Independent and Dependent Clauses

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What is an independent clause?

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An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. Example: 'I wore a sweater to school today.'

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What is a dependent clause?

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A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. It must be joined with an independent clause. Example: 'because I got in trouble.'

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What are coordinating conjunctions?

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Coordinating conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses that are similar or equal. The main coordinating conjunctions are: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So (FANBOYS).

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Identify the independent clause in the sentence: 'I went to the principal because I got in trouble.'

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The independent clause is 'I went to the principal.'

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Identify the dependent clause in the sentence: 'Timmy's parents grounded him because they figured out he failed his math test.'

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The dependent clause is 'because they figured out he failed his math test.'

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

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A dependent clause provides additional information but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on an independent clause.

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What is a comma splice?

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A comma splice is a grammatical error that occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction.

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Provide an example of a sentence with both an independent and a dependent clause.

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Example: 'Although it was raining, I went for a walk.' (Independent: 'I went for a walk.' Dependent: 'Although it was raining.')

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What is the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause?

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An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, while a dependent clause cannot stand alone and needs an independent clause.

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What is an example of a sentence that contains a dependent clause?

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Example: 'When the sun sets, the sky turns orange.' (Dependent clause: 'When the sun sets.')