THE CLAUSE The building block of sentences. 1

What is a clause? A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It may or may not be a complete sentence. 2

Examples of Clauses whenever I eat cheese the students danced at the prom because Virginia is my home do not leave home without it 3

Why are they clauses? All groups of words have both subjects and verbs. whenever I eat cheese Subject verb the students danced at the prom subject verb because Virginia is my home subject verb (you) do not leave home without it subject verb phrase 4

Remember! Not all clauses are complete sentences! 5

A clause is not a phrase. A clause has a subject and verb relationship. After the morning announcements are over A phrase does not have a subject and verb relationship. After the morning announcements 6

Two Kinds of Clauses Dependent Independent 7

Dependent Clause (DC) group of related words has a subject has a verb is NOT a complete sentence begins with a relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction 8

Also known as… Dependent Clause = Subordinate Clause 9

Subordinating Conjunctions afterbeforeunless althoughhowuntil asifwhen as ifin order thatwhenever as long assincewhere as soon asso thatwherever as thoughthanwhether becauseeven thoughwhile 10

Examples of Dependent Clauses with Subordinating Conjunctions After we go to school sub. Conj. Subject verb Because Jane likes to read sub. Conj. Subject verb If my friend needs help sub. Conj. Subject verb As though Mr. Smith is crazy sub. Conj. Subject verb As soon as I finish my homework sub. Conj. Subject verb 11

Relative Pronouns that which who whom whoever whomever whichever whose 12

Dependent Clauses that begin with Relative Pronouns whichever can go the fastest rel. pron. & subject verb phrase which includes many pages rel. pron. & subject verb who will understand the problem re. pron. & subject verb phrase that test was the easiest rel. pron. subject verb (Note: the relative pronoun serves as the subject) 13

Beware: Sentence Fragments Because I like all kinds of music. This is a sentence fragment because it does not express a complete thought; it’s just a DC. 14 DCs are never sentences! If you do not finish the sentence, then the DC is a sentence fragment. Because I like all kinds of music, my Ipod is filled with everything from country to hip hop music. This is a complete sentence.

Independent Clause (IC) group of related words has a subject has a verb can stand alone as its own sentence 15

Also known as… Independent Clauses = Main Clauses 16

Examples of Independent Clauses Sara and John climbed the mountain subject verb I lied subject verb a cockroach will live nine days without subject verb phrase its head coyotes communicate with 11 different subjects verb sounds 17

Simple Sentence Independent clauses left alone as sentences are called simple sentences. 18

Simple Sentences Simple sentences, or ICs, can be short or long. A simple sentence may have phrases but just one clause. Melt! Ice melts. The ice melts quickly. The ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun. Lying exposed without its blanket of snow, the ice on the river melts quickly under the warm March sun. 19

Review Clause Dependent Has a subject Has a verb Cannot be a sentence Independent Has a subject Has a verb Can be a sentence 20

Practice – DC or IC? 1.if I pass all of my SOLs 2.my parents gave me an Ipod for passing my SOLs 3.because I received an Ipod for passing my SOLs 4.all students must pass their SOLs to get their diplomas 5.whoever didn’t pass the SOLs 21