Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
A set of words with no independent clause may be an incomplete sentence, also called a sentence fragment. A sentence consisting of at least one dependent clause and at least two independent clauses may be called a complex-compound sentence or compound-complex sentence. Sentence 1 is an example of a simple sentence.
The earliest use of the word clause in Middle English is non-technical and similar to the current everyday meaning of phrase: "A sentence or clause, a brief statement, a short passage, a short text or quotation; in a ~, briefly, in short; (b) a written message or letter; a story; a long passage in an author's source."
In the following example sentences, independent clauses are underlined, and conjunctions are in bold. Single independent clauses: I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone. My favourite flavour is chocolate. Let's go to the shop. Multiple independent clauses: I have enough money to buy an ice cream cone; my favourite flavour is chocolate.
The semicolon; (or semi-colon [1]) is a symbol commonly used as orthographic punctuation.In the English language, a semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single sentence) two independent clauses that are closely related in thought, such as when restating the preceding idea with a different expression.
Inversion can also be used to form conditional clauses, beginning with should, were (subjunctive), or had, in the following ways: should I win the race (equivalent to if I win the race); were he a soldier (equivalent to if he were a soldier); were he to win the race (equivalent to if he were to win the race, i.e. if he won the race);
A primary division for the discussion of clauses is the distinction between independent clauses and dependent clauses. [3] An independent clause can stand alone, i.e. it can constitute a complete sentence by itself. A dependent clause, by contrast, relies on an independent clause's presence to be efficiently utilizable.
Comma splices are similar to run-on sentences, which join two independent clauses without any punctuation or a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, for, etc. Sometimes the two types of sentences are treated differently based on the presence or absence of a comma, but most writers consider the comma splice a special type of run-on sentence ...
For example, in Irish, the past tense of the verb feic ("to see") has two forms: the independent form chonaic and the dependent form faca. The independent form is used when no particle precedes the verb, as in Chonaic mé Seán ("I saw John"). [n 1] The dependent form is used when a particle such as ní ("not") precedes the verb, as in Ní ...