Identifying Independent Clauses

What is an Independent Clause?

It's a group of words that has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a predicate (what the subject is doing). It can stand alone as a complete sentence and make perfect sense!

Tricky Terms:

1. Subject:

   • This is the who or what in the sentence. It's the main character, the star of the show.

     Example: Samantha loves playing the guitar.

2. Predicate:

   • This is what the subject is doing. It's the action, the part that tells us more about the subject.

     Example: Samantha loves playing the guitar.

3. Complete Sentence:

   • A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate and makes sense all by itself. It's like a sentence that can stand on its own two feet.

     Example: The sun sets over the mountains.

How to Spot an Independent Clause:

Here's a super easy way to find these sentence superheroes:

1. Look for the Subject and Predicate:

   • Every sentence superhero needs a sidekick! Check if you can find both the subject and the predicate in a group of words.

     Example: Tommy built a sandcastle at the beach.

2. Check if it Makes Sense Alone:

   • Independent clauses are like confident solo performers. If the group of words can stand alone and still make sense, you've found an independent clause!

     Example: The cat sat on the windowsill.