Dependent Clauses
This is from a new podcast lesson at www.esllearningpod.com called Dependent Clauses; please listen to it!

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. In most cases, a dependent clause is marked by a dependent marker word.

Here is an example:

In this example “when” is the dependant marker word.

When Tony studied in the school canteen for his English Exam . . .

We can see that this is not a full sentence because although it contains a subject and a verb. It doesn’t contain a complete expression.

In most cases a dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.

When Tony studied in the school canteen for his English Exam . . .
Some common dependent markers are: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.

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Comma Splice
A comma splice is when a comma is used to separate two independent clauses. Can you remember what an independent clause is?

An independent clause is a sentence that contains a subject, a verb and also a complete expression or statement.

For example:
I can swim very well.
Now as I explained to you before, a comma slice is when you try to join two independent clauses with a comma.

For example:
I can swim very well, you can swim better than me.
So how do we correct this?
Well you can do the following:
You can simply replace the comma with a period/ full stop.

I can swim very well. You can swim better than me.

You can replace the comma with a semi colon.
I can swim very well; you can swim better than me.

Or you can use the comma and add a dependent marker word
I can swim very well, but you can swim better than me.

A dependent marker word is just a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.
If you want to learn more about dependent marker words, you will need to subscribe to our site or pod casts.
www.esllearningpod.com

Yossarian provides us with a detailed English lesson on coordinating conjunctions and comma splices.

A comma splice is the use of a comma between independent clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Has your teacher ever told you to stop writing run-on sentences?
Do you know what a run-on sentence is?

A run on sentence is a sentence that contains two independent clauses which have not been separated by a semi colon or period/full stop.

For example:
Jim is great at English he is great at French too.

There are actually two ways to fix this run-on sentence:
1) Jim is great at English; he is great at French too.
2) Jim is great at English. He is great at French too.

That was not that difficult, was it?

To learn about independent clauses, listen to our independent clause podcast at www.esllearningpod.com

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Go to www.esllearningpod.com