Sentence Structure intermediate medium
A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb.
Sentence Structure — How sentences are built and transformed.
1. Independent (main) clause: can stand alone — I was tired. 2. Dependent (subordinate) clause: cannot stand alone — because I worked late. 3. Dependent clauses begin with subordinators: because, although, when, if, who, which, that. 4. A sentence needs at least one independent clause.
A clause always has a subject and a finite verb; a phrase does not. "After the rain" (phrase) vs "after the rain stopped" (clause).
हिंदी में
उपवाक्य में कर्ता और क्रिया दोनों होते हैं। मुख्य उपवाक्य अकेला खड़ा हो सकता है, आश्रित उपवाक्य नहीं।
Q1. Which of these is an independent clause?
Answer: she sings well
💡 An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
Q2. A clause that can stand alone as a sentence is called an ___ clause.
Answer: independent
💡 An independent (main) clause expresses a complete thought by itself.
Q3. Identify the independent clause in 'When the bell rang, the students left.'
Answer: the students left
💡 'The students left' can stand alone; 'when the bell rang' cannot.
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Open Clause lesson → Free practice — Sign up| Topic | Level | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Subject & Predicate | beginner | Every sentence splits into subject and predicate. |
| Subject-Verb Agreement | elementary | The verb must agree with its subject in number and person. |
| Objects | elementary | Direct and indirect objects receive the action of the verb. |
| Complements | elementary | Subject and object complements complete the meaning of the sentence. |
| Phrase | elementary | A phrase is a group of words without a subject-verb unit. |
| Sentence Types | elementary | Sentences are classified by function: statement, question, command, exclamation. |
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