INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT CLAUSES

LEARNING OBJECTIVE  Today I will distinguish between independent and dependent clauses  I will be able to write an analogy for independent and dependent clauses.  I will be able to write and punctuate complex sentences correctly.

WHY ARE WE GOING OVER THIS?  Too many of you have included sentence fragments in your writing. In other words, you are not using complete sentences!

A RELATED GROUP OF WORDS WITH A SUBJECT AND PREDICATE IS CALLED A CLAUSE.  A clause that makes sense by itself is an independent clause.  A clause that does not make sense by itself is a dependent clause.  A complex sentence contains an independent and dependent clause.

THE CLAUSE:  Clauses ALWAYS have subjects and verbs  Clauses are categorized into 2 groups:  Independent (AKA main)  Dependent (AKA subordinate)  The independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence or thought (not a fragment)  The dependent clause CANNOT stand alone; it has a subject and verb, but is a fragment and DEPENDS on a main clause to make sense

AN ANALOGY TO HELP:  Think of the Main Clause as a manager.  Think of the Subordinate Clauses as workers.  The Subordinates cannot do the work without the Manager’s approval (otherwise, chaos ensues).  Thus, any subordinate clause always needs a main clause to manage them.

OR IF THAT DIDN’T MAKE SENSE TO YOU, TRY THIS ONE:  The independent clause can be thought of as a parent.  Whereas the dependent (subordinate) clauses can be thought of as the children.  Hence, the children depend on the parents’ approval to do anything.

REFLECTION…  Can you think of another analogy that would work for independent and dependent clauses?

A RELATED GROUP OF WORDS WITH A SUBJECT AND PREDICATE IS CALLED A CLAUSE.  A complex sentence contains an independent and dependent clause.

Independent clause Native Americans lived on the island until they were attacked. Dependent clause

HERE’S A TRICK!  You can check to see if a clauses is independent or dependent by using this following trick:  At the beginning of the clause in question, add “It is possible that”

IT’S POSSIBLE THAT  Example:  Grew up in Palm Desert  I am your 7th grade student this year at TMS.  Also to see what your personality was  For example running, playing, jumping. Are any of these independent clauses?

WRITE I OR D FOR INDEPENDENT OR DEPENDENT CLAUSE.  1. if you live on an island______  2. the tides affect your life______  3. the water level rises_____  4. when the tide comes in_____  5. much of the beach disappears under water_____  6. until the tide goes out_____

IN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES, IDENTIFY THE INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT CLAUSES.  Although it was located next to a school, the Radiac Research Corporation was storing large amounts of medical waste.  Cleopatra lived in ancient Egypt, which she ruled.  When a crowd gathered for a public rally, the teens told the people about Radiac.  Billy fell in the sewer on a neighborhood street as he was playing on a Saturday afternoon.

FURTHERMORE,  How do I punctuate two independent clauses that are closely related?  USE A SEMICOLON! Or a period.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE:  I need new school clothes. I will go to the mall.  Because these sentences (independent clauses) are closely related, they can be joined with a semi-colon:  I need new school clothes ; I will go to the mall.

IF YOU START A SENTENCE WITH A DEPENDENT CLAUSE, USE A COMMA BEFORE THE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.  USE A COMMA! Because I don’t have a car, I can’t go off campus for lunch today.  ***If the dependent clause appears after the independent clause, you don’t need any punctuation! Whoo hoo! I can’t go off campus today for lunch because I don’t have a car.

 Whenever you begin a sentence with a subordinating conjunction, use a comma.  My cell phone rang in class. I answered it.  Because my cell phone rang in class, I answered it.  My cell phone rang in class ; I answered it.  Either way, rather than write two boring sentences punctuated with a period, you can now choose two different ways to write this sentence more effectively by using a more complex structure. Subject predicate Dependent clause Independent clause

ALSO, HERE ARE SOME WORDS THAT TRIGGER THE ENTRANCE OF A DEPENDENT CLAUSE: Because When Though Unless Whenever While As long as As soon as In order that If Since Although After As As if Before So that Until Subordinating conjunctions

TASK- WHAT’S COOKING?  Write one sentence for each following sentence recipe:  Recipe #1: Two independent clauses closely related  Recipe #2: Complex sentence starting with a dependent clause (use your list of trigger words)  Recipe #3: Complex sentence ending with a dependent clause.  Finally, write an analogy for independent and dependent clauses. Be sure to draw a picture to go with it!