Joining Independent Clauses

Dependent or independent – that is the question…

PART ONE: Joining Independent Clauses

Independent Clauses An independent clause:

Is a group of words with a subject and verb Forms a complete thought Can stand alone as a sentence

Example: the boy runs chocolate candy is my favorite she got a new puppy last week

Two Independent Clauses Two independent clauses may stand as two

separate sentences.

Two independent clauses may be joined With a semicolon With a comma plus a coordinating conjunction

Two independent clauses may NOT be joined With only a comma

Stand Alone Two independent clauses may stand as two

separate sentences.

Example: I was hungry. I ate some pizza.

Both clauses have a subject and a verb. They both form a complete thought. Each clause may stand as a separate sentence.

Joined with SemicolonTwo independent clauses may be joined

With a semicolon Clauses must be closely related

Example: I was hungry; I ate some pizza.

Both clauses have a subject and a verb and form a complete thought. They are closely related, so they may be joined by a semicolon.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Two independent clauses may be joined:

With a comma plus a coordinating conjunction

MEMORIZE

And But For Or Nor So Yet

Comma plus ConjunctionTwo independent clauses may be joined

With a comma plus a coordinating conjunction

Examples: I was hungry, so I ate some pizza. I was hungry, and I ate some pizza. I was not hungry, yet I ate some pizza.

The conjunction follows the comma.

NEVER a comma aloneTwo independent clauses may NEVER be joined

With a comma alone

Example: I was hungry, I ate some pizza.

INCORRECT

This is called a “comma splice.” Add a coordinating conjunction after the comma.

Is this correct? It rained all day, Judy could not go play

outside.

It rained all day, Judy could not go play outside.

Two independent clauses may NOT be joined by a comma alone.

Answer:

Is this correct? The rain soon disappeared, for the sun

had returned.

Answer: The rain soon disappeared, for the sun

had returned.

Two independent clauses MAY be joined with a comma PLUS a coordinating conjunction.

Is this correct?Everyone loves Sam; he is always smiling.

Answer:Everyone loves Sam; he is always smiling.

Two independent clauses MAY be joined with a comma PLUS a coordinating conjunction.

SummaryAn independent clause is a group of words that

form a complete thought and can stand alone as a complete sentence.

You may join two independent clauses in these ways:Use a period between them to allow them to stand as

two separate sentences.Use a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction.Use a semicolon.

You may NOT use a comma alone when joining two independent clauses.