Independent and subordinate clauses with examples An extended section of subordinate clauses has been added Practices with answer key Simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences paragraphs with focussed examples are provided to help understand the meanaing in context

1. Independent and
Subordinate Clauses
by Meibis González V.

2. Identify and Classify Clauses
• 1. Emily Dickinson appeared to have a fairly normal life until she became a recluse
in her family's home. IC, DC
• 2. There she wrote poems that critics now call “great American poetry.”
• 3. Unfortunately, only a few of Dickinson´s poems were published while she was
alive.
• 4. After she died in 1886, her other poems were published.
• 5. My teacher, Mrs. Brooks, thinks that everyone should read at least some of
Dickinson´s poetry.

3. Identify and Classify Clauses
• 6. Emily Dickinson is a poet whose work I read often.
• 7. The poems I have just finished reading are “A Narrow Fellow in the
Grass” and “Apparently with No Surprise.”
• 8. Dickinson´s imagery in “Apparently with No Surprise” is what impresses
me most.
• 9. I read her poems aloud, so that I can listen to their rhythms.
• 10. Whatever I read by Emily Dickinson inspires me.

4. Which clauses are dependent? Which are
independent?
• To get to Alaska, we drove along the Alaska Highway, which goes through
the Yukon Territory in Canada. Since this highway is 1.397 miles long, most
tourists choose to fly to Alaska. However, by driving, we were able to take
pictures of whatever caught our attention along the way. At a rest stop, I
thought that I heard some small animals rustling in the brush, and I grabbed
my camera. What I saw disappearing into the bushes certainly surprised me;
it was an enormous moose and her calf.

5. Read the text below
• (1) To get to Alaska, we drove along the Alaska Highway, which goes
through the Yukon Territory in Canada. (2) Since this highway is 1.397 miles
long, most tourists choose to fly to Alaska. (3) However, by driving, we were
able to take pictures of whatever caught our attention along the way. (4) At a
rest stop, I thought that I heard some small animals rustling in the brush, and
I grabbed my camera. (5) What I saw disappearing into the bushes certainly
surprised me; it was an enormous moose and her calf.

6. Classifying Sentences according to Structure
: Simple, Compound, Complex and Compound
Complex
• Since the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1923, senators have
been chosen by popular elections in their states. Unlike presidents, senators
are elected to six-year terms, and they can be reelected any number of times.
To be eligible for the Senate, a person must have been a United States citizen
for at least nine years in the state that he or she would like to represent. One
important job that senators have is to introduce bills in the Senate. Senators
are also responsible for approving or rejecting certain presidential
appointments, such as those of federal judges and ambassadors.

7. Identifying Independent and Subordinate Clauses
(1) Baseball is a game that depends heavily on good eye-sight.(2) For this reason, until
recently, playing the great American game has been something that people with visual
impairments could not hope to do. At least, it was true until an engineer named Charley
Fairbanks invented beep base-ball. (4) In this version of baseball, the ball beeps and the
bases buzz, so that visually impaired players can tell when to swing and where to run.
(5) Each team has a sighted pitcher and a sighted catcher, who never get a turn at bat,
and six visually impaired fielders who wear blindfolds, so that all players are equally
impaired.

8. • (6) The pitcher shouts “Ready!” before the ball is pitched and “Pitch!” when
the ball is released. (7) When the bat strikes the ball, the umpire activates the
buzzer in one of the two bases, which the batter must then run to. (8)When a
team is on defense, the pitcher and the catcher cannot field the batted ball
themselves; they can only shout directions to help the fielders. (9) Beep
baseball is fun to play, and its challenges create a bond between sighted and
visually impaired players. (10) Sighted persons who put on blindfolds and
join in come away from a game with a new respect for the abilities of their
teammates.

9. Uses of Subordinate Clauses
The Adjective Clause
Relative Pronoun
The Adverb Clause
Subordinating Conjunction
The Noun Clause
Subordinating Conjunction

10. The Adjective Clause
• An adjective clause is a subordinate clause used as an adjective to modify a noun
or a pronoun.
• Adjective clauses are often introduced by relative pronouns. Those relative
pronouns introduce the adjective clause and relate it to another word in the
sentence (noun or pronoun). Occasionally, a relative adverb introduces an
adjective clause.
• The relative pronoun has a function in the adjective clause.
Relative Pronouns: Who, whom, whose, which, that
Relative Adverb: Where, When

11. Adjective Clause
Find the adjective clauses: hint (look at the red words they modify)
Cartoonists use a variety of unusual names for the symbols that commonly
appear in funnies. For example, a briffit is the little pub of dust hanging in the
spot where a swiftly departing character had just been standing. For times
when cartoonists want to make something appear hot or smelly, they use wavy,
rising lines called waftaroms. Agitrons are the wiggly lines around object that
is supposed to be shaking. The arm of a character who is taking a swing at
something is usually trailed by a set of curved lines called a swalloop. Plewds,
which look like flying droplets of sweat, are drawn around the head of a
worried character. In fact, there are very few motions or emotions for which
cartoonists have not invented a clever, expressive symbol. Almost everyone
who liked to doodle and draw has used some of these symbols probably
without knowing the words for them.

12. • Look at the example cartoon, where you will find the names of some other common
symbols from the world of cartooning. Now you know a “language” (that) almost
nobody outside the cartooning profession knows!

13. Adjective Clause
Cartoonists use a variety of unusual names for the symbols that commonly
appear in funnies. For example, a briffit is the little pub of dust hanging in the
spot where a swiftly departing character had just been standing. For times
when cartoonists want to make something appear hot or smelly, they use wavy,
rising lines called waftaroms. Agitrons are the wiggly lines around an object that
is supposed to be shaking. The arm of a character who is taking a swing at
something is usually trailed by a set of curved lines called a swalloop. Plewds,
which look like flying droplets of sweat, are drawn around the head of a worried
character. In fact, there are very few motions or emotions for which cartoonists
have not invented a clever, expressive symbol. Almost everyone who liked to
doodle and draw has used some of these symbols probably without knowing the
words for them.

14. • Look at the example cartoon, where you will find the names of some
other common symbols from the world of cartooning. Now you know
a “language” (that) almost nobody outside the cartooning profession
knows!

15. The Adverb Clause
• An adverb clause is a subordinate or dependent clause that modifies a
verb, an adjective or an adverb.
• It tells how, when, where, why, how much, to what extend, or under
what condition the action of the main verb takes place.
• Adverb clauses are usually introduced by subordinating conjunctions.
• Introductory adverb clauses are usually set off by commas.

16. Subordinating Conjunctions
• After before so that whenever
• Although even though than where
• As if though wherever
• As if in order that unless whether
• As long as once until while
• Because since when
• Note: after, before, since, until, may be also used as prepositions.

17. Identifying and Classifying Adverb Clauses
• If you look through newspapers from the first half of this century, you
will see many pictures of Mohandas K. Gandhi. This man led India to
independence from Britain, and he took his spinning well wherever he
went. He did so because he viewed spinning as a symbol of the peaceful,
native Indian lifestyle. He also hoped to encourage the Indian people to
make their own clothes, so that they would not have to depend on British
industry. Although he used only nonviolent methods, Gandhi fought hard
for India´s independence.

18. Identifying and Classifying Adverb Clauses
• Sometimes he led marches or fasted until the government met his
requests. As India´s Congress and people increasingly supported
Gandhi´s nonviolent program, the British government was forced to
listen. Gandhi was certainly prepared to represent India as a diplomat
because he had studied law in London before he became involved in
India´s freedom movement. After independence was assured, Gandhi
turned his attention to helping India´s many poor people. Because he
was loved throughout India and the world, Gandhi was called Mahatma,
meaning “Great Soul.”

19. Identifying and Classifying Adverb Clauses
Sometimes he led marches or fasted (6) until the government met his
requests. (7) As India´s Congress and people increasingly supported
Gandhi´s nonviolent program, the British government was forced to
listen. Gandhi was certainly prepared to represent India as a diplomat (8)
because he had studied law in London (9) before he became involved in
India´s freedom movement. (10) After independence was assured, Gandhi
turned his attention to helping India´s many poor people. (11) Because he
was loved throughout India and the world, Gandhi was called Mahatma,
meaning “Great Soul.”

20. Identifying and Classifying Adverb Clauses
• (1) If you look through newspapers from the first half of this century, you
will see many pictures of Mohandas K. Gandhi. This man led India to
independence from Britain, and he took his spinning well (2) wherever he
went. He did so (3) because he viewed spinning as a symbol of the
peaceful, native Indian lifestyle. He also hoped to encourage the Indian
people to make their own clothes (4) so that they would not have to
depend on British industry. (5) Although he used only nonviolent
methods, Gandhi fought hard for Gandhi fought had for India´s
independence.
1 Condition

21. Classifying the previous
Adverb Clauses
• 1. Condition 6. Extend
• 2. Where 7. Condition
• 3. Why 8. Why
• 4. Why 9. When
• 5. Condition 10. When
11. Why

22. Building Sentences that have Adverb Clauses
• Mom usually plays the piano
• She plays sonatas
• I am hungry
• The cat gets out attention
Before we eat dinner, mom usually plays
the piano.
She plays sonatas because she likes the rhythm.
Although dinner is over, I am hungry
Whenever she meows loudly, she
gets out attention.

23. The Noun Clause
• A noun clause is a subordinate clause used as a noun.
• It may be used as a subject, a complement or the object of preposition.
Examples:
As Subject: “What Mary did was brave.
As Complement: The winner will be “whoever runs fastest.”
She finally discovered “what the answer was.”
The clerk should tell “whoever calls” the sales prices.
As objects of prepositions: He checks the ID cards of “whoever visits.”

24. Tip about Noun Clauses
• Words that usually introduce noun clauses are:

25. Identify the Noun Clause and Classify its function
What surprised me first were the yellowish green fire engines. I had
thought that fire engines were always red. Our neighbors explained
that the odd color kept the fire engines from being confused with
other large red trucks. My sister Michelle got a surprise at the
bowling alley. The small grapefruit-sized bowing balls with no holes
were not what she was used to!

26. Identify the Noun Clause and Classify its function
(1) What surprised me first were the yellowish green fire engines.
I had thought (2)that fire engines were always red. Our
neighbors explained (3) that the odd color kept the fire engines
from being confused with other large red trucks. My sister
Michelle got a surprise at the bowling alley. The small grapefruit-
sized bowing balls with no holes were not (4) what she was used
to!

27. Continued…
Whoever can knock down the pins with one of those bowling balls
must be an expert We learned that this sport is called candlepin
bowling. Later on, I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious baked
beans. They should give whoever invented Boston baked beans and
award. Now, after we have lived in New England for a year, both
Michelle and I are happy in our new home.

28. Continued…
(5) Whoever can knock down the pins with one of those
bowling balls must be an expert We learned (6)that this sport is
called candlepin bowling. Later on, I was pleasantly surprised by
the delicious baked beans. They should give whoever invented
Boston baked beans and award. Now, after we have lived in New
England for a year, both Michelle and I are happy in our new home.

29. Functions of the Previous Noun Clauses
• 1. Noun clause used as subject of the sentence
• 2 Noun clause used as complement
• 3. Noun clause used as complement
• 4. Noun clause used a complement
• 5. Noun clause used as subject of the sentence
• 6. Noun clause used as complement
• 7. Noun clause used a complement

30. Bibliography
• Kinneavy James and Warriner John. (1993). Elements of Writing. Hol,
Rinehart and Winston, Inc.