Understanding Dependent and Independent Clauses

Introduction

• Importance of understanding clauses in grammar
  • Helps in becoming a better writer
  • Adds strength to sentences

Independent Clauses

• An independent clause is essentially a sentence.
  • Defined as a collection of phrases with a subject and a verb.
  • Example: "I ate the pineapple."
    • "I" = noun phrase (subject)
    • "ate the pineapple" = verb phrase (predicate)

Dependent Clauses

• Unlike independent clauses, dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence.
  • They include a subject and a verb but require more context.
  • Often start with subordinating conjunctions like "because."
  • Example: "Because it was delicious."
    • Common in informal speech but considered a sentence fragment.

Subordinating Conjunctions

• Make clauses dependent.
• Examples include: "because," "although," "while."
• Turning a statement like "It was delicious" into a dependent clause with "because."

Examples of Clauses

Independent Clauses

• "The bear roared."
• "Maureen pointed out the monster."

Dependent Clauses

• "While the salmon flopped."
• "That she saw last night."
• "Unless I am mistaken."

Combining Clauses

• Dependent clauses provide additional information to independent clauses.
  • Example: "The bear roared while the salmon flopped."
  • "While the salmon flopped" gives background but needs "The bear roared" to make sense.

Key Points

• Independent clause: subject + verb = can be a sentence.
• Dependent clause: subject + verb + subordinating conjunction = cannot be a sentence alone.

Conclusion

• Understanding how to distinguish and use dependent and independent clauses enhances writing skills.
• Encourages learning the basics before advancing to complex writing skills.