The Quick and Easy Guide to
Common Grammar Problems

 Independent and Dependent Clauses

A clause is a group of related words containing a subject and a verb. (It is different from a phrase in that a phrase does not include a subject-verb relationship.) There are two main types of clauses, although these appear in various forms.

Independent clauses can stand by themselves and still make sense. They can be used alone as a complete sentence or as part of a compound sentence with other clauses.

Example: Although many years have passed, I look back fondly on my high school years.

Dependent clauses cannot stand by themselves and make sense. They are subordinate to or "depend" on an independent clause for meaning. However, they also modify the independent clause as an adverb clause (modifying the verb) or as an adjective clause (modifying the noun or pronoun).

Example: Although many years have passed, I look back fondly on my high school years.

Dependent clauses are introduced by a "subordinating conjunction." Some of these are although, as, because, before, if, rather than, since, that, when, which, who/whom, whoever/whomever, whether, etc.

Run-ons and Sentence Fragments

Run-ons occur when independent clauses are joined incorrectly with other clauses. This is usually caused by missing punctuation and/or conjunctions.

Incorrect: He ran 10 miles a day for a week preparing for a marathon is not easy!
Incorrect: But the hard work paid off he was able to finish the race in the top 100.

Solution: Find where the clauses join. Then decide how you want to use the first independent clause:

• Alone as a complete sentence with end punctuation
• With another independent clause as a compound sentence, using a comma and conjunction OR a semicolon to separate the clauses
• With a dependent clause in a complete sentence (i.e., add a subordinate conjunction)

Correct: He ran 10 miles a day for a week. Preparing for a marathon is not easy!
Correct: But the hard work paid off as he was able to finish the race in the top 100.

Incorrect: Whenever I try to remember the words to my high school song.
Incorrect: Which is why I never try to sing it.

Solution: Look for a subordinating conjunction as a cue for dependent clauses or read the clause aloud to see if it makes sense as a sentence. If it is dependent, add or link it to an independent clause. (You may also be able to convert the dependent clause to an independent clause by dropping the subordinate conjunction and adding some words.)

Correct: I can't remember the words to my high school song, which is why I never try to sing it.