IndependentClauses

Independentanddependentclausesarethebuildingblocksofsentences.Asingle
independentclausecanbeasentence,byitself.However,dependentclausesareused
tomakesentencesmorecompleteandmoreinteresting.Usingconjunctionsand
properpunctuation,dependentandindependentclausescanbejoinedtogetherto
createinterestingandcomplexcompoundsentencesthatarefunandengagingtoread.
IndependentClauseDefined
Anindependentclauseisaclausethatcanstandonitsown,byitself.Itdoesnotneed
tobejoinedtoanyotherclauses,becauseitcontainsalltheinformationnecessaryto
beacompletesentences.
Independentclauseshavethreecomponents:
1

Theyhaveasubjecttheytellthereaderwhatthesentenceisabout.

Theyhaveanactionorpredicatetheytellthereaderwhatthesubjectisdoing.

Theyexpressacompletethoughtsomethinghappenedorwassaid.
Anindependentclausecanbeassimpleasasubjectandaverb:

Jimreads.
Jimisthesubject.Readsistheactionorverb.Acompletethoughtwasexpressed
somethingwassaid,andthereadernowknowsthatJimlikestoread.
Independentclausescanalsobejoinedtootherindependentclauses,ifthe
independentclausesarerelated.However,theyMUSTbejoinedusingtheproper
punctuation.

Jimreadabook;hereallyenjoyedthebook.
Thefirstclauseisanindependentclause.Jimisthesubject,readistheaction,bookis
theobject.
Thesecondclauseisanindependentclause.Heisthesubject,enjoyedistheaction
andthebookistheobject.
Theindependentclausesarerelated,sotheycanbejoinedtocreateacomplex
sentence.Theyarecorrectlyjoinedbyasemicolon.

Jimreadabook,hereallyenjoyedthebook.
Again,wehavetwoindependentclauses,buttheindependentclausesarenotjoined

properly.Whentwoindependentclausesarejoinedonlybeacomma,itisa
grammaticalerrorcalledacommasplice.
Independentclausescanbequitecomplex,buttheimportantthingtorememberisthat
theystandontheirownandmakesensealone.
Formoreexamplesofindependentclauses,checkoutExamplesofIndependent
Clauses.
ExamplesofIndependentClauses
Anindependentclauseisagroupofwordswithasubjectandapredicate.Itexpresses
acompletethoughtandcanstandaloneasasentence.
IndependentClauseExamples

Ienjoysittingbythefireplaceandreading.

Waitingtohavemycarsoilchangedisboring.

Shewantstotraveltheworldandseewonderfulsights.

Ourplanetsrevolvearoundthesun.

Theprofessoralwayscomestoclassfullyprepared.

Hurricanesstrengthenoverwarmwaters.

Itisgoodtotacklethehardestchoresfirst.

Meredithfixedtheleakyfaucetallbyherself.

Thesopranosangtheariaperfectly.

Cheetahsarethefastestlandanimals.

Hikingandbikingaremyfavoritesummertimeactivities.

Itisveryimportanttobrushyourteethtwiceaday.

Wecanhardlywaittoseethemovie.

Thisfallstelevisionlineupislackingindiversity.

ThebrandnewItalianrestaurantisbeautifullydecorated.

Thereisalotofapathyconcerningtheupcomingelection.

Andrewdecidedtobuyasundaeinsteadofadoublescoopcone.

Joanteachesscienceandalgebraatthecommunitycollege.

Thesquirrelsarebusystoringnutsforthewinter.

Iliketoswimlapstostayinshape.

PeterandElainecouldnotdecideiftheywantedtoelopeorhaveabig
wedding.

Theteamperseveredandfinallybrokethetie.

TheAlpsinSwitzerlandarebreathtaking.

ExamplesofIndependentClausesJoinedTogether
Hereareexamplesoftwoindependentclausestogetherinonesentencejoinedbya
commaand/oracoordinatingconjunction:

Thebeachisalotoffun,butthemountainsareevenbetter.

Allofuswenttothemovie,andweagreeditwasenjoyable.

Iwenttothemall,butforgottogetsocks.

Hewenttotheparkandtheridewasbroken.

Ireallywantedpotatosoup,buttheyonlyofferedclamchowderandchicken
noodle.

TodayisThursdayandthetestisFriday.

Shenotonlyboughttwodressesbutshegotmatchingshoes.

Ireallywanttoseethegame,butthestoreishavingahugesale.

Sheinterviewedforthreejobs,butshereallywantstoworkhere.

Wealllookedverytired,forwehadstayedupallnightcrammingforthe
final.

IndependentClausesinSentenceswithSemicolons
Hereareexamplesoftwoindependentclausesjoinedbyasemicolon:

IwenttotheDepartmentofMotorvehicles;Itookthewrittentest.

Monicabroughtthedrinks;Frankbroughtthemaindish.

Thisisoneofmyfavoritebooks;PrideandPrejudiceisanotherfavorite.

Mylittlebrotherrefusestogotobedearly;heisafraidhewillmiss
something.

Thebridgeisnarrow;theriveriswide.

Heisgoingtothecabin;heintendstostaythereallweekend.

Duringtheirhike,theynoticedastormmovingin;theydecidedtoturnback.

Therewasastrongwindatthebeach;wemanagedtohaveagoodtime
anyway.

Iwasveryhappy;Ihadpizzaandicecream.

Someauthorsprefertouseawordprocessor;otherswriteusingpenandpaper.