Clauses Notes
I.
Name:
A clause is a group of related words that contains a ___________________ and its ___________________.
Every sentence has at least one clause in it; if it doesn’t, it’s NOT a complete sentence!
II.
Kinds of clauses
A.
An ___________________ clause (also called a ___________________ clause) expresses a
___________________ and stands _______________________________________________.
Example: Mr. Jones works in one of the law offices in downtown Concord, and he has a successful practice.

Each clause has its own subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. In this example, two
independent clauses are joined by ________________________________________ and.

They could also be written with a ________________________ between them:
Mr. Jones works in one of the law offices in downtown Concord; he has a successful practice.

The only remaining option is to write them as separate sentences:
Mr. Jones works in one of the law offices in downtown Concord. He has a successful practice.
B.
A ________________________ (or ___________________ ) clause does NOT express a
complete thought and cannot stand alone.
Dependent clauses generally NEED an independent clause to complete their meaning.
Examples:
before you know it
because I told him
after the show is over.
Each clause still has a ___________________, but it doesn’t ___________________
.
Most dependent clauses are introduced by a word like although, as if, because, if, or until. When we
hear a clause that starts with one of these words, we know that there has to be at least one more clause
(an independent clause) in the sentence.
Practice 1: Label each clause in italics by writing either IND. for independent or DEP. for dependent on the line next to
it.
_______ 1. When my family went to New York, we visited the Theodore Roosevelt museum
.
_______ 2. The museum has been established in the house where Roosevelt was born.
_______ 3. It is located on the basement floor of Roosevelt’s birthplace, which is on East Twentieth Street.
_______ 4. The museum contains books, letters, and documents that pertain to Roosevelt’s life.
_______ 5. Before Theodore Roosevelt became president, he gained fame in the Spanish- American War.
Clauses and Sentence Structure
Name:
Type:
# independent clauses:
# dependent clauses:
_____________________________________________________________
Simple
1
0
_____________________________________________________________
Compound
2 or more
0
_____________________________________________________________
Complex
1
1 or more
_____________________________________________________________
CompoundComplex
2 or more
1 or more
Identifying Structure
In the space provided, identify the structure of each sentence using the following abbreviations:
S – simple
CD – compound
CX – complex
CD-CX – compound-complex
(Hint: Remember to take out all dependent clauses first, then count the number of independent clauses left.)
_______ 1. Since the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, senators have been chosen by
popular elections in their states.
_______ 2. Unlike presidents, senators are elected to six-year terms, and they can be re-elected any
number of times.
_______ 3. To be eligible for the Senate, a person must have been a United States citizen for at least nine
years and be at least thirty years old.
_______ 4. One important job that senators have is to introduce bills in the Senate.
_______ 5. Senators are also responsible for approving or rejecting certain presidential appointments, such
as those of federal judges and ambassadors.
_______ 6. Amanda loved the sound of the orchestra at her school’s winter concert, and she decided then
to study the violin.
_______ 7. Because Amanda was still quite small, her first violin was not full-sized.
Identifying Structure, continued
_______ 8. When she started the sixth grade, however, Amanda was playing a full-sized violin.
_______ 9. Amanda did not always enjoy the many hours of practice, but they were necessary because the
instrument is so complicated.
_______ 10. Just playing the proper notes, without being too sharp or flat, can be difficult on a violin.
_______ 11. On a violin, the placement of a finger on a string can effect the pitch of the note.
_______ 12. If the pitch of each note is not exactly correct, the result can be a barely recognizable tune.
_______ 13. Once a student has mastered pitch to some extent, he or she still has a great deal to think
about, for posture, hand position, and bowing technique all require great concentration.
_______ 14. When students can actually create music with this stubborn instrument, they have a reason to
be proud.
_______ 15. Reluctantly, two of the boys stepped forward, and both of them admitted that they were
responsible.
_______ 16. As far as I know, it belongs to anyone who wants to haul it away.
_______ 17. None of the dresses had any style, nor were they reasonably priced.
_______ 18. In spite of our differences, Margaret and I have been good friends since the third grade.
_______ 19. Over the river and through the woods, to the Grammar Hall of Fame we go.
_______ 20. What she is saying is that I am right, and that you, therefore, are wrong.
_______ 21. We wanted to help, but because we didn’t want to interfere, we neglected to offer any
assistance.
_______ 22. This unit on sentence structure reveals just how much fun grammar can be!
_______ 23. Of course, you and I already knew that, but not all eighth graders are as grammatically
experienced as we are.
Sentence Structure in The Outsiders
Name:
Carefully analyze each of the sentences below. Underline each independent clause and put brackets around each
[dependent clause]. In the space provided identify the structure of each sentence as S (Simple), Cd (Compound),
Cx (Complex), and Cd-Cx (Compound-Complex).
_______ 1. “I had nearly forgotten that Cherry was listening to me.”
_______ 2. “Johnny sure did like that book, although he didn’t know anything about the Civil War and even less
about plantations, and I had to explain a lot of it to him.”
_______ 3. “It would be a miracle if Dally loved anything.”
_______ 4. “The nurses wouldn’t tell us anything about Johnny and Dally, so Darry got hold of the doctor.”
_______ 5. “The pool was empty now in the fall, but the fountain was going merrily.”
_______ 6. “The park was about two blocks square, with a fountain in the middle and a small swimming pool.”
_______ 7. “You might have thought it was Dally who fixed those races for Buck, being a jockey and all, but it wasn’t.”
_______ 8. “I leaned back and closed my eyes and we were home before I knew it.”
_______ 9. “I was kind of sick to my stomach and sort of groggy.”
_______ 10. “He stood there tall, broad-shouldered, his muscles taut under his T-shirt and his eyes glittering like ice.”
_______ 11. “Dally had taken the car and I started the long walk home in a stupor.”
_______ 12. “His eyes were closed, but when the door shut behind me he opened them.”
_______ 13. “He grinned but didn’t deny it.”
_______ 14. “I want you to tell Dally to look at one.”
_______ 15. “I picked up the phone book and called my English teacher.”