CLAUSES:
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF
SENTENCES
CLAUSE: A GROUP OF WORDS WITH A SUBJECT
AND A VERB
 The handsome young man and his ugly dog


Making lots of money


Clause, because we=subject, do have=verb
I am so in love with you, honey.


Not a clause, because no subject
Even though we don’t have money.


Not a clause, because no verb
Clause, because I=subject, am=verb
Instead of the blue dress at Macy’s.

Not a clause, because no subject or verb
INDEPENDENT VS. DEPENDENT CLAUSES
Independent Clauses
 Expresses a complete thought
 Can stand alone
 Example: The coffee was fresh.
Dependent Clauses
 Do NOT express a complete thought
 Cannot stand alone as a sentence
 Example: Even though the coffee was fresh.
WHAT MAKES A DEPENDENT CLAUSE SO
DEPENDENT?
Dependent Clauses begin with dependent words:
after
if, even if
when, whenever
although
in order that
where, wherever
as
since
whether
because
that, so that
which, whichever
before
unless
while
even though
until
who
how
what, whatever
whose
Practice: Write five dependent clauses using some of the dependent
words above. Hint: Remember that dependent clauses still have a
subject and a verb.
IDENTIFY EACH GROUP OF WORDS AS DC
(DEPENDENT CLAUSE), IC (INDEPENDENT CLAUSE)
OR NC (NOT A CLAUSE)
Hint: Does it

Whenever I see you smile

I usually get my paycheck on Mondays

Whatever you want

After grading the next set of papers

After school, we will play basketball

After you drink your coffee
contain a subject
and verb?
Yes=clause
No=not a clause
Does it begin with
a dependent word?
No=IC
Yes=probably DC
Is it a complete
thought?
No=DC
Yes=IC
IDENTIFY EACH GROUP OF WORDS AS DC
(DEPENDENT CLAUSE), IC (INDEPENDENT CLAUSE)
OR NC (NOT A CLAUSE)

Whenever I see you smile
DC

I usually get my paycheck on Mondays

Whatever you want

After grading the next set of papers
NC

After school, we will play basketball
IC

After you drink your coffee
DC
IC
DC
MORE PRACTICE WITH CLAUSES
http://www.csus.edu/owl/index/sent/clause_quiz.
htm