CLAUSES AND PHRASES

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What is a clause?

Back

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It can express a complete thought (independent clause) or an incomplete thought (dependent clause).

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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.

Front

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?

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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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Example of an independent clause.

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"The sun was setting." This clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

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Example of a dependent clause.

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"Whenever the tide goes out." This clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

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What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?

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A phrase does not have a subject-verb pair and cannot express a complete thought, while a clause does have a subject-verb pair and can express a complete thought (if independent).

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Identify the type of clause: "He couldn’t have been happier."

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This is an independent clause.

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Identify the type of clause: "Although it was raining."

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This is a dependent clause.

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Identify the type of phrase: "on every conceivable subject"

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This is a phrase.