Complex Sentences and Clauses

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Complex Sentences and Clauses
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Clause

• A clause is a group of words that contains a
  subject and a predicate.
• It may express a complete thought or not.
• See text for more information.

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Punctuation for clauses

• When a dependent introductory clause comes at the
  beginning of a sentence, use a comma to
  separate it from the independent clause.
• If the dependent clause comes at the end of
  the sentence, no comma is needed.

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Look at this sentence to illustrate .

• Because Ryan arrived late, he was criticized.
• Because Ryan arrived late is a dependent clause
  and it appears at the beginning of the sentence,
  you must use a comma following it.

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Heres another example

• Although it was still dark out, Jim was getting
  ready for work.
• Although it was dark out is the dependent clause
  it appears at the beginning of the sentence and
  therefore a comma will follow the clause.

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Independent clause

• Ryan was criticized because he arrived late.
• When the dependent clause is at the end of the
  sentence, no comma separates it from the
  independent clause.

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One more example

• Jim was getting ready for worth although it was
  still dark out.
• although it was still dark out is a dependent
  clause and it completes the sentence. NO comma is
  used to separate it from the remainder of the
  sentence.

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Make up a Yes-No question

• To determine whether a clause is
• independent or not, make up a
• Yes or No question about the clauses
• statement. An independent clause
• leads to a sensible question a dependent
• clause does not.

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One last thought

• When you combine thoughts or sentences, you may
  find one thought becomes a dependent clause.
• Whether you use a comma or not depends on where
  you put that dependent clause.