Independent and Dependent Clauses: English - 7th Grade

Subject: English

Grade: 7th Grade

Lesson Objective: Learn how to identify independent and dependent clauses for more effective writing and communicating ideas.

Common Core Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1.A: Explain the function of clauses and phrases in general and their function in specific sentences.

Materials:

• Whiteboard with markers

Starter: 

Say/Do:

Before class, select two students for demonstration purposes. One will represent a dependent clause, the other an independent clause. Explain to the student representing the dependent clause that when you call them to the front of the class, they must walk unsteadily on their feet. Tell them that when the independent clause student grabs hold of them, they should walk steadily.

Explain to the student who is the independent clause that when you call them to the front of the class, they should walk up there with raised arms like a prizefighter showing off his muscles.

Say: Today, we will learn what independent and dependent clauses are and how to use them when writing sentences. First, what is a clause? 

Allow for guesses and answers.

Say: A clause is a group of words within a sentence with a subject and a verb.

Main:

Say: Did you know that you write an independent clause every time you write a very simple sentence? For example, "My dog ran across the street."

Write the sentence on the board and circle the subject (dog) and the verb (ran).

Say: This sentence has a subject and a verb. Without either one, it would sound and be incomplete. Without the subject, it is, "Ran across the street." What ran across the street? Without the verb, it would be, "My dog across the street." What did the dog do across the street?

Then ask students to come up with more examples of independent clauses in a sentence. Wait for their input.

Say: The thing to understand about independent clauses is they make a complete thought. In other words, the sentence makes sense all on its own. You don't have to add more words for the sentence to make sense. That isn't true when it comes to dependent clauses. Here is an example of a dependent clause. "If you are going home." Does this sentence feel complete?

Wait for students to respond as to "why" the sentence feels incomplete.

Say: This sentence is a dependent clause because although just like an independent clause, it has a subject and verb, it's not a complete thought. What can we add to this sentence to make it a complete thought?

Ask students to make suggestions.

Examples for the teacher:

• If you are going home, be sure to feed the dog.
• If you are going home, take Richard along with you.
• If you are going home, make sure you take a key for the front door.

Say: For a dependent clause to make sense, it must be connected to an independent clause.

Ask the students if the examples the students gave were independent clauses added to the dependent clauses. Ask the "dependent clause" student to now come to the front of the class. Wait for the student to animatedly walk to the front of the class.

Say: Let's say _____ (name of 1st student) is a dependent clause. See how _____(name of 1st student) is having a hard time right now? Now let's say _____ (name of 2nd student) is an independent clause. See how differently he/she is acting as he comes forward?

Wait for the student to boldly stride up to the front of the class. Now that the two students are standing side-by-side, one standing tall and strong and the other wobbling and swaying, give the independent clause student the cue.

When the independent clause student firmly grabs hold of the dependent clause student, the dependent clause student immediately stops swaying and stands as strong and still as the independent clause student who is now holding on to him/her.

Say: Dependent clauses often start with "since," "if," although," "as," "while," "when," "because," and "before." Though there are other words they can start with, these are the most common. When you see one of these words at the beginning of a sentence, consider it a sign that you are reading or writing a dependent clause. These words are known as dependent marker words.

Ask the students to come up with some dependent clauses starting with the red flag words. As they do, list them on the whiteboard. Underline each of the red flag words.

Say: Now, let's add an independent clause to each of these dependent clauses.

Wait for student input.

Say: Now, let's add a dependent marker word to an independent clause.

Wait for student input.

Say: When you add one of these marker words to the beginning of an independent clause, the marker word suddenly changes the independent clause into a dependent clause.

Allow the students some discussion time on this point.

Say: There is one more thing we have to look at regarding dependent and independent clauses. That is the use of proper punctuation between them. When we combine the two clauses, we use a comma but not always.

Comma Examples:

• When the bough breaks, the baby will fall.
• Since I was coming over, I brought along my knitting.

No Comma Examples:

• Daniel wrote a story because he wanted to submit it to a contest.
• Melissa ran the race when Beth didn't show up on time.

Say: Underline in different colors the independent and dependent clauses colors and circle where you've inserted commas.

Explain that you use a comma after a dependent clause when the dependent clause proceeds an independent clause.

Feedback:

Say/Do:

Have your students take out a piece of paper and a pencil. Tell them that you are going to do an oral review and they should answer the following questions as best as they can.

Say:

• Give an example of an independent clause.
• Give an example of a dependent clause.
• What is the biggest clue that a clause in a sentence is independent?
• How can you tell a clause is dependent?
• When do you use a comma in a sentence that has both an independent and dependent clause?

Written by Ellen Hudovernik
Education World Contributor
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