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Clause: is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb functioning as a member of a complex or compound sentence.

Examples: 

    1. I bought a new car last month. (single clause sentence)
    2. As I came home, I saw my mother. (Two clause sentence)
    3. As I came home, I saw my mother, and I greeted her. (Three clause sentence)

Types of clauses:

    1. Independent clause.
    2. Dependent clause.

Independent Clause: functions on itself to make a meaningful sentence and looks much like a regular sentence.

In a sentence two independent clauses can be connected by the coordinatorsand, but, so, or, nor, for*, yet*.

Examples:

  • She is a good girl.
  • I want to buy a laptop, but I don’t have enough money. (Two independent clauses)
  • He went to India and visited the Tajmahal. (Subject of the second clause is ‘he,’ so “he visited the Tajmahal” is an independent clause.)
  • John smiles whenever he sees her. (One independent clause)

Dependent Clause: cannot function itself because it leaves an idea or thought unfinished. It is also called a subordinate clause. Dependent clauses help the independent clauses complete the sentence. A dependent clause alone cannot form a complete sentence.

subordinators: connect the dependent clause to another clause to complete the sentence. In each of the dependent clause, the first word is a subordinator. Subordinators include relative pronouns, subordinating conjunctions, and noun clause markers.

Example:

  • When I was going to college, I had an accident.
  • I know the person who won the match.
  • I know that he can play the game.