Language Basics

Clause Analysis
This is the process of breaking down complex sentences into their parts.

Key words:
Independent main clause (imc) – a group of words that carries the main idea
of a sentence. It always has a subject and a main verb.
Subordinate clause (sc) – a group of words that adds extra information about
the subject in the imc. It always has a subject and a main verb.
Phrase – a word or group of words that adds further information about the imc
or the sc. Phrases either have no verb at all or the verb is in the form of the
past participle.

Independent main clause (also known as the simple sentence)

This can make sense without the help of another clause. It consists of only
one clause:
Owen changes.
Owen loves Rosie.

An independent main clause only has one subject and one verb.

Key words:
Simple sentence – sentence made up of one imc.
Compound sentence – sentence made up of two imcs, usually joined by a
conjunction.
Complex sentence – sentence consisting of at least one imc and one sc.

Simple / compound sentence

This is when two simple sentences are joined together by the conjunctions
and, so, but or then:
Mrs Jones washed up and [she] put the children to bed.

Complex sentence

These contain two different kinds of clause:

1. an imc that makes the main statement
2. a subordinate clause that adds something extra

Subordinate clause

A subordinate clause has a subject and a main verb but it is always

introduced by a subordinating conjunction such as although, because, if,
when, until, unless:

Although Clara had a puppy (sc), she bought a kitten too (imc).
Clara bought a puppy (imc), although she already had a kitten (sc).
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