Plan for Today

1. Sorting Clauses (Independent and Dependent)

2. Practice and Quiz: Sorting Clauses

3. Framing Sentences (Independent and Dependent Clauses)

4. Practice and Quiz: Framing Sentences

Clauses

Clauses are groups of words that contain a subject and a predicate.

Example: The cat (subject) sat on the mat (predicate).

Clauses are the building blocks of sentences.

Independent Clause

Independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences because they express a complete thought.

Example: The sun was shining brightly.

​Independent clauses make sense on their own and do not rely on other clauses to complete their meaning.

Dependent Clauses

Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as complete sentences because they do not express a complete thought.

Example: After the rain stopped.

​Dependent clauses rely on independent clauses to form complete sentences and provide additional information.

Independent and Dependent Clauses

​Framing Sentences

As we learned about independent and dependent clauses earlier in this lesson, now we will see how to use those types of clauses to frame meaningful and correct sentences.

Simple Sentence with an Independent Clause

A simple sentence consists of one independent clause and expresses a complete thought.

Examples:
The sun set over the mountains.
She reads a book every night.

Compound Sentence with Two Independent Clauses

A compound sentence combines two independent clauses using a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).

Example: The sun set over the mountains, and the stars began to twinkle.

Complex Sentence with an Independent Clause and a Dependent Clause

Example: After the sun set over the mountains, the stars began to twinkle.

Compound-Complex Sentence with Two Independent Clauses and a Dependent Clause

Example: The sun set over the mountains, and the stars began to twinkle after the night fell.

Complex Sentence with a Dependent Clause
at the Beginning

Example: Although the sun set over the mountains, the stars did not appear immediately.

Combining Independent and Dependent Clauses
for Emphasis

Example: Even though it was a chilly night, the stars, bright and mesmerizing, began to twinkle over the mountains.

Summary of the lesson

• Clauses are sentence components with a subject and predicate.

• Independent clauses express complete thoughts independently.

• Dependent clauses rely on independent clauses for complete meaning.

• Simple sentences consist of a single independent clause.

• Compound sentences contain two or more independent clauses.

• Complex sentences combine an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses.

• Compound-complex sentences blend multiple independent clauses with at least one dependent clause.

• Placing a dependent clause at the beginning of a sentence can add emphasis or detail.