Independent/Dependent Clauses

What is an independent clause?

• Has a subject, a verb, and is a complete thought

• Is missing a subject, a verb, or is not a complete thought

• A word that joins a phrase or clause

• Is a fragment of a sentence.

What is a dependent clause?

• Has a subject, a verb, and is a complete thought

• Is missing a subject, a verb, or is not a complete thought

• A word that joins a phrase or clause

• A sentence that is a fragment.

Which part of the sentence is the dependent clause?

Since we talked, we can now move through the meeting during this time.

• Since we talked, we can now move through the meeting during this time.

• Since we talked, we can now move through the meeting

• Since we talked

• We can now move through the meeting during this time.

Answer explanation

"Since we talked," is not a complete thought even though it has both the subject and a verb.

Which part of the sentence is the independent clause?

Since we talked, we can now move through the meeting during this time.

• Since we talked, we can now move through the meeting during this time.

• Since we talked, we can now move through the meeting

• Since we talked

• We can now move through the meeting during this time.

Answer explanation

"We can now move through the meeting during this time," is a complete thought with a subject and a verb.

Identify the dependent clause in this sentence:

Because my dog loves peanut butter, she never barks when people walk by the house.

• She never barks when people walk by the house.

• Because my dog loves peanut butter

• Because my dog loves peanut butter, she never barks when people walk by the house.

• Because my dog loves peanut butter, she never barks.

Identify the independent clause in this sentence:

Because my dog loves peanut butter, she never barks when people walk by the house.

• She never barks when people walk by the house.

• Because my dog loves peanut butter

• Because my dog loves peanut butter, she never barks when people walk by the house.

• Because my dog loves peanut butter, she never barks.

Is this sentence a complete clause?

Dinosaurs lived a long time ago.

• Yes

• No

Is this sentence a complete clause?

The baby fell asleep on the ride home.

• Yes

• No

Is this sentence a complete clause?

What Uncle Sean adds to his hamburgers.

• No

• Yes

Is this sentence a complete clause?

Because she loves bacon.

• No

• Yes