When reading and writing sentences you may have noticed how some parts of the sentence can be understood on their own whereas other parts simply give extra information and need context to be understood. These parts of the sentence that provide extra information are called dependent clauses. This article will introduce dependent clauses, provide some examples, outline the three different types of dependent clauses, and look at different sentence types that include dependent clauses.
What is a Dependent Clause?
A dependent clause (also called a subordinate clause) is a part of a sentence that relies on the independent clause to make sense. It often gives us additional information that is not included in the independent clause. A dependent clause can tell us all sorts of things, such as when, why, or how something is happening.
This tells us that something will happen after the subject has gone somewhere. However, it does not make sense on its own and needs to be attached to an independent clause to get its meaning.
I will get books from the library after I've got there.
With the added independent clause, we now have a fully formed sentence.
Dependent clause examples
Here are some dependent clauses on their own. Try to spot what you could add to them to create full sentences.
Although he is tired.
Because of the cat.
Before we started.
Now we will pair an independent clause with the dependent clause, using the subordinating conjunction word at the start of each dependent clause to link them together. Notice how each one now makes a complete sentence.
Subordinating conjunction - Words (or sometimes phrases) that link one clause to another. For example, and, although, because, when, whilst, before, after.
Although he was tired, he kept working.
We've run out of milk, all because of the cat.
I was prepared before we started.
By adding the independent clause, we have created complete sentences that makes sense. Let's look at these and explore how the independent clause works alongside the dependent clause.
The independent clause of the first sentence is 'He kept working'. This alone could work as a full sentence as it contains a subject and a predicate. The dependent clause is 'he is tired', which isn't a full sentence. We join the dependent clause onto the end of the independent clause using the conjunction although to create a complex sentence.
Fig 1. Dependent clauses give us more information as to why the milk is all gone
Connecting independent and dependent clauses
Connecting independent and dependent clauses creates complex sentences. It's important to use complex sentences in our writing to avoid repetition and boring sentences. However, we must take care to join the clauses together correctly.
When joining an independent clause with a dependent clause, we can use subordinating conjunction words, such as if, since, although, when, after, while, as, before, until, whenever, and because. Either clause can go first.
Lily was happy whenever she ate cake.
Whenever she ate cake, Lily was happy.
When the subordinating conjunction and dependent clause go first, the two clauses should be separated with a comma.
Three types of dependent clauses
There are three main types of dependent clauses. Let's take a look at each one.
Adverbial dependent clauses
Adverbial dependent clauses give us more information about the verb found in the main clause. They usually answer the questions who, what, where, when, why and how the verb was performed. Adverbial dependent clauses often begin with the subordinating conjunctions relating to time, such as after, before, while, as soon as.
She decided she wanted to be a researcher after her time at university.
Noun dependent clauses
Noun dependent clauses can take the role of a noun within a sentence. If the noun clause is acting as the subject of the sentence, then it is not a dependent clause. If it is acting as the object of the sentence, then it is a dependent clause.
Noun clauses typically begin with interrogative pronouns, such as who, what, when, where, which, why, and how.
She wanted to meet someone who was handsome.
Relative dependent clauses
A relative dependent clause gives more information about the noun in the independent clause - in many ways it acts as an adjective. They always begin with a relative pronoun, such as that, which, who, and whom.
I love the new bookshop, which is located downtown.
Fig 2. Relative dependent clauses can tell us where the bookstore is
Why do we use dependent clauses?
Independent clauses give us the main idea contained in the sentence. Dependent clauses are used to add to the sentence. This can be done through different information being given in the dependent clause.
Dependent clauses can be used to establish a place, a time, a condition, a reason, or a comparison to the independent clause. This does not mean that a dependent clause is limited to giving these types of information - it can contain any additional information that relates to the independent clause.
Independent clauses and dependent clauses
Independent clauses are what dependent clauses rely on. They contain a subject and a predicate and create a full idea or thought. They are combined with dependent clauses to create different sentence types and to give more information about the subject of the sentence.
Dependent clauses and sentence types
Dependent clauses can be used in two different sentence types. These sentence types are complex sentences and compound-complex sentences.
Compound-complex sentences are very similar in structure to complex sentences; however, they have the addition of multiple independent clauses rather than just one. This often means (but is not always the case) that there is only one dependent clause used to accompany the multiple independent clauses.
Sentences with dependent clauses
Let's consider complex sentences first. To form a complex sentence, we need one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Amy was eating while she spoke.
This is an example of one independent clause being paired with a dependent clause. Below you can see how the sentence would change if another dependent clause was added.
After her lunch break, Amy was eating while she spoke.
'Amy was eating' is still the independent clause, but there are multiple dependent clauses in this sentence.
When writing compound-complex sentences, we must include multiple independent clauses. We can develop the above example sentence to contain another independent clause and make it a compound-complex sentence.
Andrew tried to eat his lunch, but Amy was eating while she spoke.
We now have a compound-complex sentence, with the two independent clauses 'Andrew tried to eat his lunch' and 'Amy was eating' and the dependent clause 'while she spoke'.
Dependent Clause - key takeaways
- Dependent clauses are one of the two major clause types in English.
- Dependent clauses rely on independent clauses; they add information to the sentence.
- Dependent clauses can be used in two types of sentences. They are included in complex sentences and compound-complex sentences.
- Dependent clauses contain information about time, place, etc., and always relate to the independent clause somehow.
- There are three main types of dependent clauses: adverbial clauses, adjective clauses and noun clauses.
Explanations 
Exams 
Magazine 
