Question

Is this a phrase or a clause? "While you were napping."

a) Phrase
b) Independent clause
c) Dependent clause
d) Sentence

Answer 1

The group of words "While you were napping" is a dependent clause because it contains both a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phrase "While you were napping" is a dependent clause. A dependent clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It needs an independent clause to give it a complete meaning. The word 'while' is a subordinating conjunction that introduces the clause. This dependent clause has a subject ('you') and a verb ('were napping'), but it does not express a complete thought and relies on additional information to form a full sentence.

An independent clause, on the other hand, can function as a standalone sentence because it has a subject and a verb and expresses a full thought. Phrases lack either a subject or a verb, so they cannot be considered clauses. A sentence is typically composed of at least one main clause but may also include dependent clauses.

Answer 2

The phrase "While you were napping" is a dependent clause because it contains both a subject and a verb, but begins with a subordinating conjunction 'while' and cannot stand alone as a full sentence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The group of words, "While you were napping", is a dependent clause. It contains both a subject (you) and a verb (were napping), indicating that it is indeed a clause. Moreover, it begins with the subordinating conjunction 'while', which provides a condition but does not form a complete thought that can stand alone. Therefore, it relies on an independent clause to provide a complete idea. This means that the correct answer to the question would be (c) dependent clause, as it cannot stand alone as a sentence, unlike an independent clause.

Understanding Clauses and Phrases

It's important to differentiate between a phrase and a clause. A phrase is a group of words that functions as a unit but is missing a subject or a verb, and cannot stand alone as a sentence. A clause, on the other hand, always has a subject and a verb. Clauses are split into two types: independent and dependent. An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, while a dependent clause cannot and relies on an independent clause.

An independent clause can form a simple sentence on its own or join with other clauses to make compound or complex sentences. A simple sentence has one main idea expressed in a single main (independent) clause. A compound sentence is formed by joining two related independent clauses with a conjunction or a semicolon. Lastly, a complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.