Independent and Dependent clauses

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause does not express a complete thought.

Front

Which one is a dependent clause?

Back

"Why he missed the train." is a dependent clause.

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

Front

Identify the independent clause: "Before I went to school, I had a huge cup of coffee."

Back

"I had a huge cup of coffee." is the independent clause.

Front

Identify the dependent clause: "Before I went to school, I had a big cup of coffee."

Back

"Before I went to school" is the dependent clause.

Front

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

Back

A dependent clause provides additional information but cannot stand alone.

Front

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

Back

An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Front

Example of a sentence with both an independent and a dependent clause.

Back

"Although it was raining, we went for a walk." (Dependent: "Although it was raining"; Independent: "we went for a walk.")

Front

What punctuation is often used to separate independent and dependent clauses?

Back

A comma is often used to separate a dependent clause from an independent clause.

Front

Can a dependent clause start a sentence?

Back

Yes, a dependent clause can start a sentence, but it must be followed by an independent clause.