Clauses-And-Phrases-PUBLISHED-Fall-2017.Pdf
The Learning Hub Clauses & Phrases Writing Handout Series Grammar, Mechanics, & Style When constructing sentences, writers will use different building blocks of clauses and phrases to construct varied sentences. This handout will review how those phrases and clauses are constructed and where they can be placed in a sentence. Clauses Dependent Clauses A dependent clause has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete idea and cannot stand alone as a simple sentence. The two clauses below do not express a complete idea because of the subordinator at the beginning of the clause. Subordinators are words that commonly used to make independent clauses dependent clauses that help a writer connect ideas together and explain the relationship between clauses. Common subordinators like after, although, because, before, once, since, though, unless, until, when, where, and while come at the beginning of the clause. Subordinator Verb Since it is going to rain soon Subject Common Subordinators After Before Since When Although Even though Then Where As Even if Though Whether Because If Until While Independent Clauses An independent clause has a subject and a verb, expresses a complete idea, and is a complete sentence. The soccer game was cancelled Subject Verb Independent clauses are also referred to as simple sentences or complete sentences. Combining Clauses When combining independent and dependent clauses, there is a simple rule to remember. If the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, there must be a comma that separates the two clauses. If the dependent clause comes after the independent clause, then no comma is needed.
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