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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Main vs subordinate clause
How can you tell a main clause from a subordinate clause?
All the sources I've looked at say that a main clause can stand alone as a sentence, but a subordinate clause cannot stand alone. So, for example, "when the clouds parted", a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone. (Sentence: 'The children went out to play when the clouds parted"). The Main Clause, "The children went out to play" can surely stand alone.
However, if we turn the sentence into a compound sentence, "The childen went out to play and came back in an hour later", we obviously have two main clauses (as neither can be identified as the sole 'point' of the sentence).
But can the second clause stand alone? "And came back in an hour later". Not in my opinion! So you might be tempted to think it is a subordinate clause. How can you explain that it is a main clause and not a subordinate clause?
All the sources I've looked at say that a main clause can stand alone as a sentence, but a subordinate clause cannot stand alone. So, for example, "when the clouds parted", a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone. (Sentence: 'The children went out to play when the clouds parted"). The Main Clause, "The children went out to play" can surely stand alone.
However, if we turn the sentence into a compound sentence, "The childen went out to play and came back in an hour later", we obviously have two main clauses (as neither can be identified as the sole 'point' of the sentence).
But can the second clause stand alone? "And came back in an hour later". Not in my opinion! So you might be tempted to think it is a subordinate clause. How can you explain that it is a main clause and not a subordinate clause?
Top answer
How can you tell a main clause from a subordinate clause? All the sources I've looked at say that a main clause can stand alone as a sentence, but a subordinate clause cannot stand alone. So, for example, "when the clouds parted", a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone.
- How can you tell a main clause from a subordinate clause?
- All the sources I've looked at say that a main clause can stand alone as a sentence, but a subordinate clause cannot stand alone.
- So, for example, "when the clouds parted", a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone.
- (Sentence: 'The children went out to play when the clouds parted").
- The Main Clause, "The children went out to play" can surely stand alone.
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1 Answers
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How can you tell a main clause from a subordinate clause?
All the sources I've looked at say that a main clause can stand alone as a sentence, but a subordinate clause cannot stand alone. So, for example, "when the clouds parted", a subordinate clause, cannot stand alone. (Sentence: 'The children went out to play when the clouds parted"). The Main Clause, "The children went
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