Independent and Dependent Clauses

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Front

Identify the following clause: 'Although it was raining.'

Back

This is a dependent clause.

Front

Identify the following clause: 'She enjoys reading books.'

Back

This is an independent clause.

Front

What is the main difference between independent and dependent clauses?

Back

The main difference is that independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences, while dependent clauses cannot.

Front

Provide an example of an independent clause.

Back

'I went to the store.'

Front

Provide an example of a dependent clause.

Back

'Because I was tired.'

Front

What punctuation is often used to separate independent clauses in a compound sentence?

Back

A comma is often used before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to separate independent clauses.

Front

Can a dependent clause be part of an independent clause?

Back

Yes, a dependent clause can be part of an independent clause, often functioning as an adjective, adverb, or noun.

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is a sentence that contains at least two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon.