Clauses

Clauses

A clause is a group of related words containing a subject and a word.
It is different from a phrase in that a phrase does not include a subject and a verb relationship.

Clauses go by many names. Here are some definitions.

Independent:
A clause that can stand by itself and still make sense. An independent clause could be its own sentence, but is often part of a larger structure, combined with other independent clauses and with dependent clauses.

Dependent: A clause that cannot stand by itself. It depends on someting else, an independent clause, for its meaning. A dependent clause trying to stand by itself would be a sentence fragment. Dependent clauses are sometimes called subordinate, nonessential, or nonrestrictive clauses.

Examples of independent clauses:

Independent clauses:
- glaciers often leave behind holes in the ground.
- These holes are called kettles, and they look just like scooped-out pots.
- Glaciers also leave behind enormous deposits of glacial "garbage"; these deposits are called morains.
- Kettle holes result when a large block of ice is left behind the glacier and then melts away, leaving a large depression.

Notice that this sentence consists of a very brief independent clause followed by a long and complex dependent clause.
- Kettle holes result when a large block of ice is left behind the glacier and then melts away, leaving a large depression.

The dependent clause begins with what is called a subordinating conjunction.

Independent clauses can be connected in a variety of ways:
1. By a comma and little conjunction (and but or, nor, for, yet , and sometimes so)
2. By a semicolon, by itself.
3. By a semicolon accompanied by a conjunctive adverb (such as however, moreover, nevertheless, as a result, consequently, etc.).
4. And, of cours, independent clauses are often not connected by punctuation at all but are separated by a period.

Noun clauses do anything that a noun can do. They can be subjects, objects, and...