Contains a subject and a verb, but it is characterized as beginning with a dependent marker word (ie: although, despite, while, because, etc.) and therefore cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence.

Contains a subject and a verb, but it is characterized as beginning with a dependent marker word (ie: although, despite, while, because, etc.) and therefore cannot stand by itself as a complete sentence.

• A. Independent Clause
• B. Clause
• C. Gerund Phrase
• D. Dependent Clause

Answer: (D)

A dependent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone because it begins with a word that signals it needs more information. The hallmark is a dependent marker word like because, although, while, or despite at the front, which ties the clause to another statement to complete the thought. For example, "Because I was late" has a subject (I) and a verb (was), but it isn’t a complete sentence on its own; it needs a main clause to finish it, as in "Because I was late, I missed the bus." This is why the described structure fits a dependent clause. An independent clause can stand alone, a gerund phrase functions as a noun rather than a clause with a finite verb, and simply saying "a clause" is too broad because it doesn’t specify the dependent nature.

A dependent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone because it begins with a word that signals it needs more information. The hallmark is a dependent marker word like because, although, while, or despite at the front, which ties the clause to another statement to complete the thought. For example, "Because I was late" has a subject (I) and a verb (was), but it isn’t a complete sentence on its own; it needs a main clause to finish it, as in "Because I was late, I missed the bus." This is why the described structure fits a dependent clause. An independent clause can stand alone, a gerund phrase functions as a noun rather than a clause with a finite verb, and simply saying "a clause" is too broad because it doesn’t specify the dependent nature.