Clauses Flashcards
What is a phrase?
A group of related words without a subject or a verb or both
A phrase may be part of a sentence but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
Can you give examples of phrases?
- walking to school
- eating pasta with marinara sauce
- will be found
- the old tennis shoe
These examples illustrate various types of phrases.
What is a clause?
A group of related words with a subject-verb group
Every subject-verb group is a clause.
What are the two types of clauses?
- Dependent (subordinate) clauses
- Independent (main) clauses
Each type of clause serves a different function within sentences.
What characterizes a dependent (subordinate) clause?
It contains a dependent clause signal word known as a subordinator
A dependent clause cannot stand alone in meaning.
Can you provide examples of dependent (subordinate) clauses?
- although cheese is his favorite food
- after she washed her hair
- because class was canceled
- which was a relief
These clauses cannot function as complete sentences.
What characterizes an independent (main) clause?
It lacks a dependent clause signal word
Every sentence must contain at least one independent clause.
Can you provide examples of independent (main) clauses?
- Bonnie is wearing a new red hat.
- The puppy was cute, but we did not buy him.
- After the wreck, he bought a new car.
These examples illustrate independent clauses functioning on their own.
What are the four criteria that characterize an English sentence?
- Capitalization of the first letter
- Terminal punctuation at the end
- At least one independent (main) clause
- Expression of a complete thought
These criteria are essential for a sentence to be considered complete.
What is a simple sentence?
One independent (main) clause
Example: The kitten was white.
What is a compound sentence?
Two or more independent (main) clauses
Examples include: The puppy was cute, but we did not buy it.
What is a complex sentence?
One independent (main) clause and one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses
Example: We did not buy the puppy because we had no money.
What is a compound-complex sentence?
Two or more independent (main) clauses and one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses
Example: The puppy was cute, but we did not buy it because we had no money.
