A clause in a complex sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and functions within the sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb is called what?

A clause in a complex sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and functions within the sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb is called what?

• A. Dependent clause
• B. Independent clause
• C. Main clause
• D. Phrase

Answer: (A)

In a sentence that has more than one part, a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and that works inside the sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb is called a dependent clause. Even though it has a subject and a verb, it depends on the rest of the sentence to complete its meaning. It can take different roles: as a noun clause, it can act as the subject or object (for example, “That she won the award surprised us”); as an adjective clause, it describes a noun (for example, “The book that she lent me”); or as an adverbial clause, it modifies a verb and explains when, why, or under what conditions (for example, “We canceled the picnic because it was raining”). In contrast, an independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, and a phrase lacks both a subject and a predicate and isn’t a clause.

In a sentence that has more than one part, a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence and that works inside the sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb is called a dependent clause. Even though it has a subject and a verb, it depends on the rest of the sentence to complete its meaning. It can take different roles: as a noun clause, it can act as the subject or object (for example, “That she won the award surprised us”); as an adjective clause, it describes a noun (for example, “The book that she lent me”); or as an adverbial clause, it modifies a verb and explains when, why, or under what conditions (for example, “We canceled the picnic because it was raining”). In contrast, an independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, and a phrase lacks both a subject and a predicate and isn’t a clause.