SENTENCE BUILDING BLOCKS: CLAUSES

Independent Clause (IC)

An independent clause (or main clause) expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a complete sentence.

10 Examples:

1. The dog barked at the mailman.
2. She is an excellent student.
3. He will arrive at 8 PM.
4. The company launched a new product last year.
5. We are going to the beach this weekend.
6. The sun sets in the west.
7. I enjoy listening to classical music.
8. The library is open until 9 PM.
9. He fixed the broken car.
10. Our team won the championship.

Dependent (Subordinate) Clause

A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb but **does not express a complete thought**. It cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be attached to an independent clause. It always begins with a subordinating word (like `because`, `if`, `who`, `which`).

10 Examples:

1. because he was tired
2. when the rain stopped
3. who lives next door
4. although it was expensive
5. which I bought yesterday
6. if you study hard
7. while I was sleeping
8. that he had made a mistake
9. since I last saw you
10. where the treasure was hidden

Noun Clause

A dependent clause that functions as a noun in a sentence. It can be a subject, direct object, or object of a preposition.

10 Examples:

1. I know what you did last summer. (Acts as a direct object. I know what?)
2. Whoever wins the race will receive a prize. (Acts as the subject. Who will receive a prize?)
3. The problem is that we are out of time. (Acts as a subject complement. The problem is what?)
4. She is not responsible for what he did. (Acts as an object of a preposition. Responsible for what?)
5. Why he left so early remains a mystery. (Acts as the subject. What remains a mystery?)
6. He finally told us where he had hidden the keys. (Acts as a direct object. He told us what?)
7. I wonder if she will come to the party. (Acts as a direct object. I wonder what?)
8. Pay careful attention to what the teacher says. (Acts as an object of a preposition. Attention to what?)
9. That the Earth is round is a well-known fact. (Acts as the subject. What is a well-known fact?)
10. His excuse was that he had forgotten about the meeting. (Acts as a subject complement. His excuse was what?)

Adjective Clause (or Relative Clause)

A dependent clause that functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. It usually begins with a relative pronoun (`who`, `whom`, `whose`, `which`, `that`).

10 Examples:

1. The man who lives next door is a doctor. (Modifies 'man'. Which man?)
2. This is the book that I was telling you about. (Modifies 'book'. Which book?)
3. She is the artist whose paintings are famous. (Modifies 'artist'. Which artist?)
4. The car, which is red, belongs to my brother. (Modifies 'car'. Which car?)
5. I visited the town where I was born. (Modifies 'town'. Which town?)
6. He is the person whom I admire the most. (Modifies 'person'. Which person?)
7. I remember the day when we first met. (Modifies 'day'. Which day?)
8. This is the reason why I was late. (Modifies 'reason'. What kind of reason?)
9. Any student who finishes the test early may leave. (Modifies 'student'. Which student?)
10. The company that he works for is very large. (Modifies 'company'. Which company?)

Adverb Clause

A dependent clause that functions as an adverb, modifying a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It begins with a subordinating conjunction.

10 Examples:

1. He could not attend the meeting because he was sick. (Modifies 'could not attend'. Why?)
2. Although it was raining, they went for a walk. (Modifies 'went'. Under what condition?)
3. She listened to music while she was studying. (Modifies 'listened'. When?)
4. He will pass the exam if he works hard. (Modifies 'will pass'. Under what condition?)
5. I will wait here until you get back. (Modifies 'will wait'. When?)
6. She is taller than her brother is. (Modifies adjective 'taller'. How is she taller?)
7. He lives where the two rivers meet. (Modifies 'lives'. Where?)
8. Since you are here, you can help me with this project. (Modifies 'can help'. Why?)
9. He acted as if he owned the place. (Modifies 'acted'. How?)
10. After the storm passed, the sun came out. (Modifies 'came out'. When?)

Quick Identification Guide

Use this table for rapid revision to identify clause types.