CLAUSES Sometimes they’re a sentence, and sometimes they’re not. Clauses (like phrases) add detail and information to your sentences.

CLAUSES  A clause is a group of words that has its own subject and verb. Thus, sometimes a clause may be a sentences and sometimes not.  There are three types of clauses: Independent Independent Subordinate Subordinate Relative Relative

INDEPENDENT CLAUSES  Also known as a main clause, can stand alone as a simple sentence (subject, verb, and expresses a complete thought). Trent walked home from school. Trent walked home from school. It began to rain. It began to rain.  Two or more clauses can be joined together with a semicolon or a coordinating conjunction (and, or, for, nor, but, yet, so). Trent walked home from school; it began to rain. Trent walked home from school; it began to rain. Trent walked home from school, and it began to rain. Trent walked home from school, and it began to rain.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSES  Also known as dependent clauses, cannot stand alone as a simple sentence even though it may have a subject and a verb.  Must be connected with an independent clause to do their job. Dayne’s mom cooked dinner while he worked on his science project. Dayne’s mom cooked dinner while he worked on his science project.  Subordinate clauses begin with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. When you begin a sentence with a subordinate clause, you have to put a comma after it. When you begin a sentence with a subordinate clause, you have to put a comma after it. Whether I like it or not, Mom says that I have to wear my helmet when I skateboard. Whether I like it or not, Mom says that I have to wear my helmet when I skateboard.

 After, although, as if, as long as, as much as, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order that, now that, provided that, since, so, so long as, though, unless, until, when, whenever, whereas, whether, while, where.  That, which, whichever, who, whoever, whose, whosever, whom, whomever SUBORDINATE CLAUSES CONTINUED Subordinating Conjunctions Relative Pronouns

RELATIVE CLAUSES  Often begins with a relative pronoun (see preceding chart), and acts like an adjective by giving more information about the subject of the sentence.  Although a relative clause has a subject and verb, it cannot stand alone. Mom’s apple pie recipe that won in last week’s county fair was published in the local paper. Mom’s apple pie recipe that won in last week’s county fair was published in the local paper. that won in last week’s county fair answers the question which one? that won in last week’s county fair answers the question which one? About the noun recipe About the noun recipe