Clauses Independent and Dependent by knr

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Clauses (especially Independent Clauses and Dependent Clauses) 

What is a Clause?

• A clause is a group of words that contains:
• A subject (who/what the sentence is about)
• A predicate (verb + rest of the sentence)

Example:

• She sings.
•  (Subject = She, Predicate = sings)

So, every clause has a doer and an action.

1. Independent Clause

• An Independent Clause is a complete sentence. It expresses a full thought and can stand on its own.
• Structure: Subject + Predicate + Complete Meaning

Examples:

• I like ice cream.
• He is reading a book.
• The sun sets in the west.

Key Point: An independent clause = simple sentence.

• It can also be joined with another independent clause using a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, for, yet, nor).

Example:

• I was tired, but I finished my homework.
• (Here, I was tired and I finished my homework are two independent clauses.)

2. Dependent Clause (Subordinate Clause)

• A Dependent Clause has a subject + predicate, but it cannot stand alone because it doesn’t express a complete thought. It depends on an independent clause to make sense.
• Structure: Subordinator + Subject + Predicate

(Subordinators = because, although, when, if, since, that, which, who, etc.)

Examples:

• Because I was tired (incomplete – the reader asks what happened because you were tired?)
• When the rain stopped (incomplete – the reader asks what happened then?)
• To make sense, a dependent clause must attach to an independent clause: 
• I stayed home because I was tired.
• We went outside when the rain stopped.

Types of Dependent Clauses

Dependent clauses are of three main kinds:

Adverbial Clause (acts like an adverb – tells time, reason, condition, purpose)

• I won’t go out because it is raining.
• She sings better when she is happy.

Adjective Clause (acts like an adjective – describes a noun, begins with who, which, that)

• The boy who is wearing a blue shirt is my brother.
• I like the book that you gave me.

Noun Clause (acts like a noun – subject or object of the sentence, begins with that, what, how, why)

• I know that she is honest.
• What you said made me happy.

Quick Comparison Table

Final Example to Combine Both:

• Independent Clause: 
• I went to bed early.

• Dependent Clause: 

• because I was tired.
• Full Sentence: I went to bed early because I was tired.