Clause in English grammar
A clause in English grammar is a grammatical unit (group of words) that consists of a verb and a subject (noun).
A clause in English grammar is used for forming different types of sentences, of varying complexity.
Clauses can be further divided in to two categories: Independent (main) clause, and Dependent (subordinate) clauses.
As the name suggests, independent clauses can stand on their own to form a complete sentence. On the other hand, dependent clauses cannot form a complete sentence on their own because they need another clause to support them.
Here are a few more examples to demonstrate how subordinate clauses function in a sentence:
Note: In the examples below, the subordinate clauses are highlighted in bold.
Since the weather was nice, we decided to have a picnic in the park.
I will finish my homework after I return from soccer practice.
Although she studied hard, she didn't pass the exam.
When the phone rang, he quickly answered it.
Because it was raining, Adam and his friends stayed indoors and watched a movie.