Clauses Defined

What is a Clause?

clause is a group of related words that contains both a subject and a verb. Clauses can be considered “independent” or “dependent” (also known as subordinate clauses).

Examples of Clauses

Some examples of clauses would be the following:

Independent Clauses:
Gabriella sang.
Charlie plays lacrosse and football.

Dependent/Subordinate Clauses:
since he gives the best advice
although I studied my hardest

What to Know About Clauses

Be sure not to confuse clauses with phrases.  Clauses contain both a subject and a verb, and depending on whether they are independent clauses or dependent clauses, some clauses can stand alone as a sentence (independent) while some clauses cannot stand alone (dependent).  Phrases, on the other hand, are missing a subject, a verb, or both.

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Clauses Worksheet

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