Main and Subordinate Clauses

Learning Objectives

In this workshop, you will focus on the following objective:
Grammar:

• Understanding how to use phrases and clauses.

Main and Subordinate Clauses

Clauses 

A main clause has a subject and a predicate, expresses a complete thought, and can stand alone as a sentence. A subordinate clause has a subject and a predicate, does not express a complete thought, and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Tip

If a clause begins with one of the following—if, which, when, where, who, that, if, and similar words—what follows is a subordinate clause, dependent on the main clause for its meaning.

Literature Connection 

In Le Morte d’Arthur, Keith Baines uses sentences that include both main (or independent) and subordinate (or dependent) clauses. 

“In the course of the feast, King Uther grew passionately desirous of Igraine and, when it was over, begged her to become his paramour.” 

—Keith Baines, from Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur

Both main and subordinate clauses contain subjects and predicates. A main clause, however, expresses a complete thought, so it can stand alone as a sentence. A subordinate clause is dependent for its meaning on the main clause. In the quotation above, the main clause is In the course of the feast, King Uther grew passionately desirous of Igraine and begged her to become his paramour. The subordinate clause, when it was over, cannot stand alone.

Here is how to identify main and subordinate clauses and turn subordinate clauses into complete sentences.

Main clause 

The story was written by Malory and retold by Baines 

Explanation 

Because the clause has a subject (story) and a predicate (was written) and expresses a complete thought, it can stand alone as a complete sentence. 

Solution 

To create a sentence, add a period to the main clause. 

The story was written by Malory and retold by Baines. 

Subordinate clause 

Because the story was interesting 

Explanation 

The clause has a subject (story) and a predicate (was) but does not express a complete thought. 

Solution 

To create a sentence, combine subordinate and main clauses. 

Because the story was interesting, I wanted to read more of it.

Main and Subordinate Clauses Quiz

Identify each of the following clauses by selecting independent clause or subordinate clause.