This document defines and provides examples of clauses, specifically independent clauses and dependent clauses: - An independent clause can stand alone as a complete thought, while a dependent clause cannot due to needing an independent clause to complete its meaning. - Dependent clauses are introduced by subordinate words like "because", "when", or relative pronouns. They require a comma when placed first in a sentence but not when placed last. - Together, an independent and dependent clause can form a complete sentence with proper punctuation.

1. Definition:
a group of words that contains a subject
and a verb
Clause
…not Santa

2. A. Independent (IC)
and
B. Dependent (Subordinate) (DC)
II. There are two kinds of clauses:

3. A clause that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone.
AKA
A SENTENCE
A. Independent

4. *he memorized a poem last night
*Mary will read her poem
*many people enjoy poetry
Examples of Independent Clauses:

5. When an independent clause (IC) starts with
a capital letter and ends with a period or
question mark, it is a SENTENCE.
*He memorized a poem.
*Mary will read her poem at school.
*Many people enjoy poetry.

6. It does not express a complete thought
and
It cannot stand by itself as a sentence
Dependent (or subordinate ) clause
(DC)

7. *because he memorized a poem
*when Mary reads her poem at school
*since many people enjoy poetry
Examples of Dependent
(Subordinate Clauses)

8. A dependent/subordinate clause (DC) will be a
FRAGMENT when the clause begins with a capital letter
and ends with a period or question mark.
This is a grammatical ERROR!.

9. ...because he memorized a poem…
He memorized a poem.
What makes one clause independent
and another dependent?

10. …when Mary read her poem at school...
Mary read her poem at school.

11. • A clause is dependent/subordinate (DC) when it
begins with a subordinate word.
…a few examples…
Who When While Which That Since Because
Unless
etc. etc. etc.
• Sometimes the subordinate word is understood to be present.
What makes a clause
dependent/subordinate?

12. Examples:
April, which is my favorite month, is going to be cold this year.
Subject of DC is “which.” Verb of DC is “is.”
The flower that grew in my yard was a rose.
Subject of DC is “that.” Verb of DC is “grew.”
Sometimes the subject of the
dependent/subordinate clause (DC) is a
pronoun.

13. A dependent/subordinate clause (DC) needs
an independent clause (IC) to create a true
sentence.

14. Because he memorized a poem, Mike will
receive extra credit.
Mike will receive extra credit because he
memorized a poem.

15. We will applaud when Mary reads her poem at
school.
When Mary reads her poem at school, we will
applaud.

16. When the rain stops, the game will begin.
Punctuation:
When the dependent clause (DC) comes
first,
it is usually followed by a comma.

17. The game will begin when the rain stops.
Punctuation:
When the dependent clause (DC) comes
last, there is generally no comma.

18. Relative Pronouns: ( Relative adverbs are:
when / where )
that which who whom whose
Subordinating Conjunctions:
after as though since when
although because so that whenever
as before than where
as if how though wherever
as long as if unless whether
as soon as in order that until while
Words that introduce Noun Clauses:
how that what whatever when whether
which who whoever whom whomever why