Understanding the building blocks of sentences is crucial for clear and effective communication. At the heart of sentence construction lies the independent clause. But what is an independent clause and why is it so important? Let’s break down this fundamental grammatical concept.
An independent clause is essentially a complete sentence contained within a sentence. It’s defined by three key characteristics:
- Subject: It must have a subject – the noun or pronoun that performs the action or is described.
- Verb: It must have a verb – the action word or state of being.
- Complete Thought: Crucially, it must express a complete thought and be able to stand alone as a sentence.
Consider this example:
- The dog barked loudly.
Here, “dog” is the subject, “barked” is the verb, and the phrase expresses a complete thought. Therefore, “The dog barked loudly” is an independent clause. It’s a sentence in its own right.
In contrast, let’s look at a dependent clause. A dependent clause also contains a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete thought. It relies on an independent clause to complete its meaning. Dependent clauses often begin with dependent marker words (also known as subordinating conjunctions).
For example:
- Because the dog barked loudly…
While this phrase has a subject (“dog”) and a verb (“barked”), it doesn’t express a complete thought. We are left wondering, “Because the dog barked loudly, what?” This is a dependent clause, and it cannot stand alone as a sentence. Words like because, although, when, if, since, and while are common dependent marker words that turn clauses into dependent clauses.
To complete the thought and form a full sentence, we need to join the dependent clause with an independent clause:
- Because the dog barked loudly, the neighbors complained.
Here, “the neighbors complained” is the independent clause. It can stand alone as a sentence. Combined with the dependent clause “Because the dog barked loudly,” we have a complete and grammatically correct sentence.
Understanding the difference between independent and dependent clauses is essential for avoiding common sentence errors. Let’s explore how independent clauses function within sentences.
Connecting Independent Clauses
Independent clauses can be joined together to create longer, more complex sentences. There are several ways to connect independent clauses:
1. Coordinating Conjunctions:
These are words that connect words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank. The seven coordinating conjunctions are often remembered by the acronym FANBOYS:
- For
- And
- Nor
- But
- Or
- Yet
- So
When you use a coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses, you typically place a comma before the conjunction:
- Jim studied in the library for his exam, but it was still quite noisy.
In this sentence, “Jim studied in the library for his exam” and “it was still quite noisy” are both independent clauses. They are joined by the coordinating conjunction “but” with a comma preceding it.
2. Independent Marker Words (Conjunctive Adverbs):
These words also connect independent clauses, but they require a semicolon before them and are often followed by a comma. Common independent marker words include:
- however
- moreover
- therefore
- consequently
- furthermore
- nevertheless
- also
Here’s an example:
- Jim studied in the library for his exam; however, he still found it difficult to concentrate.
Again, we have two independent clauses joined together. This time, they are connected by the independent marker word “however,” preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
Connecting Dependent and Independent Clauses
Sentences can also be constructed by combining dependent and independent clauses. These are called complex sentences. The order of the clauses affects punctuation.
-
Dependent Clause First: When a dependent clause comes before an independent clause, you typically separate them with a comma.
- Whenever the teacher assigned homework, the students groaned.
-
Independent Clause First: When the independent clause comes first, no comma is usually needed to separate the clauses.
- The students groaned whenever the teacher assigned homework.
Common subordinating conjunctions (dependent marker words) that introduce dependent clauses include:
- after
- as
- before
- once
- since
- until
- while
- because
- if
- although
Common Errors to Avoid
Misunderstanding independent clauses can lead to several common writing errors:
1. Comma Splices:
A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined only by a comma. This is a common error that can be easily fixed.
- Incorrect: I enjoy reading, grammar is also fascinating.
- Correct: I enjoy reading; grammar is also fascinating. (Semicolon)
- Correct: I enjoy reading, and grammar is also fascinating. (Coordinating conjunction)
- Correct: I enjoy reading. Grammar is also fascinating. (Separate sentences)
- Correct: Because grammar is fascinating, I enjoy reading. (Subordinating conjunction, making one clause dependent)
2. Fused Sentences (Run-on Sentences):
Fused sentences happen when two independent clauses are joined together with no punctuation at all.
- Incorrect: My professor is an expert I learn so much from her.
- Correct: My professor is an expert; I learn so much from her. (Semicolon)
- Correct: My professor is an expert, and I learn so much from her. (Coordinating conjunction)
- Correct: My professor is an expert. I learn so much from her. (Separate sentences)
- Correct: Because my professor is an expert, I learn so much from her. (Subordinating conjunction)
3. Sentence Fragments:
Sentence fragments occur when a dependent clause or other incomplete thought is treated as a complete sentence.
- Incorrect: Because it was raining.
- Correct: Because it was raining, the game was canceled. (Joined with an independent clause)
- Correct: It was raining. (Made into an independent clause)
Conclusion
Mastering independent clauses is fundamental to writing grammatically sound and varied sentences. By understanding what constitutes an independent clause and how to connect them correctly, you can significantly improve the clarity and sophistication of your writing. Recognizing and correctly using independent clauses is a key step in avoiding common sentence errors and becoming a more confident and effective communicator.
