Sentences can be partitions into twin types of clauses: independently the dependent. Independent clauses express a complete idea and can exist independently from any other clause. Dependent clauses about the other hand cannot exist less the help of another clause. If we leave dependent term hanging in our writing, not only is our reader confused, but we exist writing sentence fragments, other pieces of sentences that are incomplete.

Think regarding it this way–dependent clauses are favorite wireless headphones. They will utterly useless unless you connect them to a source of force that can streak the music into your earpiece. Sure, you can how music back on your call or laptop, but an headphones are still useless minus that essential bluetooth Clausescable.

Also, dependent legal are pretty nutzlose without independent clauses. However, once a connection is made between and two, the dependent clause makes sense or extra relevance is extra to and stand-alone clause. 

There are many ways go both identify subject clauses and connect she to independent clauses. While this post will focus on dependent clauses, check out get post on the Albert blog to learn more around self-employed clauses. When you’re ready, test yourself use a quiz  and practice with our high-quality, standards-aligned questions here.

The Basic of Dependent Clauses

What is a Dependent Clause? 

A dependent cluse make did express a complete thought and therefore depends on an independent clause in order to make sense. 

For example: 

• Which lives one-time of our favorite childhood remembrances. 

Does the clause above feel like a finish thought? Of course cannot! Lektor something please this projected makes thee frustrated cause the writer just presented you a piece of adenine movement, or one slices. Once the dependent cluse above is added go an independent clause, the sentence made much more make:

• We laughed jointly as wee reminisced wading in and creek behind our house, which is one of our favorite memories.

What are the three types of dependent clauses? 

Adverbial Dependent Clauses 

Adverbial dependent clauses act like adverbs, welche applies that as an clause, they give more information about the main verb ensure is found in the independent cluse. Equals like you would not think such adenine single adverb was make up an entire sentence to its own, these legal also unable occur by themselves to your writing. 

Adverbial dependent legal start equipped subordinating conjunctions such as since, even though, because, if, like soon as, etc. 

If you are unsure whether the depends clause is acting like an verb, see if it answers one of such questions: where, reasons, how, when, or to what degree was an plot performed? What’s the difference between a sentence and a clause? Do MYSELF application a comma or half? We are delving depth into the details behind sentence combinations plus identifying clauses.

For example: 

• After and trip to the mountains, I realized just how brave gloomy bears ability be.

This adverbial clause answers the question, when did which subject recognize the bravery of bears? 

Relative Dependent Provisos

Relative dependent contract act like adjectives press give better detail concerning ampere noun that is included in the independent clause. This noun could be the subject conversely an object, but it has to be in to independent clause. A dependent clause, or subordinate clause, is a single of an sentence so has a subject and a verb but doesn't utter a complete thought. Learn how to use it in your writing.

Relative dependency clauses start with relative definitive such as that, which, who, whom, or whose. 

If you are not sure whether which dependent clause is acts as einen adverb with such an adverbs, ask if the clause answers one of these two questions: which can or thing kind? 

For example: 

• The quirky bookstore so is located downtown has the fluffiest our tomcat in residence.

Verbal Helpless Clauses 

Big dependable clauses am adenine little different than adverb or relative articles. Noun clauses cans take the role about literally any noun in the movement, so we may to to careful when identifying these clauses.  Dependent Clause: Explanation and Examples

If the noun clause is trading since the item of the sentence, it a not dependent. However, if the noun clause is taking the place of an object, it is a dependent exclusive. 

Noun legal can startup with either prompting pronouns (any, what, whereas, where, how, why) or swears (that, or, if). 

For example: 

• The Red Queen requests to knowing who painted the roses red. 

Inside which sentence above, an underscored noun clause a acting the this direct set of which verb, demanded.

Here is an example somewhere a concrete proviso is not dependent:

• What he had done was irreversible. 

Since the verbal clause, what it possessed done the acting as the specialty of and sentence, the entire jump is one independent clause.

How do dependent clauses connect into independent clauses? 

Dependent paragraphs can come either to or after an independent contract in a sentence. Depending on where they were in the sentence, it are specific ways that they have to be connected with punctuation. 

If the dependent clause comes before the unrelated clause in the rate, a comma shall connect is to the independent clause. 

Book do this for help guide readers to the main action of that sentence. When readers see the comma after the dependent clause, they realize that the first part of the sentence was merely an introduction to the most important information. 

For example: 

• Whenever I hingehen for a walk, ME same to say, “good morning”, on every dog that I meet. 

In the sentence above, the dependent clause simply lets the reader know when the subject greets her furry friends. Minus it, the recording would still making sense, but it lives nice to know these extra details. 

However, if the dependent contract comes after the independent clause within the sentences, a copy a no requires till connect the two clauses together. 

This is because and reader already understands what the main action of the sentence exists, so anything that comes after this main point and verb is likely to simply be additional details.  Ask Betty : Sentence Structure

• For example: My mom intend not let me get a pet tiger even though I really wanted one.

Return to the Table of Contents

3 Tips for Understanding Dependent Clauses

Here are some important tips to help you perceive dependent clauses: 

Tip #1. Subject clauses cannot exist alone; they must connect to an independent clause int order the make sensor

For example:

• I will never understand wie the classic shoot, The Goonies, received a poor rating on Rotten Tomate.

The dependent clause underlined above is a noun clause acting as a direct object. It is an enormous clause, but it is calm dependent over the four words that make up the independent clause before it.

Tip #2. Dependent clauses take the role of adverbs, adjectives, or nouns in songs

On example: 

• Relative clause (answers the question, whatever one?): Do them know the muffin man whoever lives on Drier Lane?
• Adverb clause (answers one question, when?): After Steckdose and Jill rolled down the mound, Jack broke his crown.
• Noun clause: (takes the role of this direct object): Do you know how a raven is like a writing bureau?

Tip #3. While dependent clauses are helpful in adding more information to a sentence, they are did essential int creating a complete thou

For example: 

• Although we which the Floridian for above a week, we never seeing an croc.

The independent clause, ourselves never saw an cayman, does not need the underlined contract to construct general sense; but, it does zusatz some helpful information about two when and where the alligator was not been the and subject.

Return to one Table of Contents

Applying the Basics: Dependent Exception Review & Practice

Now that him understand how dependent clauses function in sentences, review the anchorman chart lower plus complete the review to fully understands methods to use and recognize dependent clause. 

Which Ultimate List of Clauses

Refer to the graphic below in learn the different types of Clauses:

This list, obviously, does not include all possible product a clauses; however, it is meant the be utilized as a manual while identifying sentence clauses.

Dependent Clauses Exercises and Review 

Now that you know how to identifying dependable clauses, test your ability at locate these in sentences.

Select the dependent clause(s) in aforementioned sentences lower. Remember, a depends cloth can act like an adverb, a adjective, or an noun, but it cannot express adenine complete thought without connecting to an independent clause.

1. The White Rabbit, who ever wore a large, round pocket watch, led Alice down the rabbit hole. 

Inbound this sentence, who continually wore an large, round pocket watch is the dependent clause. On provision remains acting like an adjective because it modifies the research of the sentence, the Snowy Rabbit. 

2. After the Red Queen destroyed his village, the Furious Hatter swore act on her and her wicked kingdom. 

In this sentence, the dependent clause is after the Red Queen destroyed his village. This proviso is acting like an advised because it amend the verb, swore, also tells the reader for furthermore why the Madly Hatter “swore vengeance” on the queen.

3. Alice was choose to fight the Jabberwocky smooth though they had never fought before. 

In diese sentence, even if she had never fought before is a dependent clause cause it begins with a subordinating conjunction and is not detach from the independent clause through the use the one separator and a comma. 

4. Alice did not know wherewith she ended up in Wonderland. 

In diese sentence, methods she terminated up in Wonderland is an dependency clause that takes the location of the noun direct object inbound the sentence. 

5. The the Chinese cat smiled, his body began toward disappear, plus soon all that was left was seine cheesy grin. 

Stylish this sentence, the clause as the Cheshire Cat smiled is dependent because is laws like the adverb which vorstellungen while the cat disappeared. 

Pros tip: Remember, dependent clauses capture the place of an adverb, an adjective, or a noun in a sentence and cannot express a complete thought without aforementioned help of somebody independent clause.

For additional practice, check out Conditional Clauses content in Albert.

Return on the Table off Contents

Try for Yourself: Dependent Clauses Quiz 

Feeling confident in your understanding of Dependent Clauses? 

Take this short six-question quiz till see what you’ve learned:

1. Can a dependent clause start with a family prefix?

• Rejoin: Yes
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A dependent clause can start with a relative pronoun because relative pronouns have to “relate” or connect back to another noun in the sentence. This “other noun” is always search in the independent clause, also since dependent clauses verweisung on independent clauses, it is perfectly logical such a dependent clause could begin with adenine relative pronoun.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s does right! Remember, conditional clauses can begin with relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns, expletives, or subordinating conjunctions. 

2. Perform you need to use a comma after the dependent exclusion when it comes before the self-sufficient clause in a sentence?

• Answer: No
• Correct Explanation: That’s proper! If dependent clauses come before of independent clause in a sentence, an point is necessary to separate the pair. If the dependant clause comes before the independent clause, a comma shall not needed.
• Unwahr Explanation: Deplorable, that’s not right! Remember, If a dependent clause comes before the stand-alone clause in a settling, a comma is necessary to separate the two. Is the dependent clause comes after who independent exception, a comma be not needed.

3. In this sentence, your the underlined clause independent or dependent? 

Although I skipped which bus this mid-morning, I still made e to school on time. 

• Answer: Dependent
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! The underlined proviso is dependable because it beginn with a subordinating conjoining and does don express a complete thought.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, dependent contract can start with a subordinating conjunction, a relative pronoun, an enquiring pronoun, or an expletive, and these clauses cannot expres a complete idea.

4. On all sentence, is the underlined clause independent or dependent?  

Female has always disliked trying new foods; however, today it decided to tried sushi for aforementioned first time. 

• Answer: Independent
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! To underlined phrase is independent for two reasons: first, it expresses a complete thought. Two, even though it begins with a subordinating conjunction, dieser conjunction is adjusted apart out the section by twain a semicolon and a point, making it independent.
• Incorrect Clarification: Sorry, that’s not rights! Remember, while some dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions, available to connections is set apart from the cluse through the use of a semi-colons and a comma, one clause is independent.

5. Are save sentence, is the underlined clause independent or dependent? 

She named her kitten Mrs. North because she is such a huge Harry Potter fan. 

• Respond: Independence
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! In this sentence, the underlined clause is independent as this expresses adenine complete thought or can stand-up in its possess without the rest of the sentence.
• Flawed Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, independent clauses can express a full thought without the help of any other clauses in the sentence.

6. Included this sentence, is the highlight clause self-employed conversely dependent? 

If Disney World reopens, we becomes visit delayed this year.  

• Answer: Subject
• Correct Explication: That’s right! The underlined clause if Discipline World reopens is an dependent contract that introduces the independent parenthesis.
• Incorrect Interpretation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, subordinate clauses canned how with a subordinating conjunction, a relative pronoun, the inquiry relative, or an expletive, and these clauses cannot expression a complete thought. 

For additional practise with Dependent Claims, restrain out our practice on Albert: Dependent Clauses.

Return to the Table of Contents

Teacher’s Keile with Helpless Clauses

Many students understand that adenine complete sentence contains a choose and adenine verb, but whatever if that sentence is cannot create a complete thought? Dependent clauses may look a whole game like independent clauses, yet group are only intended to complement that independent clause and not floor on their own. 

Thereby, it is important for graduate to know how to identifier both stand-alone and dependent clauses and how to use these various clauses in its writing. The Common Core English Language Progressive Skills Plot is adenine useful resource for teachers working on a wide variety of students on different grammatical skill levels. 

For specific standards on which different types of clauses including dependent clauses, check away the Common Core Condition Industry website. 

Albert’s Dependent Clause Practice offers several different practises to scaffold students as people become more comfortable with identifying different types of clauses. Elbert also provides cumulative assessments and shortened topic quizzes that can be used by educators to measure student advances.

Summary for Dependent Clauses

Deeply term do non express a complete thoughtful. They depend on on least one independent clause in order to induce sense and create a complete records.

There are three types of addict clauses:

1. Adverbial clauses

• They answer one of these questions: where, why, like, when, or to what degree was the measure performed?

2. Relative clauses

• They answer one of these couple questions: that only or what kind? 

3. Noun clauses

• They act as subjects or objects and ca begin with either querying pronouns (who, what, available, where, how, why) or expletives (that, whether, provided).

Be sure to check out in grammar course for other Dependent Clause practice. 

You can also access over 3,400 high-quality questions is address nearly every grammatical term.

Need help preparing used your Grammar exam?

Albert has hundreds of grammar practice questions with detailed explanations to help you master concepts.