Dave's WW of EU: Independent Clauses

We briefly covered Independent Clauses when we talked about Dependent Clauses, but this is a full review.

Independent Clauses are clauses that can stand alone as complete sentences. They have both a subject and a verb.

Examples:

• I went to work. I is the subject, went is the verb.
• Don’t go upstairs. You is the implied subject, don’t go is the verb.

Simple, right? Just remember, anytime you have a chunk of a sentence that can stand alone with both a subject and a verb, you have an independent clause.

Punctuation

Independent clauses are somewhat complicated to punctuate, but just remember that this is something you use and do every day; probably correctly. The only difference is now you know why you do it.

Independent clauses separated by coordinating conjunctions (for, and, but, nor, or, yet, so) require commas.

• My name is Dave, and I wrote this sentence.

NOTE: The comma can be omitted if the clauses are short and there is little danger of misreading. Personally, I leave the comma in.

• He talked and we listened. 

Independent clauses combined with dependent clauses may require commas depending on the placement of the dependent clause. If the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, use a comma. If the dependent clause comes after, don’t.

• Because it was snowing, I was late.
• I was late because it was snowing.

An independent clause that has a dependent clause inserted in the middle of it uses commas only if the dependent clause is not essential for meaning.

• The dog, while we were sleeping, started to bark!
  • In this example, while we were sleeping is not essential to understanding this sentence.
• The dog which lived next door started to bark!
  • In this example, which lived next door is considered essential because it identifies which dog.

Independent clauses can also be separated by semi-colons as long as the two clauses are closely related

• Day-light Savings Time makes me tired; a short nap sounds nice.

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