1. What is a clause?
A clause is a group of related words containing a subject and a predicate.
It is different from a phrase in that a phrase does not include a subject and a verb relationship.

2. Clauses come in different types: Independent [or main], Dependent [or Subordinate ]
Main clauses have a subject and a predicate and express a complete thought.
Main clauses can stand alone as sentences.
Main clauses will follow the pattern bellow:
subject + predicate = complete thought.
Examples:
Lazy students whine.
Lazy students = subject; whine = predicate
My dog loves pizza crusts.
My dog = subject; loves pizza crusts = predicate

3. Dependent Clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Dependent Clauses have a subject and a predicate, but DO NOT express a complete thought.
Dependent Clauses cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Subordinate clauses will follow this pattern: subordinate conjunction + subject + verb = incomplete thought. Examples: Whenever lazy students whine. Whenever = subordinate conjunction; lazy students = subject; whine = predicate Because my dog loves pizza crusts. Because = subordinate conjunction; my dog = subject; loves = predicate

4. There are 3 types of dependent clauses: adjective or relative clauses, adverbial clauses and nominal clauses.
Adjective/relative clauses:
modify (describe) a noun or a pronoun.
Example:
I have a neighbor who comes from Italy.

5. 2. Adverbial clauses:
modify (describe) a verb, an adjective or an adverb.
tell when, where, how, why, to what extent, or under what conditions.
Examples:
Before I took the test, I studied hard.
While walking, she listens to the radio.
3. Nouns clauses:
work as a subject, a direct and indirect object, an object of a preposition or a predicate nominate.
Example:
You really do not want to know what Aunt Nancy adds to her stew.