Dependent And Independent Clauses

LEARNING TARGET: • • • TSWBAT learn the difference between an independent and dependent clause, use them correctly, and thereby eliminate fragments from her/his writing.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE DEFINED

An independent clause is a clause that can stand on its own—by itself. It does not need to be joined to any other clauses because it contains all the information necessary to be a complete sentence.

Independent clauses have three components:

• They have a subject - they tell the reader what the sentence is about.

• They have an action or predicate - they tell the reader what the subject is doing.

• They express a complete thought - something happened or was said.

An independent clause can be as simple as a subject and a verb:

Jim reads.

“ Jim” is the subject. “Reads” is the action or verb. A complete thought was expressed - something was said, and the reader now knows that Jim likes to read.

Independent clauses can also be joined to other independent clauses, if the independent clauses are related. However, they MUST be joined using the proper punctuation.

Jim read a book; he really enjoyed the book.

The first clause is an independent clause. “Jim” is the subject, “read” is the action, ”book” is the object.

The second clause is an independent clause. “He” is the subject, “enjoyed” is the action and the “book” is the object.

Jim read a book; he really enjoyed the book.

Some common independent markers are:

also, consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, and therefore.

DEPENDENT CLAUSE DEFINED

* A dependent clause is a clause that does not express a complete thought. * Dependent clauses MUST be joined to another clause, in order to avoid creating a sentence fragment.

Because I forgot my homework.

This is a sentence fragment. We have a "because” but not a "why" or anything accompanying and following what happened "because" they forgot. The important thing to remember is that the dependent clause does not stand on its own as a complete thought.

Some common dependent markers are:

after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether,

and while.

Independent and Dependent Clauses Practice Exercise

Determine whether the boldfaced group of words is an independent or dependent clause. 1. Fred took a nap before he left for his friend's house.

YOU ARE CORRECT!

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

“Fred took a nap” is an independent clause because it could stand on its own as a complete sentence.

Independent or Dependent?

Number your paper from 1-8. Write “I” for independent or “D” for dependent for each item.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

The fish kept circling slowly When he had seen the golden doodle leave the yard The hands cure quickly The crash was not an accident Everything was beautiful about him except his jaws When the old woman saw him coming

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EACH OF THESE SENTENCES BEGINS WITH A DEPENDENT CLAUSE. WRITE AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCE LOGICALLY.

While Mr. Hill is dreaming about the lions, … Although Ben works hard, … … Even though Principal Hoff begins to get tired,

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