A group of words that has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence

An independent clause is basically a complete sentence; it can stand on its own and make sense. An independent clause consists of a subject (e.g. “the dog”) and a verb (e.g. “barked”) creating a complete thought.

• The dog barked.

A dependent clause cannot stand alone even if it contains a subject and a verb. Dependent clauses do not express complete thoughts so they are considered incomplete sentences or fragments. You can often identify a dependent clause by a “dependent marker word”— a word or phrase which implies there is more to the sentence (e.g. “when”).

• When the dog barked.

The example of an independent clause above, “The dog barked,” is a simple sentence. Simple sentences can also be longer than this; as long as a sentence consists of only an independent clause, it is a simple sentence. Simple sentences can also contain a compound subject or a compound verb.  Because these sentences still contain only one independent clause (as opposed to two or more independent clauses and/or an independent clause and a dependent clause), they are still considered simple sentences.

• The dog barked.
• The quick, red fox jumped over the lazy, brown dog.
• The dog and the fox jumped over the cat.
• The fox jumped over the dog and dashed across the field.

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses (or simple sentences) combined into one sentence.

• The fox jumped over the dog, and the dog ran under the fence.
• The dog loves treats; the fox loves flowers.
• The dog growled, the cat cried, and the fox dashed away.

Complex sentences combine independent (or “main”) and dependent (or “subordinate”) clauses: “When the dog barked, my sister cried.” In this example, “my sister cried” is the independent or main clause, and “when the dog barked” is dependent or subordinate. We know this because of the dependent word marker “when.” When one clause is subordinate to another, it means the subordinate clause holds less importance in the sentence than the main clause.

• When the dog barked, my sister started crying.
• The fox, even though it was injured, jumped over the dog.
• Rather than running around the dog, the fox jumped over the dog.
• The fox jumped over the dog whereas the cat ran around him.

Compound-complex sentences combine a compound sentence and a complex sentence. These sentences contain two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

• When a tree branch fell, the dog yelped, and the fox ran away.

A clause is the part of a sentence that contains a subject and verb. There are two types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses.

1) Independent Clause:

A group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. Therefore, independent clauses can stand alone in the sentence. 

Example:

- I went to Oklahoma City. 

2) Dependent Clause:

A group of words that contains subject and verb; however, it does not express a complete thought. Therefore, dependent clauses cannot stand alone without other context. 

Example:

- When I went to Oklahoma City. 

The number of independent clauses and dependent clauses can also determine the sentence type as a simple, compound, complex, or a compound-complex sentence.

A. Simple Sentence:

A sentence that consists of one independent clause. A simple sentence can have one or multiple subjects; it can also have one or multiple verbs, but having multiple subjects or verbs does not mean having multiple clauses. 

Examples:

- I searched for the book. (One subject and one verb)  

- I went to the bookstore and bought the book. (One subject and two verbs)  

- My sister and I searched and bought the book. (Two subjects and two verbs)  

B. Compound Sentence:

A sentence that consists of two or more independent clauses. Independent clauses can be joined into a compound sentence using a coordinating conjunction such as for, and, or but. They also can be joined by a (;) semicolon. 

Examples:

- She cooks the meal today, and you will cook the meal tomorrow. (Two independent   clauses joined by “and” and a comma).  

- The boys saw the movie, the girls went shopping, but the parents stayed home. (Three independent clauses joined by “but” and a comma). 

- I listen to the song on the radio; my mother does not like the song. (Two independent   clauses joined by a semicolon).  

C. Complex Sentence:

A sentence that consists of one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. These clauses can be joined into a complex sentence using a subordinating conjunction, such as which, because, before, after, if, since, until, and when, etc...

Examples: 

* The underlined words are the independent clause. 

- Because it is a rainy day, I bring my umbrella.  (One independent clause and one dependent clause). 

- After she sent the mail, she went to the shop, which is near her house. (One independent clause and two dependent clauses). 

D. Compound-Complex Sentence:

A sentence that consists of two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. These clauses can be joined into a compound-complex sentence using a subordinating conjunction, such as which, because, before, after, if, since, until, and when, etc... Moreover, they can be joined by a coordinating conjunction such as for, and, or but.

Example:

* The underlined words are the independent clause. 

- Because it is a nice weekend, he cleaned the backyard, and he prepared the barbecue. (Two independent clauses joined by “and” and a comma, and one dependent clause).  

A mix of independent and dependent clauses in your sentences can make your writing seem more advanced and colorful. Knowing how to properly use these clauses can bloom your writing to its full potential!

What is a group of words that has a subject and a verb?

What is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought?