Dependent Clause

What Is a Dependent Clause? (with Examples)

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A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is one that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought.

Like all clauses, a dependent clause has a subject and verb.

Examples of Dependent Clauses

Here are some examples of dependent clauses (shaded). Notice how the shaded clauses could not stand alone as sentences. This is how a dependent clause differs from an independent clause.

The crew could see the whale, which had surfaced only 50m behind them.
Do you know the butcher who went to court on Saturday?
I am not tidying the dishes unless Peter helps.
The excellence of a gift lies in how appropriate it is rather than how valuable it is.

Types of Dependent Clause

Dependent clauses can act as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

The Adjective Clause. Here is an example of a dependent clause acting as an adjective:

The car which your wife sold me last week has broken down.

which your wife sold me last week

The Adverbial Clause. Here is an example of a dependent clause acting as an adverb:

He literally stitched mail sacks until his fingers bled.

until his fingers bled

to stitch

The Noun Clause. Here is an example of a dependent clause acting as a noun:

Whoever turned the ovens off is keeping quiet.

Whoever turned the ovens off

The Link between a Dependent Clause and an Independent Clause

When a dependent clause is used as an adjective or an adverb, it will usually be part of a complex sentence (i.e., a sentence with an independent clause and at least one dependent clause). The link between a dependent clause and an independent clause will often be a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. For example:

He literally stitched mail sacks until his fingers bled.
The car which your wife sold me last week has broken down.

Here are some more common subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns:

Common Subordinating Conjunctions	Relative Pronouns
after although as because before even if even though if provided rather than since so that than though unless until whether while	how that what when where which who whom whose why The relative pronouns above are the simple relative pronouns. You can also have compound ones. A compound relative pronoun is formed by adding either ever or soever to a simple pronoun. whoever (who + ever) whosever (whose + ever) (Spelling rule: Don't allow ee.) whosoever (who + soever) whosesoever (whose + soever)