To add a little to Craig's response--

These kinds of clauses are really common and there are lots of ESL grammar books that describe them as "result clauses"--for fairly obvious reasons. 
Scott's example shows one as part of an adjective phrase, but they also occur in noun phrases, with "such"

It was such a cold day that we stayed huddled around the space heater.

and, more rarely, as part of  Adverb Phrases

The car accelerated so quickly that the driver lost control.

In all three cases, the complement clause has a fairly similar structure:  finite, optional complementizer, expressed subject.

Kathleen Ward

On Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 9:30 AM, Scott Woods <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Craig,
 
Thanks.  That helped. 
 
Scott

From: Craig Hancock <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Fri, February 25, 2011 9:52:10 AM
Subject: Re: grammar question--clause analysis

Scott,
    The pattern is a very common one, and you are right that it differs from other adjective complements without the "so." Here's the more normal pattern:
   I am happy that you graduated on time.
   I am pleased that you made it here safely.
Both of these show the reasons or causes of the state described by the adjective.
The so x that y construction, though, gives us results or extent. I think it helps to remember that adjectives are generally scalar: there are degrees of hunger, cold, happiness, ardentness, and so on, and these can in part be measured by their effects.
I'm so hungry that I could eat a horse.
It was so cold that the pipes in our kitchen froze for the first time.
In your example, I think "avoiding the campgrounds of the masses" is both a result of their degree of ardentness and a measure of its extent.
    These lower level constructions often take on a unique grammar of their own. The clause looks like a  noun clause in structure, but it's a complement, not just of the adjective, but of the so x [that] construction. The "that" is just a complementizer, so it can be dropped.
    Hope that helps.

Craig

On 2/25/2011 11:10 AM, Scott Woods wrote:
Dear List,
 
How would you explain the clause bracketed clause in the following sentence?
 
    Some in this group are so ardent [that they avoid the campgrounds of the masses.]
   
Does the clause start at so? Or does it modify ardent?
 
It seems like a very common type, but it doesn't seem to fit the normal pattern of a noun clause, an adjective clause, or an adverb clause. 
 
Thanks,
 
Scott Woods

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