Independent and Subordinate Clauses and Verbals

Independent and Subordinate Clauses

Grammar with Ms. Tolcher

Open Ended

What do you think the difference between an independent and subordinate clause are?

Independendent clause

• Expresses a complete thought

• can stand alone and still make sense

Multiple Choice

Choose the independent clause in the following sentence.

My mother drove me to school after she got Starbucks.

• My mother drove me to school

• after she got Starbucks.

• there are none

Multiple Select

Choose the independent clause in the following sentence.

My father bought me McDonald's, and he let me get Dairy Queen.

• My father bought me McDonald's

• he let me get Dairy Queen

• there are none

Subordinate Clause

• aka dependent clause

• it cannot stand alone in a sentence

• usually start with because, if, since, that, until, which or whom.

Even Yoda knows....

Multiple Choice

Identify if the underlined part of the sentence is an independent or subordinate clause.

Although acupuncture is an ancient medical technique, it is still in use today.

• Independent

• Subordinate

Multiple Choice

Identify if the underlined part of the sentence is an independent or subordinate clause.

Since this technique uses no medication, some people may prefer it to prescription medicines.

• Independent

• Subordinate

Multiple Choice

Identify if the underlined part of the sentence is an independent or subordinate clause.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of tiny needles, which are made of metal, into the skin.

• Independent

• Subordinate

Verbals

By Christina Hicks

A verbal is a form of a verb that is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. There are three types of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

Poll

How well do you understand verbals?

• 3 - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

• 2 - OK, but I could use some help

• 1 - Literally no idea what's going on

Verbals

Participles

A participle is a verb form that ends in -ing, -d, or -ed and that acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or a pronoun.

​Examples:

The laughing children played in the park.

The tired baby soon fell asleep.​

​Note: "laughing" and "tired" are usually verbs, but as participles, they are describing nouns: "children" and "baby."

Verbals

Gerunds

A gerund is a verb form, that ends in -ing, and acts as a noun.

​Examples:

Being captain of the debate team is a demanding role. (subject)

He didn't particularly like being captain. (direct object)

He wrote an essay about the challenges of being captain. (object of preposition)​

​

​

Verbals

Infinitive

An infinitive consists of the base form of the verb plus the word to, as in to walk. Infinitives may act as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

Examples:

To have tried was worth the trouble. (subject)

He has a tendency to dream. (adjective).

She is ready to go. (adverb)​

​

Poll

How well do you understand verbals?

• 3 - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

• 2 - OK, but I could use a little help

• 1 - Literally no idea what's going on