understanding clauses
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding Clauses
A clause is a group of words in a sentence that contain a subject and a verb. There are two types
of clauses.
Independent ( a complete statement)
Dependent (a fragment)
Understanding Clauses
Independent clauses can stand alone because they are complete statements.
Jim (Subj.) ate (verb) his lunch in the cafeteria.
Understanding Clauses
Dependent clauses cannot stand alone because they are incomplete statements.
While we (subj.) studied (verb)
The use of the subordinate conjunction “while,” one of the dependent words on pg. 70, turns
this into an incomplete statement.
Understanding Clauses
In most cases, when a dependent clause comes before the independent clause, it is followed by a
comma.
After I finished eating, I did the dishes.
Understanding Clauses
When identifying clauses, the word “that” can play tricks on you.
“That” can be a pronoun all by itself
That was an interesting book.
Understanding Clauses
.
“That” can be an adjective answering the question “which?”
That book had an interesting ending.
Understanding Clauses
.
“That” can introduce a (dependent clause).
The book (that you ordered last week)
has finally come in.
Understanding Clauses