An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a complete sentence. Because it forms a complete thought, an independent clause does not need any additional information to make sense. Key characteristics of an independent clause:
- Contains a subject (who or what the sentence is about)
- Contains a verb (what the subject is doing or being)
- Expresses a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence
Examples of independent clauses:
- "John eats an apple every day."
- "The dog barks loudly."
- "I am reading a book."
Independent clauses can also be joined with other independent clauses using coordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," or "so" or a semicolon to create compound sentences. In contrast, a dependent clause contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence. Understanding independent clauses is essential for mastering sentence structure and creating clear, grammatically correct sentences. They are also called main clauses. This explanation is based on multiple grammar sources explaining independent clauses and their role in sentence structure.
