Clauses
A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a predicate, forming a fundamental component of sentence structure. There are two main types of clauses: independent and dependent. Independent clauses express complete thoughts and can stand alone as sentences, while dependent clauses, or subordinate clauses, do not express complete thoughts and rely on independent clauses to convey a full idea. Independent clauses can be connected through coordinating conjunctions, such as "and" or "but," or by using a semicolon.
Dependent clauses can serve various functions in sentences, including acting as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. For example, a relative clause modifies a noun, while a noun clause can function as a subject or object. It is also essential to distinguish clauses from phrases; phrases lack a subject-verb relationship and do not form complete thoughts. Understanding the different types of clauses and their functions enhances one's writing and grammatical accuracy, making it a crucial aspect of effective communication.
Clauses
A clause is a group of related words that contains a subject and a predicate. Some clauses express complete thoughts. These are called independent, or main, clauses. Dependent, or subordinate, clauses are sentence fragments. They do not express complete thoughts. Dependent clauses are usually attached to independent clauses to form complete or extended thoughts. Correct usage of independent and dependent clauses is part of writing with proper grammar.
Independent Clauses
Clauses are the building blocks of sentences. Complete sentences, which contain a subject and a verb and express a complete thought, are independent clauses. They make sense on their own and can be used to build longer, more complex sentences. Two or more independent clauses can be connected by adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction between the clauses. Coordinating conjunctions are used to join clauses together. Examples of coordinating conjunctions include and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet. In the sentence "Molly danced around the stage, and Brady played the tambourine," the coordinating conjunction and joins together the independent clauses Molly danced around the stage and Brady played the tambourine. A semicolon can also be used to join two independent clauses—"Molly danced around the stage; Brady played the tambourine."
Dependent Clauses
Incomplete thoughts, or fragments, are dependent, or subordinate, clauses. They cannot stand on their own to form a sentence. Dependent clauses are often preceded by subordinate conjunctions. Examples of subordinate conjunctions include after, because, if, since, though, and when. An example of a dependent clause is when she visits the doctor. Even though there is a subject and a verb in this clause, the subordinate conjunction when prevents the clause from forming a complete sentence. This makes the clause dependent on another clause to create a complete thought. A dependent clause can be joined with an independent clause to form a complete sentence. The example above can be made into a complete sentence by adding the independent clause she will receive a flu shot. Now, the complete sentence reads, "When she visits the doctor, she will receive a flu shot." Unlike independent clauses, two dependent clauses cannot form a complete sentence.
Types of Dependent Clauses
There are several types of dependent clauses. A relative, or adjective, clause begins with or contains a relative pronoun (that, who, whom, whose, which). Relative clauses modify the subject of a main clause. For example, in the sentence "The table that Jessica built is beautiful," the clause that Jessica built modifies table (the subject). There are two types of relative clauses: restrictive and nonrestrictive. Restrictive relative clauses cannot be omitted from a sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence. Nonrestrictive clauses can be removed from a sentence without affecting its meaning. For instance, the sentence "I like the portrait that Monet painted" contains the restrictive relative clause that Monet painted. The relative clause is restrictive because the reader would not know which portrait the speaker likes without this information. In the sentence "I am eating strawberry ice cream, which is my favorite," the relative clause after the comma is nonrestrictive because it simply adds extra information that does not affect the meaning of the sentence.
Dependent clauses can also function as nouns in a sentence. A noun clause can be used as a subject or a direct object, among other uses. For example, in the sentence "What I would like to do is go to the movies," the subject attached to the verb is what I would like to do. Therefore, this noun clause is used as a subject. In the sentence "I need to decide which pie to make," the noun clause which pie to make is used as a direct object.
When a sentence begins with a subordinate conjunction that acts as an adverb, it is called an adverbial clause. Adverbial clauses usually precede an independent clause that leaves the reader asking a question. For example, in the sentence "When she saw the puppy in the window, Barbara ran into the pet shop" the adverbial clause before the comma answers the question "Why did Barbara run into the pet shop?"
Clauses vs. Phrases
It is important to note the difference between clauses and phrases. Phrases differ from clauses because they do not have a subject doing a verb. Instead, phrases are collections of words containing nouns and some verbals (leaving, crashing), but no actual subjects performing actions. An example of a phrase is crashing into a fence. The phrase contains a noun (fence) and a verbal (crashing), but there is no subject attached to a verb. Clauses are collections of words that have subjects performing actions. Some examples of clauses include Farmers plant winter squash in the fall (independent) and when he goes to the movies (dependent). These examples are clauses because they have a subject attached to a verb. The farmers (subject) plant (verb), and he (subject) goes (verb).
Bibliography
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