Independent clause
An independent clause is a stand-alone sentence. It has a subject, verb, and an object (optional). It makes sense if you read it by itself.
- The book fell off the shelf
- The bear retreated into the woods
Dependent clause
A dependent clause is not a sentence. It has a subject, verb, and an object (optional), but it does not make sense if you read it by itself.
- When a big truck went by the building
- Even though the camper was more afraid of the bear
Connecting dependent and independent clauses
A dependent clause cannot exist without being hooked onto an independent clause. When you hook the two together, the dependent clause needs separated by a comma, unless it comes naturally at the end of the sentence.
- When a big truck went by the building, the book fell off the shelf.
- Even though the camper was more afraid of the bear, the bear retreated into the woods.
- The book fell off the shelf when a big truck went by the building.
- The bear retreated into the woods even though the camper was more afraid of the bear.
Connecting independent clauses
Independent clauses (sentences) can be hooked together by coordinating conjunctions (and, or, but, yet, for, nor, so) or semi-colons. The job of a coordinating conjunction is to simply hook words and clauses together. When a conjunction hooks words together (such as "The dog AND the cat wanted outside."), no comma is needed. When a conjunction hooks together two independent clauses (such as "The dog wanted to stay inside, AND the cat wanted to go out.") a comma is necessary.
- A big truck went by the building, and the book fell off the shelf.
- The camper was more afraid of the bear, but the bear retreated into the woods.
- A big truck went by the building; the book fell off the shelf.
- The camper was more afraid of the bear; the bear retreated into the woods.
written by Luke Rolfes |
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