Independent and Dependent Clauses
Clause
A clause is a group of words containing at least one subject and at least one verb. Two types of clauses, independent (main) and dependent (subordinate) form the backbone of all sentences.
Independent Clauses
Consisting of at least one subject, one predicate, and any accompanying phrases, an independent (main) clause expresses a complete idea and can form a sentence by itself. However, it can also be linked to one or more dependent clauses.
Examples:
Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause also contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought by itself. It needs—or is dependent on—an independent clause. Dependent clauses often begin with subordinating conjunctions such as although, because, if, as, or when. A dependent clause can come before or after the independent clause. When a dependent clause begins a sentence, it is separated from the independent clause with a comma.
Examples:
