.We read a report written by two researchers at the University of Oslo.
- Selv om det var sent, og selv om alle var slitne, fortsatte møtet.Even though it was late, and even though everyone was tired, the meeting went on.