independent clause

British  

noun

1. grammar a main or coordinate clause Compare dependent clause

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independent clause Cultural  

1. A clause that can stand alone as a sentence. The following sentence consists of two independent clauses joined by but: “The farmers complained of the low price of food, but the office workers did not complain.” (Compare dependent clause.)

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Example Sentences

Le Guin could do more in an independent clause than many authors could do in a whole chapter.

From Slate • Jan. 24, 2018

Capitalize what follows the colon if it’s an independent clause, as here.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2015

Also, our style calls for capitalizing the first letter of the independent clause that follows the colon: “About 178,000 …”

From New York Times • Jul. 22, 2014

A man will be honored is the independent clause; who is wise is the dependent clause.

From Graded Lessons in English An Elementary English Grammar Consisting of One Hundred Practical Lessons, Carefully Graded and Adapted to the Class-Room by Reed, Alonzo

Here the adverb clauses are restrictive; each is very closely related in thought to the independent clause, and may almost be said to be the essential part of the sentence.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd