Types of Clause:-Independent and Dependent Clause – Basic 5 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of the term – clause ii. Differentiate between Independent clause and Dependent Clause iii. Identify independent and dependent clauses in sentences

Learning Activities

1. Pupils in small groups, as a class, brainstorm on the meaning of clauses ii. Pupils in pairs, are guided to differentiate between independent and dependent clause iii. Pupils in small groups, study a short passage to bring out both independent and dependent clauses

Embedded Core Skills

1. Communication and Collaboration ii. Critical thinking and problem solving iii. Leadership skills and Personal Development iv. Creativity and Imagination

Learning Materials

• Charts
• Flash cards
• Textbook
• Web Resources
• Workbook on modal auxiliaries and examples of requests
• Whiteboard and markers for examples and practice exercises

Content

Types of Clause : Independent and Dependent Clause

A clause is a grammatical unit that contains a subject and a predicate. There are two main types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses.

An independent clause is a clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It has a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought. Example: “I am happy.”

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought. It must be connected to an independent clause to form a complete sentence. Example: “Because I am happy.”

A good way to become proficient in using punctuation marks such as commas and semicolons and avoiding sentence fragments is by understanding the difference between dependent and independent clauses. The explanations provided will assist in this.

An independent clause, also known as a main clause, is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb, and conveys a complete idea. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.

For example, “Babajide studied in the Breadfruit for his biology quiz” is an independent clause as it has a subject “Babajide” and verb “studied” and expresses a complete thought.

A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but is not a complete thought. This type of clause cannot stand alone as a sentence and is typically attached to an independent clause. For example, “When Babajide studied in the Breadfruit for his biology quiz” is a dependent clause; it does not give a complete thought as the sentence is incomplete and leaves a question, “What happened when he studied?”

Difference Between Dependent and Independent Clauses

1. Independent clauses express a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence, while dependent clauses do not express a complete thought and must be connected to an independent clause to form a complete sentence. 
2. Independent clauses contain a subject and a predicate, while dependent clauses contain a subject and a predicate but do not convey a complete idea. 
3. Independent clauses are also called main clauses, while dependent clauses are also called subordinate clauses. 
4. Independent clauses are usually marked by punctuation such as a period, exclamation point, or question mark, while dependent clauses are often marked by specific marker words such as “because,” “although,” “when,” “if,” etc. 
5. The word order in independent clauses is usually subject-verb-object, while in dependent clauses it can be different, it could start with the dependent marker word. 
6. Independent clauses can be used to form compound and complex sentences, while dependent clauses cannot be used alone to form a sentence. They need to be connected to independent clauses to form a complete sentence. 
7. An example of an independent clause is “I am happy,” while an example of a dependent clause is “because I am happy.” 
8. In summary, independent clauses are complete sentences with a subject and a predicate that can stand alone, while dependent clauses have a subject and a predicate but cannot stand alone and require an independent clause to complete the thought.