Clauses

Elements of Language

Chapters 8 &13

Holt, Rinehart, and Winston

Clause

• A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and its subject.

Types of Clauses

Independent Clause

An independent clause CAN stand alone as a sentence.

Dependent Clause

A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence because it does not express a complete thought.

This is also called a subordinate clause.

Identifying clauses

• Are the following clauses independent or dependent? Copy the clauses in your notes and identify them.

1. The sun set an hour ago.

2. What she saw.

3. Since most plants die without light.

4. I will go to the movies.

Identifying clauses

1. The sun set an hour ago.• Independent

2. What she saw.• dependent

3. Since most plants die without light.• dependent

4. I will go to the movies.• independent

Examples

Independent ClauseIn the 1850s, Elizabeth

Cady Stanton was a civil rights activist.

*This can stand alone as a sentence because it expresses a complete thought.

Dependent ClauseWho fought to win

women of all states the right to vote in federal elections.

*This is not a complete thought. We do not know who fought.

Independent Clauses• Identify the subject and verb in each

independent clause in the following sentences.• Copy each sentence. Underline the verb and

circle the subject.

1. She told me that Jump Start was her favorite.

2. Since she liked it so much, I made a point of reading it too.

3. Ask your family and friends what comics they like best.

4. During the holidays, I plan to draw my own comic strip.

Independent or Dependent?

1. We memorized the lyrics.

2. As they sat on the back porch.

3. Which everyone enjoyed.

4. The flood destroyed many crops.

5. When the lights were flickering.

6. Since we talked to Maria.

7. That the lion’s cage was empty.

Independent or Dependent?

1. We memorized the lyrics. Ind.

2. As they sat on the back porch. Dep.

3. Which everyone enjoyed. Dep.

4. The flood destroyed many crops. Ind.

5. When the lights were flickering. Dep.

6. Since we talked to Maria. Dep.

7. That the lion’s cage was empty. Dep.

Identifying dependent clauses

• Copy the sentence and underline the dependent clause.

1. When the sailors went ashore, many of them carried a strange illness.

2. No medicine could save the stricken sailors, who died quickly and painfully.

3. No one is sure of the total number of people who died from the plague.

Identifying dependent clauses

1. When the sailors went ashore, many of them carried a strange illness.

2. No medicine could save the stricken sailors, who died quickly and painfully.

3. No one is sure of the total number of people who died from the plague.

Independent PracticeIn your notes

• Add an independent clause to each dependent clause to create a sentence.

• Ex: who came late– Sally is the girl who came late.

1. When they act silly2. Who gave the report3. Who borrowed my notes4. That I bought yesterday

Combining Sentences

• Short sentences can be combined by changing a short sentence to a subordinate clause. To do this, insert who, which, or that in place of the subject.

• Example– The Aztecs were an American Indian people.

They once ruled a mighty empire in Mexico.– The Aztecs were an American Indian people

who once ruled a mighty empire in Mexico.

Combining Sentences

• Subordinate clauses can also be created by adding a word that indicates the time or place: after, before, since, where, wherever, when, whenever, while

• Example– The Aztecs built the capital city of Tenochtitlan. They

moved into Mexico in the twelfth century.

– The Aztecs built the capital city of Tenochtitlan after they moved into Mexico in the twelfth century.

Try it on your own

• Combine the following two short sentences by creating a dependent, or subordinate clause.

• The capital city of the Aztec empire was in central Mexico. Mexico City stands in that spot today.

Independent Practice

• Page 287, Exercise 8 #1-5• Combine the two sentences by inserting the

word in parenthesis at the beginning of the clause.

• You only need to write down the revised sentence. You do not need to copy the 2 original sentences.

• Be prepared to share your answers.