1. Clauses
English 9CP
Lynch

2. What is a Clause?
An clause is a word group that contains a verb and its subject.
A clause can be used as a sentence or as part of a sentence.
Sentence:
When the fire alarm sounded, the people left the building.
Independent Clause: The people left the building
Dependent Clause: when the fire alarm sounded
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3. Independent Clauses
An independent clause (or main clause) can stand alone as a complete sentence because it contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
Example:
Ms. Santana works in a law office in downtown Los Angeles, and she has a successful practice.
*Two independent clauses can be joined with a comma and coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS).
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4. Independent Clauses
An independent clause (or main clause) can stand alone as a complete sentence because it contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
Example:
Ms. Santana works in a law office in downtown Los Angeles.
Ms. Santana works in a law office in downtown Los Angeles, and she has a successful practice.
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5. Dependent Clause
A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) also contains a subject and a predicate; however, a it cannot stand alone as a sentence because it does not express a complete thought.
Example:
Before Vivian leaves work for the day
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6. Dependent Clause cont.
A dependent clause must be attached to an independent clause to make sense.
Example:
Before Vivian leaves work for the day, she organizes her desk.
A dependent clause may appear before or after an independent clause.
Example:
Vivian organizes her desk, before she leaves work for the day.
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7. Dependent Clauses and Commas
If the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, put a comma between the two clauses.
Ex. Before she leaves work for the day, Vivian organizes her desk.
If the independent clause comes first, no comma is necessary between the two clauses.
Ex. Vivan organizes her desk before she leaves work for the day.
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8. Identifying the underlined clause as Independent and Subordinate pg
Baseball is a game that generally depends on good eyesight as well as athletic skill.
For this reason, until recently, playing the great American game has been something that people with visual impairments found virtually impossible.
Only sighted players could participate until an engineer named Charley Fairbanks invented beep baseball.
In this version of baseball, the ball beeps and the bases buzz so that players like the one pictured here can tell when to swing and where to run.
Each team has a sighted pitcher and a sighted catcher, who never get a turn at bat, and six fielders who wear blindfolds so that they don’t have a visual advantage.
independent
subordinate
subordinate
independent
subordinate
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9. Identify each italicized clause in the following sentences as independent or subordinate.
The fire started because someone did not smother a campfire.
The family that bought our house is moving in next week.
Did you know that Dr. Joel is the new ambassador to Lebanon?
Mr. Kim will buy the store if the bank lends him the money.
According to Ms. Garza, our math teacher, the binary system is important to know.
Wherever Maggie goes, her poodle Jack follows.
She won the golf match because she had practiced diligently.
Whatever you decide is fine with me.
I saw the job advertised in the school paper and decided to apply for it.
We were proud that you conceded defeat so graciously.
subordinate
subordinate
subordinate
independent
subordinate
independent
subordinate
independent
subordinate
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10. Sentence Types
English 9CP
Lynch

11. Types of Sentences
Simple
Compound
Complex
Compound-Complex
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12. Simple Sentence
A simple sentence consists of one complete subject and one complete predicate. The subject, the predicate, or both may be compound.
Ex. Audrey had a demanding day at work.
Ex. Audrey and Bruce work in the same office.
compound subject
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13. Compound Sentence
A compound sentence consists of two simple independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction such (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
Ex. Audrey had a demanding day at work, but she is looking forward to having dinner with friends.
Ex. Anger is meant to intimidate other people, and this often appears to be true.
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14. Complex Sentence
A complex sentence contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
dependent clause
Ex. If you have been a victim in the downsizing of a company, you have experienced stress.
independent clause
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15. Compound-Complex Sentence
A compound-complex sentence contains more than one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
independent clause
Ex. Relaxation techniques help reverse coronary disease; however, since this beneficial health information is not widely publicized, not all doctors know about this philosophy of health care.
dependent clause
independent clause
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16. Compound-Complex Sentence
Complete exercise 6 on pg. 110 of the blue book.
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