CLAUSES

Do you remember the difference between a SUBJECT and PREDICATE?

Identify the subject and predicate in this sentence:

Mary decided to go home after school.

Mary is the subject of the sentence becausethe sentence is describing something Mary did.

Decided to go home after school is the predicatebecause it describes what it is that Mary did.

If you can find the subject and predicate of a sentencethen you should have no trouble picking out the clause of the sentence.

is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate and is used as a part of a sentence.

There are two main types of clauses…

No! Not this kind of Claus!

• Independent• Subordinate

Two types of clause

Independent Clause

Expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone

as a sentence

Independent Clause

Doesn’t need anything else to

make sense.

Independent Clause

Have a subject, predicate (verb),

and makes sense all by itself.

1.The doorbell rang.

2. She smiled down on the children.

3.The turkey was hot and juicy.

EXAMPLES

Independent Clauses can come at the end or at the beginning of a sentence.

The girl ran to her room when the boy called her.

After mother got home, she went to bed.

Let’s Practice!

Identify the independent clause on the following sentence

Since the hurricane hit, many people have been suffering.

The clouds gathered quickly, as if it were going to rain.

Although the deer was dead, we picked it up anyway.

Father asked us to sit down, once the speaker was done.

Please be quiet, until Mrs. Slagle is finished.

Whether you finish or not, you should always try your best!

Dependent Clause

Doesn’t express a complete thought. It can’t

stand alone as a sentence..It sounds like something else should follow in order to make

sense.

Dependent Clause• must have a subject and

predicate(verb) otherwise it’s a phrase

Examples:

because the door was open,

when it started raining,

Until your father gets home,

Dependent Clauses can come at the end or at the beginning

of a sentence.

• The girl ran to her room when the boy called her.

• After mother got home, she went to bed.

• Dependent Clauses begin with Subordinating Conjunctions

after, although, as, as if, because, before, for, if, once, since, so, so that, than, that, though, till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether, while

Dependent Clauses

• Usually have a comma when they are found in the first part of a sentence.

• If found at the end of the sentence, there will not be any comma.

Let’s Practice!

Identify the subordinate clause on the following sentence

1.After the car went off the road, it was totaled.

She sang a song when it was her turn.

Though the weather man said rain, it was sunny.

He hugged her although she was wet.

Before the dance, she went home.

The boys help out if they get to listen to music.

SEATWORK: Copy the following sentence. Underline the independent clause once and the subordinate clause twice.

1.She drove the car so that her brother could walk.

2.Whenever it rains, we get a ride from father.

3.Unless the game is over, we always stay to help.

4.The coach gives us advice so we can win the game.

5.Cole helps his mother whereas James just bugs her.

6. Once the ice melted, the grass turned green.

7. He will sleep till his mother comes home.

8. Wherever there is chocolate, there is candy.

9. Since the melt-down, the skaters haven’t been the same.

10. His room was clean before his friend came over.