Clauses
Elements of Language
Chapters 8 &13
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston
Clause
• A clause is a group of words that contains a
verb and its subject.
Types of Clauses
Independent Clause
An independent clause
CAN stand alone as a
sentence.
Dependent Clause
A dependent clause
cannot stand alone as a
sentence because it
does not express a
complete thought.
This is also called a
subordinate clause.
Identifying clauses
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
Are the following clauses independent or
dependent? Copy the clauses in your
notes and identify them.
The sun set an hour ago.
What she saw.
Since most plants die without light.
I will go to the movies.
Identifying clauses
1. The sun set an hour ago.
•
Independent
2. What she saw.
•
dependent
3. Since most plants die without light.
•
dependent
4. I will go to the movies.
•
independent
Examples
Independent Clause
In the 1850s, Elizabeth
Cady Stanton was a
civil rights activist.
Dependent Clause
Who fought to win
women of all states the
right to vote in federal
elections.
*This can stand alone as
a sentence because it
expresses a complete
thought.
*This is not a complete
thought. We do not
know who fought.
Independent Clauses
•
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the subject and verb in each
independent clause in the following sentences.
Copy each sentence. Underline the verb and
circle the subject.
She told me that Jump Start was her favorite.
Since she liked it so much, I made a point of
reading it too.
Ask your family and friends what comics they
like best.
During the holidays, I plan to draw my own
comic strip.
Independent or Dependent?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
We memorized the lyrics.
As they sat on the back porch.
Which everyone enjoyed.
The flood destroyed many crops.
When the lights were flickering.
Since we talked to Maria.
That the lion’s cage was empty.
Independent or Dependent?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
We memorized the lyrics.
As they sat on the back porch.
Which everyone enjoyed.
The flood destroyed many crops.
When the lights were flickering.
Since we talked to Maria.
That the lion’s cage was empty.
Ind.
Dep.
Dep.
Ind.
Dep.
Dep.
Dep.
Identifying dependent clauses
•
Copy the sentence and underline the
dependent clause.
1. When the sailors went ashore, many of
them carried a strange illness.
2. No medicine could save the stricken
sailors, who died quickly and painfully.
3. No one is sure of the total number of
people who died from the plague.
Identifying dependent clauses
1. When the sailors went ashore, many of
them carried a strange illness.
2. No medicine could save the stricken
sailors, who died quickly and painfully.
3. No one is sure of the total number of
people who died from the plague.
Independent Practice
In your notes
•
•
Add an independent clause to each
dependent clause to create a sentence.
Ex: who came late
–
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sally is the girl who came late.
When they act silly
Who gave the report
Who borrowed my notes
That I bought yesterday
Combining Sentences
• Short sentences can be combined by
changing a short sentence to a subordinate
clause. To do this, insert who, which, or
that in place of the subject.
• Example
– The Aztecs were an American Indian people.
They once ruled a mighty empire in Mexico.
– The Aztecs were an American Indian people
who once ruled a mighty empire in Mexico.
Combining Sentences
• Subordinate clauses can also be created by adding
a word that indicates the time or place: after,
before, since, where, wherever, when, whenever,
while
• Example
– The Aztecs built the capital city of Tenochtitlan. They
moved into Mexico in the twelfth century.
– The Aztecs built the capital city of Tenochtitlan after
they moved into Mexico in the twelfth century.
Try it on your own
• Combine the following two short sentences
by creating a dependent, or subordinate
clause.
• The capital city of the Aztec empire was in
central Mexico. Mexico City stands in that
spot today.
Independent Practice
• Page 287, Exercise 8 #1-5
• Combine the two sentences by inserting the
word in parenthesis at the beginning of the
clause.
• You only need to write down the revised
sentence. You do not need to copy the 2
original sentences.
• Be prepared to share your answers.