Main Clause(independent clause)= A single, stand-alone clause that makes sense by itself. 'The dog is cute.'
Subordinate clause(dependent clause)= depends on a preemptive main clause(above) for its meaning:
'The dog is cute, WHEN HE'S NOT BARKING.' The capitalised part is the subordinate clause and would not make sense without the main clause. Subordiante clauses can start a sentence too:
'WHEN HE'S NOT BARKING, the dog is cute.' A comma is needed between the clauses; this is imperative.
That is all you need to know if you want a basic understanding. Read on if you want some dirty details.
(A type of subordinate clause) Relative clause= begins with which, that, whom, whose, when, where, or who.
(Types of relative clause) Restrictive= You do not put a comma before a restrictive relative clause. Begins with any of the words shown above. For example:
'She gave him the bag THAT WAS BROKEN.' Capitalised part is the restrictive relative clause after the main clause. No comma is used to separate.
Non-restrictive= Information that could be left out of the sentence and it would still make sense. A comma is used to seperate clauses in this one. Never begun with that. For example:
'She held out the bag, WHICH THE MAN GRABBED.'
Non-restrictive relative clauses are foten used in the middle of a sentece, as an offset digression, and when used as such MUST be surrounded by commas:
'The author, WHO HADN'T SLEPT ALL NIGHT, sat writing for the day.'
Now, you may be weeping at the non-sense, but you use this in almost every paragraph you write. Take a look at some of what you've recently written, your latest book, try and identify these clauses in your own work and it'll soon become second nature.
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