Definition:

a group of words that contains a subject and a verb

Clause…not Santa

A. Independent (IC)

and

B. Dependent (Subordinate) (DC)

II. There are two kinds of clauses:

A clause that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone.

AKA

A SENTENCE

A. Independent

*he memorized a poem last night

*Mary will read her poem

*many people enjoy poetry

Examples of Independent Clauses:

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.

It does not express a complete thought

and

It cannot stand by itself as a sentence

Dependent (or subordinate ) clause (DC)

*because he memorized a poem

*when Mary reads her poem at school

*since many people enjoy poetry

Examples of Dependent (Subordinate Clauses)

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!.

...because he memorized a poem…

He memorized a poem.

What makes one clause independent and another

dependent?

…when Mary read her poem at school...

Mary read her poem at school.

• 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?

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.

A dependent/subordinate clause (DC) needs an independent clause (IC) to

create a true sentence.

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

Mike will receive extra credit because he memorized a poem.

We will applaud when Mary reads her poem at school.

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

When the rain stops, the game will begin.

Punctuation: When the dependent clause (DC) comes first, it is usually followed by a comma.

The game will begin when the rain stops.

Punctuation: When the dependent clause (DC)

comes last, there is generally no comma.

Relative Pronouns: ( Relative adverbs are: when / where )

that which who whom whose

Subordinating Conjunctions:after as though since when

although because so thatwhenever

as before than where

as if how thoughwherever

as long as if unless whether

as soon as in order that until while

Words that introduce Noun Clauses:

how that what whatever when whetherwhich who whoever whom whomever why