Independent and Dependent Clauses

Independent and Dependent Clauses

Independent Clauses

​What are independent clauses?

Independent clauses can stand alone. They express complete thoughts and have a subject and a verb. You must insert a comma and conjunction between two independent clauses when you join them together to form a new sentence.​

Dependent Clauses

​What are dependent clauses?

Dependent clauses cannot stand alone. They have a subject and a verb, but don't express a complete thought. Words like "while" and "because" make groups of words dependent. It does not make sense to write only "While ​she ran." Dependent clauses depend on the rest of a sentence to express a complete thought.

Examples

While Mom brushes her teeth.

​

While Mom brushes her teeth, we play games.​

​Dependent

Victor goes to the movies.

​

He laughs, but his dad is silent.​

​Independent

Dependent or Independent?

​

Determine whether the groups of words in the following questions are dependent or independent.​

Multiple Choice

Because Robert met the singer.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

He was so excited.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

You see it.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

Until Larry's birthday comes.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

Tammy's yard sale is tomorrow.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

As Zelda closed her eyes.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

Power that came while.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

Whenever my dog barks.

• dependent

• independent

Multiple Choice

My dog barks.

• dependent

• independent

Combining Clauses

​

Combine the two independent clauses to make a single sentence.​