Final answer:
An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and can be combined with other clauses to form compound or complex sentences.
Step-by-step explanation:
An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence. It does not rely on other clauses or phrases for its meaning. Here are three characteristics of an independent clause:
- An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can function as a sentence on its own. For example: I love to read.
- An independent clause can be combined with other independent clauses to form compound sentences. For example: I love to read, and my brother enjoys playing video games.
- An independent clause can be combined with dependent clauses to form complex sentences. For example: Although I love to read, my brother enjoys playing video games.