Clauses

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What is a clause?

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A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It can express a complete thought (independent clause) or an incomplete thought (dependent clause).

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What is an independent clause?

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

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What is a dependent clause?

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

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How can you identify an independent clause?

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An independent clause can be identified by its ability to stand alone as a complete sentence and typically begins with a subject.

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How can you identify a dependent clause?

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A dependent clause often begins with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., because, although, when) and cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

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What is a subordinating conjunction?

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A subordinating conjunction is a word that connects a dependent clause to an independent clause, indicating a relationship between the two.

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Give an example of an independent clause.

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"She enjoys reading books." This is an independent clause because it expresses a complete thought.

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Give an example of a dependent clause.

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"Although she enjoys reading books" is a dependent clause because it does not express a complete thought.

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What is the function of an independent clause in a sentence?

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The function of an independent clause is to provide the main idea or action of the sentence.

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What is the function of a dependent clause in a sentence?

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The function of a dependent clause is to provide additional information or context to the independent clause.