Clauses Phrases

Phrases & Clauses
Phrases and clauses are both used to build sentences.

A phrase is a group of words acting as a unit that does not include a subject and a predicate. A
clause is a group of words acting as a unit that does have both a subject and a predicate. A phrase
can never stand by itself as a complete sentence while a clause might be able to.
A clause is mainly a group of words containing a subject and a finite verb. A sentence can be
fully called a clause only when it has a single subject and a single verb. It might not include the
subject sometimes, but the verb must be clear and distinguished.
Examples:
I completed my graduation last year.
When he came here, he ate apples.
When I came here, he was playing and then he went back home.
phrase → clause → sentence
The big clock → The big clock chimed → The big clock chimed when the hand struck midnight.
How do you turn phrases into clauses?
To turn phrases into clauses, you need to add a subject and a verb to the phrase to give its
meaning.
Phrase- 'a group of deer
Clause - 'A group of deer live in the forest.
Independent/Main Clause
An independent clause is a complete sentence on its own and does not require anything else to
make it a full-fledged sentence. The basic form of the Main/independent clause is:
Subject + Verb = Complete Sentence
Examples:
These boys are sleeping. (The subject is ‘boys’ whereas the verb is ‘sleeping’.)
My sister loves cold drinks. (The subject is ‘sister’ and the verb is ‘loves’.)
I read the book. (The ‘I’ represents the subject whereas the verb is ‘read’.)
Dependent/Subordinate Clause
A dependent/subordinate clause is the exact opposite of an independent clause. It is actually not a
complete sentence and thus generally does not make any sense. But when put together with an
independent one, it helps it to form a complete sentence.
The task of joining a dependent clause to an independent clause or any other of its type is done
by a subordinator which makes the sentence complete. A subordinator might be conjunction,
relative pronoun, or noun clause marker.
Subordinator + Subject + Verb = Incomplete Sentence
Examples:
Whenever the boys sleep. (‘whenever’ is the subordinator, ‘boys’ correspond to the subject and
‘sleep’ is the verb.)
Because my sister loves cold drinks. (‘because’ is the subordinating conjunction, ‘sister’
represents the subject, and ‘loves’ is the verb)
If you don’t go (‘if’ is the subordinator, ‘you’ represents the subject, and ‘go’ is the verb)
Thus, through the above examples, you can see how it is quite difficult for a dependent type
alone to make any sense. It has to be joined to an independent one by punctuation to make
complete sense. Hence, the form of a complete sentence stands to be:
Subordinate Clause + Punctuation + Main Clause = Complete Sentence
OR
Main Clause + Subordinate Clause = Complete Sentence
Examples:
Whenever the boys sleep, their teacher scolds them.
I bought two bottles of cola because my sister loves cold drinks.
If you don’t go, I will get angry.
Relative Clause
A relative clause will always begin with either a relative pronoun such as ‘who’, ‘whom’,
‘whose’, ‘which’, ‘that’ or a relative adverb such as ‘when’, ‘why’ or ‘where’. You must also
remember that a relative alone does not make any sense or a complete sentence, it also has to be
attached to a main clause just like a dependent one.
Relative Pronoun or Adverb + Subject + Verb = Incomplete Sentence
OR
Relative Pronoun or Adverb as subject + Verb = Incomplete Sentence
Examples:
The talkative boys whom the teacher punished soon learned to behave properly in the class.
I know about the place where he went joyfully.
Noun Clause
(answers the question – ‘what’)
When a sentence starts functioning as a noun, it is known as a noun clause. Noun clauses are not
modifiers; they are placeholders.
Example
She completely understood everything he said.
They remembered what the keynote speaker covered.
I don’t know how the company handles onboarding.
She was saddened by what she had read.
I do not know what he does.
Adverbial Clause
(answers the questions ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘how’, ‘why’)
An adverbial clause is a group of words that plays the role of an adverb.
Adverbial clauses make sentences richer by providing additional context and description that
standard adverbs cannot. See how adverbial clauses and adverbs compare in these examples:
Examples:
He bakes cakes weekly. (adverb)
He bakes cakes before he leaves for work every Sunday. (adverb clauses)
Eagerly, my brother agreed to the business proposal. (adverb)
As dollar signs flashed in his eyes, my brother agreed to the business proposal. (adverb clause)
Andrei eats his lunch with gusto. (adverb phrase)
Andrei eats his lunch faster than everyone else eats. (adverb clauses)
Adjective Clause
An adjective clause, or relative clause, is a type of dependent clause that works to describe a
noun in a sentence. It functions as an adjective even though it is made up of a group of words
instead of just one word. In the case of an adjective clause, all the words work together to modify
the noun or pronoun.
Examples:
The flowers that we picked up last week have died.
My friend, who has glasses, wasn't at school today.
The boy, who claimed to have a broken arm, caught the ball.
Bobby's cat that ate the mouse had a stomachache.
The robber who broke into my house is in court today.
1. Maria bought some flowers which she wanted to give her mother. (which she wanted to give
her mother – adjective clause)
2. I don’t know the reason why she hates me. (why she hates me – noun clause)
3. He drove fast so that he might reach the airport in time. (so that he might reach the airport in
time – adverb clause)
4. The professor was speaking so softly that we could not hear him at all. (that we could not hear
him at all – adverb clause)
5. The gardener said that all the plants had been pruned neatly. (that all the plants had been
pruned neatly – noun clause)
6. The angler said that he hadn’t caught any fish that morning. (that he hadn’t caught any fish
that morning – noun clause)
7. I wondered if she was free. (if she was free – noun clause)
8. Though he didn’t receive formal schooling, he is clever and industrious. (Though he didn’t
receive formal schooling – adverb clause)
9. The boys who misbehaved in the class were suspended. (who misbehaved in the class –
adjective clause)
10. He who laughs last laughs best. (who laughs last – adjective clause)
A. Identify the following sentences as either dependent (DC) or independent (IC).

1. I went to the park
2. Sandra and Lara have been good friends since first grade.
3. Although Shaina likes Mexican, Iraqi, Somali, and Italian food
4. After swimming in the ocean
5. Animal communication is not considered to be a legitimate language by some scientists.
6. When Jim and Ayman eat lunch together in the breakroom.
7. Naomi’s mother was out of town, so she took care of everyone at home.
8. I could not study as the lights went out.
9. Since she was absent for over a month, she found it hard to catch up with all that was
going on at the office.
10. If you are not able to do it yourself, please feel free to take help from anyone here.
11. Have some pancakes in case you are hungry.
12. She is taller than my brother.
13. I am going to the reception even if you are not coming.
14. Rahman likes songs that are melodious.
15. Although I did not get much sleep last night, I don’t feel tired at all.
B. Join the clauses.
1. When I went to the zoo + I looked at the animals.
2. He came to class + He forgot his homework.
3. We studied all night + Therefore, we did well on the test.
4. She might have been sick + Maybe her car broke down.
5. They went out to eat + Because they were hungry.
A. Independent and Dependent Clauses Answer Key
Identification:
1. IC
2. IC
3. DC
4. DC
5. IC
6. DC
Joining Clauses:
1. When I went to the zoo, I looked at the animals.
2. He came to class, but he forgot his homework.
3. We studied all night; therefore, we did well on the test.
4. She might have been sick, or maybe her car broke down.
5. They went out to eat because they were hungry
C. Identify the type of clause
You may sit wherever you like.
As she was not there, I spoke to her sister.
Will you wait till I return?
I fear that I shall fail.
I do not know what he wants.
I think you have made a mistake.
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow.
Here is the copy you want.
She never does anything that is stupid.
The house that I live in belongs to my grandfather.
Answers –
You may sit wherever you like. – Adverb Clause
As she was not there, I spoke to her sister. – Adverb Clause
Will you wait till I return? – Adverb Clause
I fear that I shall fail. – Noun Clause
I do not know what he wants. – Noun Clause
I think you have made a mistake. – Noun Clause
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow. – Adjective Clause
Here is the copy you want. – Adjective Clause
She never does anything unless her parents allow it. – Adjective Clause
The house that I live in belongs to my grandfather. – Adjective Clause

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Clauses Phrases

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Phrases & Clauses

Phrases and clauses are both used to build sentences.

A. Identify the following sentences as either dependent (DC) or independent (IC).

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