Independent and Dependent Clauses

Independent and
dependent clauses
Learning Objective
 Today I will distinguish between
independent and dependent clauses
 I will be able to write an analogy for
independent and dependent clauses.
 I will be able to write and punctuate
complex sentences correctly.
Why are we going over this?
 Too many of you have included sentence
fragments in your writing. In other words,
you are not using complete sentences!
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.
 Can you think of another analogy that
would work for independent and dependent
clauses?
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 island

until they were attacked.
Dependent clause
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:
Sub verb sub verb verb
 I need new clothes ; I will go to the mall.

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.
 Whenever you begin a sentence with a
subordinating conjunction, use a comma.
sub verb sub verb
 My cell phone rang in class. I answered it.
independent clause independent clause
 Because my cell phone rang in class , I answered it.

dependent clause independent clause
 Last week’s sentence structure works here as well: My cell phone

rang in class; I answered it.
 Either way, rather than write two boring sentences punctuated with a
period, you can now choose two different ways to write this
sentence more effectively by using a more complex structure.
Tools you need to remember:
 It’s possible that…
Also, here are some words that
trigger the entrance of a
dependent clause:
 Because If
 When Though Since
 Unless Although
 Whenever After
As
 While
As if
 As long as Before
 As soon as So that
 In order that Until
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.
 Finally, write an analogy for independent and
dependent clauses. Be sure to draw a picture to
go with it!

Independent and Dependent Clauses

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Independent and Dependent Clauses

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Independent and Dependent Clauses

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Independent and

Native Americans lived on the island

 You can check to see if a clauses is

Are any of these independent clauses?

 USE A SEMICOLON! Or a period

 I need new clothes ; I will go to the mall.

 Because my cell phone rang in class , I answered it.

 Last week’s sentence structure works here as well: My cell phone

You might also like