Independent and Dependent Clauses

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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.

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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.

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Example of an Independent Clause.

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"I love eating ice cream." This is an independent clause because it expresses a complete thought.

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Example of a Dependent Clause.

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"Once we get to school" is a dependent clause because it does not express a complete thought.

Front

What is the function of a Dependent Clause in a sentence?

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A dependent clause adds additional information to the independent clause but cannot stand alone.

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Identify the type of clause: "Before I go to bed".

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Dependent Clause.

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Identify the type of clause: "I will go to the store."

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Independent Clause.

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What punctuation is often used before a dependent clause when it follows an independent clause?

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A comma is often used before a dependent clause when it follows an independent clause.

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Can a sentence have more than one independent clause?

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Yes, a sentence can have multiple independent clauses, often joined by coordinating conjunctions.

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What is a coordinating conjunction?

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A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects two independent clauses. Examples include 'and', 'but', and 'or'.