Dependent and Independent Clause

After a word and a phrase, a clause comes third in the list of crucial components that make up a sentence. Since words and phrases are used to form a clause, it is important to identify the parts that make a clause and whether it is dependent or independent.


Dependent Clause

- a group of words that contains the following:

  • a subject

  • a verb

- has NO COMPLETE THOUGHTS; needs the independent clause to form a complete sentence.

- usually marked by a dependent marker word such as:

because, even if, though, although, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, while, if, in order to, since, as if, after, before, etc.



Examples:

"Whenever I see her."/ " ... whenever I see her."/  "Whenever I see her, ..."

"Because she is young."/ "... because she is young."/ "Because she is young, ..."



Each sentence above has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought (leaves the reader hanging). Each, therefore, is a dependent clause. Since they need an independent clause to form a full sentence, they may be put in different parts of a sentence as shown above.

Independent Clause

- a group of words that contains the following:

  • a subject

  • a verb

  • a complete thought

An independent clause also makes a Simple Sentence (because a simple sentence contains 1 independent clause: 1 independent clause= 1 simple sentence).

Examples:


         "Rocky ate an apple."


          "Belinda gives Rocky a card."



Each sentence above has a subject, and a verb, and expresses a complete thought (does not leave the reader hanging). Each, therefore, is an independent clause and can be classified as a simple sentence.

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