Answer:
4. Are clauses that make sense when they stand alone.
Step-by-step explanation:
Independent clauses are clauses or groups of words that complete a thought and make sense when they stand as a sentence. In simple words, independent clauses make a full, meaningful sentence without the help of any other clauses or dependent clauses.
While dependent clauses require independent clauses to make a meaningful sentence and be accepted as a sentence, independent clauses need no such addition. As the word "independent" suggests, independent clauses are "independent" and can stand alone.
Thus, the correct answer is option 4.