What is a clause?

D. Cifu

What is a clause?

• A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.

• A clause MUST have a subject and a verb. Without a subject and a verb, you

merely have a phrase.

Example & Non Example

• Example: The dog slept.

• This is a clause because is has a subject and a verb.

• Not an example: In the house.

• This is a prepositional phrase, so it is not a clause.

Example

• If we put these examples together: In the house, the dog slept.

• Though there are two parts to this sentence, there is only one clause. The

part of the sentence before the comma is an introductory prepositional

phrase. Since there is not subject or verb in the prepositional phrase, that

part of the sentence is not a clause. However, the second part of the

sentence contains a subject and a verb and is, therefore, a clause.

Independent Clauses

• What is an independent clause?

• An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

• Example: The dog slept.

• This clause makes a complete sentence, so it is independent.

• Not an example: When Matt called me.

• This is an example of a clause, because it contains a subject and a verb. However, this clause does not make an entire sentence by itself—it is a dependent clause.

Dependent Clauses

• What is a dependent clause?

• A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

• An example...again: When Matt called me.

• This is an example of a dependent clause. It’s needy, and it needs and independent friend.

• Here’s a nice, well-rounded sentence: I was surprised when Matt called me.

• This sentence has an independent and a dependent clause.

Dependent Clauses and Their Needs

• As I said, dependent clauses are needy. They need an independent clause to

make a sentence, but they also need a subordinating conjunction. Here’s a

list of subordinating conjunctions:

Subordinating Conjunctions

after

although

as

because

before

even if

even though

if

in order that

once

provided that

rather than

since

so that

than

that

though

unless

until

when

whenever

where

whereas

wherever

whether

while

why

Practice Time!

1. I did not eat lunch since I had a late breakfast.

2. I cannot drive because I am too tired.

3. Because I left my homework at home, I received a failing grade.

4. If I don’t go to bed now, I will be tired tomorrow.

5. Now, write a sentence of your own with an independent clause, a dependent clause, and a subordinating conjunction. Identify each component by underlining the dependent clause twice, the independent clause once, and circling or labeling the subordinating conjunction.