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Difference Between Clause and Sentence With Examples

The document explains the difference between clauses and sentences, defining a sentence as a complete thought and a clause as a group of words with a subject and verb that may or may not express a complete thought. It outlines the types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, imperative) and types of clauses (independent and dependent), along with examples. Additionally, it discusses conjunctions, including coordinating, subordinating, and correlative types, which help to connect words, phrases, and clauses.

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25 views7 pages

Difference Between Clause and Sentence With Examples

The document explains the difference between clauses and sentences, defining a sentence as a complete thought and a clause as a group of words with a subject and verb that may or may not express a complete thought. It outlines the types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, imperative) and types of clauses (independent and dependent), along with examples. Additionally, it discusses conjunctions, including coordinating, subordinating, and correlative types, which help to connect words, phrases, and clauses.

Uploaded by

mjmanuelxxvii
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Difference between clause and sentence with examples

Figuring out the difference between a clause and sentence can sometimes
be confusing for English learners. Here we’ll explore the difference
between a clause and sentence with examples, so it’s all easy to
understand.

SENTENCE
A sentence is a group of words which communicate a complete thought or
idea.
The most basic sentence in English contains only a subject and a verb.
I ran.
He slept.
Note: sometimes the subject may be implied: Run! (you run, implied)

TYPES OF SENTENCES according to FUNCTION


In English, sentences start with a capital letter. They end with a full stop,
question mark or exclamation mark depending on what type of sentence
they are and what they are communicating – there are 4 categories:

DECLARATIVE SENTENCE/S (statement)


used when stating information (also called declarative sentences)
I have written a book.

INTERROGATIVE SENTECE/S (Question)


used when asking for information (also called interrogative sentences)
Did you take his number?

EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE
used when expressing emotions (also called exclamatory sentences)
I won!

IMPERATIVE SENTENCE
used when giving commands (also called command sentences)
Open the door.

A sentence may contain only a couple of words, as we’ve seen above, or


can be longer and have a more complex construction, and this is when
clauses may be used.
CLAUSE
A clause is a group of words which contains at least a subject and a verb.
In this, clauses are like sentences, and a clause may stand as a
sentence if it makes sense as a complete thought.
However, clauses are not always a complete thought and so may need to
be joined with other clauses to express a complete thought, and become
a sentence.

A clause is a group of words that contain a


subject (the noun or pronoun about which something is being said,
usually the doer of the action) and a verb (a doing word).

Words are the smallest units of meaning.


To understand clauses, it is a good idea to review the different
components that make up a sentence.

The fast, red squirrel darted up a tree.


The subject of this clause is the fast, red squirrel and the verb is
'darted'. This can also be called a simple sentence.

TYPES OF CLAUSES
Independent or main clause
expresses a complete thought and may stand as a sentence.

The structure is:


subject + verb
Emma arrived home.
Emma ate a sandwich.

Dependent or subordinate clause


does not express a complete thought so can not stand on its own, and
must be combined with at least an independent clause to make a
complete thought and therefore a sentence.

The structure is:


subordinating conjunction + subject + verb
After Emma arrived home
note that although this contains a subject and a verb it is not a complete
thought

To make the dependent clause a complete thought we need an


independent clause with it:
After Emma arrived home, she ate a sandwich.
dependent clause + independent clause = complete thought
A dependent clause may come before or after the independent clause, so
this sentence is just as accurate.
Emma ate a sandwich after she arrived home.
Note:
if the dependent clause comes before the independent clause a comma
comes between the clauses:
After Emma arrived home, she ate a sandwich. (dependent clause first –
comma)
Emma ate a sandwich after she arrived home. (independent clause first –
no comma)
4 STRUCTURES OF SENTENCES
Now that we understand what a sentence is and what a clause is, we can
explore more different types of sentences.

Simple sentence
contains just one independent clause
John is moving to France.
John is learning French.

Compound sentence
contains two or more independent clauses i.e. joins sentences together
Compound sentences use coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS).
John is moving to France so he is learning French.

Complex sentence
contains at least an independent clause and a dependent clause.
We saw above that dependent clauses use subordinating conjunctions, so
it’s of no surprise that a complex sentence will contain a subordinating
conjunction.
Because John is moving to France, he is learning French.

Compound – Complex Sentence


contains at least two independent clauses and one dependent clause. As
you may have guessed, these sentences contain both coordinating and
subordinating conjunctions.
Because John is moving to France, he is learning French so that he will
understand the locals.
CONJUNCTIONS are joining words. They join nouns, phrases, clauses
and sentences to allow us to make more varied and more complex
sentences and language structures.
Here we will look at conjunction’s definition and types, with examples
of conjunctions in sentences.

TYPES OF CONJUNCTIONS

COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
Coordinating conjunctions join similar structures together.

for and nor but or yet so

The coordinating conjunctions list is easy to remember with the


acronym FANBOYS
COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS EXAMPLES
They join similar structures and are placed between the two
structures.
word + word
cats and dogs.

phrase + phrase
at the beach or in the forest.

clause + clause
I am going shopping so will buy food for dinner.

sentence + sentence
I like jam but I don’t like marmalade.

prefix + prefix
The pro- and anti- Brexit parties are meeting in London

for – shows reason or purpose, equivalent to because, old-


fashioned, literary
She ran away from home for she felt unloved.
and – as well as, plus, in addition
Sally and Jim work in the same office.
nor – expresses negative possibilities, often used with neither
The girl is not here nor is her brother.
I drink neither tea nor coffee.

but – introduces an element that is different to that discussed


before
She loved cakes but never ate bread.

or – connects different possibilities


We had to leave early or we might miss our flight.

yet – addition of an element that is surprising considering what


was said beforehand
He is middle aged and flabby yet he always dates beautiful
women.

so – for this reason, therefore


My car is in the garage so I will get the bus to work.

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
Subordinating conjunctions join a main independent clause and a
subordinate dependent clause.

This subordinating conjunctions list shows they can be


categorised according to use:
TIME CAUSE + EFFECT OPPOSITION CONDITION MANNE
after as although if as if
before because even though even if as toug
since in order that though in case that how
until now that whereas provided that once
when since unless
while so whether

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS EXAMPLES


Subordinating conjunctions are placed at the start of the
subordinate clause:

He is a generous person although he is poor.


We won’t get wet under this umbrella even if it rains.
The subordinate clause may be placed at the start of the
sentence, in which case a comma comes immediately at the end
of the subordinate clause:
Although he is poor, he is a generous person.
Even if it rains, we won’t get wet under this umbrella.

Remember
Main clause – can stand alone as a sentence as it has a subject
and a verb, and is a complete thought and meaning
Subordinate clause – cannot stand alone as it does not have
complete meaning

CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS
Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and both parts must be
used to balance the sentence.
They join words, phrases or clauses together.
This correlative conjunction list shows some of the most common
ones:
both…and either…or neither….nor not only…but also
whether…or as….as as many….as such…that
both… and shows a connection of similarity between two things
either.… or sets expectation that a choice will be made between
two options
neither…. nor the opposite of either…. or but that both options
are not chosen
whether … or similar to either.. or but sets conditional possibility
for options
not only.. but also gives emphasis to the second of two things
being noteworthy
as…as shows a comparison between two things
as many… as shows an amount equal to another amount, with
uncountable nouns
as much… as shows an amount equal to another amount, with
countable nouns
such… that shows an extent or a consequence

CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS EXAMPLES


Both Matt and Steve are professional footballers.
We will either go on holiday to Spain or to Greece.
Neither Sweden nor Germany are on our holiday shortlist this
year.
Whether we choose Spain or Greece will depend on flight prices
and availability.
He not only eats well but also cooks well.
There were as many team shirts as there were players in the
team.

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