Final answer:
An independent clause is a complete thought that contains a subject and a verb. It can optionally include an object. Independent clauses can be combined to form compound or compound-complex sentences.
Step-by-step explanation:
An independent clause is a complete thought; it contains a subject and verb and optionally an object. An independent clause can always stand alone as a sentence because it conveys a complete idea. Independent clauses may be connected to form more complex structures such as compound sentences and compound-complex sentences. For example, in the sentence 'Hand me that socket wrench,' 'hand' is the verb, and the implied subject is 'you.' This makes it a simple sentence, whereas, in the sentence 'She is going to be a schoolteacher because she believes education is the most fundamental pillar of the republic,' a dependent (subordinate) clause 'because she believes...' is present alongside the independent clause.