Independent and dependent clauses

Independent and dependent clauses

The Clause: • Clauses ALWAYS have subjects and verbs • Clauses are categorized into 2 groups: • Independent (AKA main) • Dependent (AKA subordinate) • The independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence or thought (not a fragment) • The dependent clause CANNOT stand alone; it has a subject and verb, but is a fragment and DEPENDS on a main clause to make sense

An analogy to help: • Think of the Main Clause as a manager. • Think of the Subordinate Clauses as workers. • The Subordinates cannot do the work without the Manager’s approval (otherwise, chaos ensues). • Thus, any subordinate clause always needs a main clause to manage them.

Or if that didn’t make sense to you, try this one: • The independent clause can be thought of as a parent. • Whereas the dependent (subordinate) clauses can be thought of as the children. • Hence, the children depend on the parents’ approval to do anything.

A related group of words with a subject and predicate is called a clause. • A complex sentence contains an independent and dependent clause.

Independent clause Native Americans lived on the islanduntil they were attacked. Dependent clause Subordinating Conjunction

Here’s a trick! • You can check to see if a clauses is independent or dependent by using this following trick: • At the beginning of the clause in question, add “It is possible that”

It’s possible that • Example: • Grew up in Palm Desert • I am your 10th grade student this year at LQHS. • Also to see what your personality was • For example running, playing, jumping. Are any of these independent clauses?

Write I or D for independent or dependent clause. • 1. if you live on an island______ • 2. the tides affect your life______ • 3. the water level rises_____ • 4. when the tide comes in_____ • 5. much of the beach disappears under water_____ • 6. until the tide goes out_____

In the following sentences, identify the independent and dependent clauses. • Although it was located next to a school, the Radiac Research Corporation was storing large amounts of medical waste. • Cleopatra lived in ancient Egypt, which she ruled. • When a crowd gathered for a public rally, the teens told the people about Radiac. • Billy fell in the sewer on a neighborhood street as he was playing on a Saturday afternoon.

Furthermore, • How do I punctuate two independent clauses that are closely related? • USE A SEMICOLON! Or a period

Independent Clause: • I need new school clothes. I will go to the mall. • Because these sentences (independent clauses) are closely related, they can be joined with a semi-colon: • I need new clothes ; I will go to the mall. Sub verb sub verb verb independent clause independent clause

If you start a sentence with a dependent clause, use a comma before the independent clause. • USE A COMMA! Because I don’t have a car, I can’t go off campus for lunch today. • ***If the dependent clause appears after the independent clause, you don’t need any punctuation! Whoo hoo! I can’t go off campus today for lunch because I don’t have a car.

Tools you need to remember: • It’s possible that… • This phrase should make sense at the beginning of an independent clause. Example: Ms. Lock is a wonderful teacher. The students love grammar It doesn’t work in front of dependent clauses like: Although the students did not like grammar

Also, here are some words that trigger the entrance of a dependent clause: ADVERBIAL CLAUSES BEGIN WITH-

ADJECTIVE CLAUSES BEGIN WITH- • that • which • who • whom • whose

TASK- what’s cooking? • Write one sentence for each following sentence recipe: • Recipe #1: Two independent clauses closely related • Recipe #2: Complex sentence starting with a dependent clause (use your list of trigger words) • Recipe #3: Complex sentence ending with a dependent clause.

Independent and dependent clauses