dependent independent clause

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What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence.

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What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.

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What is a phrase?

Back

A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject-verb pair and does not express a complete thought.

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Example of an independent clause: 'I failed my test.'

Back

This is an independent clause because it has a subject ('I') and a verb ('failed') and expresses a complete thought.

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Example of a dependent clause: 'Although I studied hard.'

Back

This is a dependent clause because it has a subject ('I') and a verb ('studied') but does not express a complete thought.

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Example of a phrase: 'running in the park.'

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This is a phrase because it does not contain a subject-verb pair and does not express a complete thought.

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Can an independent clause stand alone?

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Yes, an independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

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Can a dependent clause stand alone?

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No, a dependent clause cannot stand alone; it needs an independent clause to form a complete sentence.

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What is the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause?

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The main difference is that an independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone, while a dependent clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone.

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Identify the clause: 'When the sun sets.'

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This is a dependent clause because it does not express a complete thought.