A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) cannot stand alone as a sentence. In itself, a dependent clause does not express a complete thought; therefore, it is usually attached to an independent clause. Although a dependent clause contains a subject and a predicate, it sounds incomplete when standing alone. In linguistics, a sentence is a unit of language, characterised in most languages by the presence of a finite verb. ... Personification of thought (Greek Εννοια) in Celsus Library in Ephesos, Turkey Thought or thinking is a mental process which allows beings to model the world, and so to deal with it effectively according to their goals, plans, ends and desires. ... In grammar, an independent clause (or main clause) is a clause that can stand by itself as a grammatically viable simple sentence. ... The subject of a sentence is one of the two main parts of a sentence, the other being the predicate. ... In linguistics and logic, a predicate is an expression that can be true of something. ...

Dependent words

A dependent clause usually begins with a dependent word. One kind of dependent word is a subordinating conjunction. Subordinating conjunctions are used to begin dependent clauses known as adverbial clauses which act like adverbs. In the following examples, the adverbial clauses are bold and the subordinating conjunctions are italicized: A subordinating conjunction, also called a dependent word or subordinator, is a word that joins a dependent clause and an independent clause. ... An Adverbial Clause can best be described as what an Adverbial Phrase is, except the verb is a finite verb. ... An adverb is a part of speech that normally serves to modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, clauses, and sentences. ...

• Wherever she goes, she leaves a piece of luggage behind. (The adverbial clause wherever she goes modifies the verb leaves.)

• Bob enjoyed the movie more than I did. (The adverbial clause than I did modifies the adverb more.)

Another type of dependent word is the relative pronoun. Relative pronouns begin dependent clauses known as adjective clauses, which act like adjectives, or noun clauses, which act like a nouns. In the following examples, the dependent clauses are bold and the relative pronouns are italicized: This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause within a larger sentence. ... An adjective is a part of speech which modifies a noun, usually making its meaning more specific. ... A noun, or noun substantive, is a word or phrase that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance or quality. ...

• The only one of the seven dwarfs who does not have a beard is Dopey. (The adjective clause who does not have a beard describes the noun one

Dependent clauses and sentence structure

A sentence with an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a complex sentence. One with two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a compound-complex sentence. In grammar, an independent clause (or main clause) is a clause that can stand by itself as a grammatically viable simple sentence. ... In syntax, a sentence with an independent clause and at least one dependent clause (subordinating clause) is referred to as a complex sentence. ... In syntax, a sentence with at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses is referred to as a complex-compound sentence. ...

• My sister cried because she scraped her butt. (complex sentence)
  • Subjects: My sister, she
  • Predicates: cried, scraped her knee
  • Subordinating conjunction: because

• When they told me I won the contest, I cried, but I didn't faint. **(compound-complex sentence)
  • Subjects: they, I, I, I
  • Predicates: told me, won the contest, cried, didn't faint
  • Subordinating conjunctions: When, that (understood)
  • Coordinating conjunction: but

The above sentence actually contains two dependent clauses. "When they told me" is one; the other is "(that) I won the contest." The "that" is understood to precede the "I won" and functions as a subordinating conjunction.

Non-finite dependent clauses

Dependent clauses may be headed by an infinitive or other non-finite verb form. In these cases, the subject of the dependent clause may take a non-nominative form. Examples: In linguistics, the head is the morpheme that determines the category of a compound or the word that determines the syntactic type of the phrase of which it is a member. ... In grammar, the infinitive is the form of a verb that has no inflection to indicate person, number, mood or tense. ... A non-finite verb is not limited by the person, tense and number of the subject. ... The nominative case is a grammatical case for a noun. ...

• I want him to vanish.
• I saw you wandering around.

References

• Rozakis, Laurie (2003). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style pp. 153–159. Alpha. ISBN 1-59257-115-8. 

See also

• Sentence
• Clause
• Independent clause
• Relative clause
• Simple sentence
• Compound sentence
• Grammatical conjunction

In linguistics, a sentence is a unit of language, characterised in most languages by the presence of a finite verb. ... In grammar, a clause is a word or group of words with a subject and a verb. ... In grammar, an independent clause (or main clause) is a clause that can stand by itself as a grammatically viable simple sentence. ... A relative clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun. ... A simple sentence contains one subject and one verb. ... A compound sentence can refer, in similar ways, to two things In mathematical logic, sentences formed using logical operators to connect two. ... In grammar, a conjunction is a part of speech that connects two words, phrases, or clauses together. ...

External links

• Owl Online Writing Lab: Independent and Dependent Clauses