Languages & Linguistics
Independent Clause
An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not depend on another clause for its meaning. Independent clauses are essential building blocks in constructing clear and coherent sentences in any language.
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3 Key excerpts on "Independent Clause"
eBook - PDF- Claudia Wegener(Author)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- De Gruyter Mouton(Publisher)
Chapter 7 Independent basic clauses Construire une phrase, c’est mettre la vie dans une masse amorphe de mots en ´ etablissant entre eux un ensemble de connexions. Tesni` ere (1969: 12) Clauses can be complex or basic . A complex clause consists of at least two clauses, each with its own predicate, and each encoding a proposition or state of affairs, whereas a basic clause does not contain another clause, features one predicate only and encodes one proposition or state of affairs. Another important distinction can be made between dependent and inde-pendent clauses. An Independent Clause is grammatical and complete in itself, and can therefore easily be used in isolation. Independent Clauses are also some-times called main clauses. A dependent clause, in contrast, is not complete; it typically lacks the speci fi cation of some features, for example of TAM and/or arguments, which is provided by another clause. The dependent–independent distinction cross-cuts the complex–basic distinction, i.e. both dependent and in-dependent clauses can be either complex or basic. This chapter provides a description of independent basic clauses. The de-scription will start by presenting af fi rmative declarative clauses, both verbal and non-verbal (Sec. 7.1), as well as the emphatic morphemes =e and te (Sec. 7.2) that are very commonly encountered in basic clauses. This is followed by sec-tions on negation (Sec. 7.3), the formation of questions (Sec. 7.4) and apprehen-sive clauses (Sec. 7.5). 7.1. Af fi rmative declarative clauses Clauses can be classi fi ed on the basis of the transitivity of the predicate. The distinction made is between transitive and intransitive predication: predicates with more than one argument are transitive, and predicates with only one argu-ment (‘one-place predicates’) are intransitive (Stassen 1997: 9). Lexemes used for transitive predication in Savosavo are those that are used with object mark-ing morphology as predicates in verbal clauses.
- Charles Merritt Carlton(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- De Gruyter Mouton(Publisher)
and ic cyöe eow Jjast ic haebbe ... Verb Subject Objectis) ond agefe mon óaet land t>a sende ce cyning and gelöste se hired nu ann Leofwine J>aes doennes We will call these sequence sentences, defined by Fries as all the single free utterances or sentences after the one at the beginning. 6 At this stage of analysis there are, then, two types of sentences: (1) initial sentences which occur at the beginnings of documents and which never begin with a connective word; and (2) sequence sentences which follow the initial sentence and which are usually introduced or linked by a connective word. Either type may be a single minimum free sentence (simple) or a single free sentence expanded (complex). At this point it seems desirable to define the term CLAUSE . There are two types of clauses: independent and dependent; they both have the basic characteristics of sentences but there is a formal distinction to be made. An Independent Clause is just like a single minimum free sentence (simple sentence) except it is not free; that is, it does not stand alone; it always contains or is accom-• Fries, Structure, p. 241. BASIC SYNTACTIC UNITS IN OLD ENGLISH 33 panied by an included element (dependent clause) which also has the basic charac-teristics of a sentence but functions as a basic or secondary element (see Chapters II and III) in an Independent Clause. In other words, when an Independent Clause does not contain or is not accompanied by a dependent clause, it is a simple sentence; when an Independent Clause does contain or is accompanied by a dependent clause, it is a part of a single free sentence expanded (complex sentence). Dependent clauses are formally distinguished by signals of inclusion which asso-ciate them with an Independent Clause in a single free sentence expanded (see p. 59 for a further discussion of the dependent clause).
eBook - PDF- Cheryl Glenn, Loretta Gray(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Cengage Learning EMEA(Publisher)
4. The United Nations dev otes most of its energies to protecting human rights, maintaining peace, and encouraging social development. 5. To reach its goals, the U nited Nations depends on funding from its member states. 6. Its blue flag easily recogniz ed everywhere, the United Nations now includes 192 countries. 7. Symbolizing peace, the emblem on the flag is a map enclosed by oliv e branches. ht 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02 se 1f 29 s pred The students earned high grades. An Independent Clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. Other clauses can be added to an Independent Clause to form a longer, more detailed sentence. (2) Dependent clauses A dependent clause also has a subject and a predicate (1b). However, it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because of the word introducing it—usually a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction. s pred The athlete who placed first grew up in Argentina. [relative pronoun] s pred She received the gold medal because she performed flawlessly. e e [subordinating conjunction] If it is not connected to an Independent Clause, a dependent clause is considered a sentence fragment (2c). (a) Noun clauses Dependent clauses that serve as subjects ( 1b) or objects (1c) are called noun clauses (or nominal clauses). They are introduced by if, that, or a wh- word such as what or why. Notice the similarity in usage between noun phrases and noun clauses. ht 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02 30 G Sentence Essentials Noun phrases Noun clauses The testimony may not y y What the witness said be true. [subject] may not be true. [subject] We do not understand their We do not understand why motives. [direct object] they did it. [direct object] When no misunderstanding would result, the word that can be omitted from the beginning of a noun clause.
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