Pass Your CSET By Knowing Independent And Dependent Clauses
Thursday, March 11th, 2010For the CSET exam, you must learn what independent and dependent clauses are.
Another term for dependent clause is subordinate clause: which means the clause is subordinate to a different factor (the independent clause) and depends on that different element for its meaning.
A dependent clause is a clause which cannot exist by itself; it wants a primary (or independent) clause to go with it. For example:
Because it was raining, I took my umbrella.
This sentence accommodates two clauses, “Because it was raining” and “I took my umbrella”. The primary clause doesn’t mean anything on its own. Should you say “Because it was raining”, and nothing else, people will be unable to understand what you mean. However, “I took my umbrella” is an independent clause – we are able to perceive what it means even when it is alone.
The difference between an independent and dependent clause rests on the appearance of 1 word.
Dependent markers include phrases such as: as, after, before, until, once, since, while, when, whenever (relating to time), where, wherever (relating to place), although, though, despite,if, even if, even though, how, unless, whether, because, in order to, why, who, which, that (relative pronouns).
Take into account how the addition of one phrase changes the character of the clause:
The inspector uses a dye to disclose imperfections in the metal. (independent clause)
After the inspector uses a dye to disclose imperfections in the metal… (dependent clause)
Until the inspector makes use of a dye to reveal imperfections within the metal… (dependent clause)
Just the first example is an independent clause and a complete sentence. By adding a dependent marker such as “after” or “until,” we turn the last two examples into dependent clauses. And since those examples are dependent, they cannot be full sentences.
Once more, a dependent clause can’t constitute a complete sentence by itself. Because a dependent clause alone is a sentence fragment, the last two examples above need an independent clause in order to make a whole sentence.
After the inspector uses a dye to reveal imperfections in the metal, she examines the turbine below a magnifying glass and black light.
Our buyer is not going to accept our bid until the inspector makes use of a dye to reveal imperfections within the metal.
Notice that dependent clauses could come before or after an independent clause. They might even be inserted into another clause, as in this case: “The inspector, who makes use of a dye to disclose imperfections in the metal, gave last month’s quality assurance statistics.
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