Clause

Introduction

There are many ways to explain what the clause is. It depends on the point of view and, sometimes, depends on the students' questions. To explain, actually, needs strong energy even in this blog. Here, let me please explain what the clause is to you the best I can. And, if you find something difficult to understand, please let me know by leaving your comments below this page.

What is the Clause?

To understand the clause, you have to understand first what sentence is. Remember that we do not talk about the phrase. It is because the phrase is not a sentence even a clause. A clause has the same main elements as a sentence; at least, one subject and one predicate.

For example:

Sentence:
Linda called me last night.
(Linda=subject, called=predicate)

Clause:

The women who called me last night was Linda.
(The women who called me last night=subject, Linda=predicate)

So, what's the different? 
A sentence is built from one subject and one predicate as its main elements (e1). A clause is built from two sentences which one of them becomes main clause and other becomes sub clause.

• Main clause

• Sub clause

Main Clause

Main clause is the real sentence which has the same function as a sentence (e1). It has one subject and one predicate to build it.

For example:
The woman is Linda.
(The woman=subject, Linda=predicate)

As a real sentence, it has full meaning and can be understood the whole words which are combined. Therefore, main clause is also called

Independent clause

Sub Clause

Sub clause is like a phrase, but not a phrase.

For example:
who called me last night.

There, we do not find which the subject or the predicate is. Therefore, the sub clause can not stand alone like the main clause above. Because of the characteristic of the sub clause, we call it

Dependent clause

Why? because it can not stand alone and needs main clause to stand. On the other hand, sub clause needs main clause to survive.

Main clause: The woman is Linda.
Sub clause: who called me last night.

when the two is combined, that will be one full sentence which we call as a clause.

The woman who called me last night is Linda.