Identify dependent and independent clauses: set 1

Learning Objectives Define a clause, a subject, and a verb. Define an independent clause as a complete thought. Define a dependent clause as an incomplete thought. Identify the subject and verb in a simple clause. Differentiate between a complete thought (independent clause) and an incomplete thought (dependent clause). Identify an independent clause within a sentence. Identify a dependent clause that begins with a common starter word (e.g., because, when, after). Have you ever built with LEGOs? 🧱 Some LEGO creations can stand all by themselves, while other pieces need to connect to something bigger to make sense! Just like LEGOs, sentences are built from parts called clauses. Today, we will learn about two types of clauses: independent clauses that can stand alone, and...

TermDefinitionExample ClauseA group of words that has both a subject and a verb.the dog barked SubjectThe person, place, or thing that is doing the action in a clause. It's who or what the clause is about.In the clause 'the dog barked,' the subject is 'the dog'. VerbThe action word in a clause. It tells you what the subject is doing.In the clause 'the dog barked,' the verb is 'barked'. Independent ClauseA clause that expresses a complete thought and can be a sentence all by itself. It's a 'strong' clause that can stand alone.We played outside. Dependent ClauseA clause that does NOT express a complete thought and cannot be a sentence by itself. It 'depends' on an independent clause to make sense.After the rain stopped......

The Stand-Alone Test Independent Clause = Complete Thought. Dependent Clause = Incomplete Thought. Read the clause out loud by itself. If it sounds like a complete sentence, it's independent. If it leaves you wondering '...what happened next?', it's dependent. The Subject + Verb Rule Every clause MUST have a subject and a verb. Before you decide if a clause is dependent or independent, first make sure it's a clause at all! Look for the subject (who or what) and the verb (the action). The Starter Word Clue Dependent clauses often begin with a 'starter word' (subordinating conjunction). If you see a word like 'because', 'when', 'since', 'if', or 'after' at the beginning of a clause, it...