An independent clause (or main clause) is a
clause
In language, a clause is a constituent that comprises a semantic predicand (expressed or not) and a semantic predicate. A typical clause consists of a subject and a syntactic predicate, the latter typically a verb phrase composed of a verb with ...
that can stand by itself as a ''
simple sentence''. An independent clause contains a
subject
Subject ( la, subiectus "lying beneath") may refer to:
Philosophy
*''Hypokeimenon'', or ''subiectum'', in metaphysics, the "internal", non-objective being of a thing
**Subject (philosophy), a being that has subjective experiences, subjective cons ...
and a
predicate and makes sense by itself.
Independent clauses can be joined by using a semicolon or by using a comma followed by a
coordinating conjunction (''and'', ''but'', ''for'', ''or'', ''nor'', ''so'', ''yet'', etc.).
Examples
In the following example
sentences, independent clauses are
underlined, and conjunctions are in bold.
Single independent clauses:
*
I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone.
*
My favourite flavour is chocolate.
*
Let's go to the shop.
Multiple independent clauses:
*
I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone;
my favourite flavour is chocolate.
*
I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone, so
let's go to the shop.
See also
*
Comma splice
*
Conditional sentence
*
Dependent clause
A subordinate clause, dependent clause, subclause, or embedded clause is a clause that is embedded within a complex sentence. For instance, in the English sentence "I know that Bette is a dolphin", the clause "that Bette is a dolphin" occurs as t ...
*
Relative clause
*
Run-on sentence
*
Sentence clause structure
References
*
External links
Clauses: Independent The Tongue Untied
Online Writing Lab
Independent & Dependent Clauses My Schoolhouse
Clauses
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