Independent vs. Dependent Clauses

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

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.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

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.

Front

Identify the key feature of an independent clause.

Back

An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Front

Identify the key feature of a dependent clause.

Back

A dependent clause cannot stand alone and relies on an independent clause to form a complete sentence.

Front

Example of an independent clause.

Back

She enjoys reading books.

Front

Example of a dependent clause.

Back

Although she was tired.

Front

What punctuation is often used before a dependent clause when it starts a sentence?

Back

A comma is often used before a dependent clause when it starts a sentence.

Front

What is the role of conjunctions in dependent clauses?

Back

Conjunctions like 'because', 'although', and 'if' are used to introduce dependent clauses.

Front

Can a sentence have more than one independent clause?

Back

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

Front

What is a complex sentence?

Back

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.