Clauses include both subjects and verbs that work together as a single unit. When they form stand-alone sentences, they’re called independent clauses. An independent clause can stand alone or can be used with other clauses and phrases. A dependent clause also includes both a subject and a verb, but it must combine with an independent clause to form a complete sentence.
| Types of Dependent Clauses | Descriptions | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Adverb clause | Serves as an adverb; tells when, how, why, where, under what condition, to what degree, how often, or how much | To avoid sunburn, she plastered her body with sunscreen. |
| Noun clause | Serves as a noun when attached to a verb | That she would win the race seemed quite likely. |
| She thought that she would win the race. | ||
| Adjective clause (also called a relative clause) | Begins with a relative pronoun (that, who, whom, whose, which) or a relative adverb (when, where, why); functions as an adjective; attaches to a noun; has both a subject and a verb; tells what kind, how many, or which one | The day that he lost his watch was an unlucky day.* |
| The house where they lived is gone. | ||
| Appositive clause | Functions as an appositive by restating a noun or noun-related verb in clause form; begins with that; typical nouns involved include possibilities such as assumption, belief, conviction, idea, knowledge, and theory | The idea that Josie will someday be taller than me is crazy. |
| *In some instances, the relative pronoun or adverb can be implied (e.g., “The day he lost his watch was an unlucky day”). | ||
Phrases are groups of words that work together as a single unit but do not have a subject or a verb. English includes five basic kinds of phrases.
| Types of Phrases | Descriptions | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun phrase | Multiple words serving as a noun | Darcy ate a ham sandwich. |
| Verb phrase | Used as the verb in sentences that are in the progressive and perfect tenses | The class should have started a half-hour earlier. |
| Prepositional phrase | Begins with a preposition (covered in more depth in Section 21.9 "Gerunds and Infinitives") | Work will be easier after the holiday rush. |
| Adjective phrase | Functions as an adjective; might include prepositional phrases and/or nouns | My brother is very tall and handsome. |
| Adverb phrase | Functions as an adverb; might include prepositional phrases and/or multiple adverbs | Let’s go walking after dinner. |
| Ignacia walked wearily and unsteadily. |
