Main Clause | Examples & Meaning
A main clause (also known as an independent clause) is a group of words in a larger sentence that could stand alone as a complete simple sentence. It contains a subject and a verb. In most cases, a main clause expresses a complete idea.
The term “main clause” usually refers to the independent clause in a complex sentence, which also contains at least one subordinate clause (also called a dependent clause). All clauses include a subject and a verb, but not all clauses are independent.
For example, a subordinate clause doesn’t communicate a complete idea because it begins with a dependent marker (e.g., “if” or “which”). A subordinate clause needs a main clause in order to make complete sense.
Alexis started a business after she finished high school.
The hotel got a great review because the staff was so friendly.
What is a main clause?
A main clause has a subject and predicate and usually communicates a complete thought (e.g., “Percy works in Overland Park”). It’s the same as an independent clause because it can stand alone as a complete sentence. Main clauses (or independent clauses) can be in four types of sentences.
| Sentence type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple sentence | One main clause | Ted got a research job in the Galápagos Islands. |
| Compound sentence | Independent clause + independent clause | Stevie was the star of the show, and she got a standing ovation. |
| Complex sentence | Main clause + subordinate clause | Twyla worked late because the restaurant was busy. |
| Compound-complex sentence | Two main clauses + at least one subordinate clause | If you don’t want tea, I can make coffee, but I don’t have any milk. |
Although “main clause” and “independent clause” have the same meaning, the term “main clause” usually refers to the independent clause in a complex sentence.
- Place a comma after a subordinate clause that begins a complex or compound-complex sentence (e.g., “After she ate lunch, Daphne took a nap”).
- Also use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (e.g., “and” or “but”) that joins two independent clauses in a compound sentence (e.g., “It rained all day, so we don’t have to water the garden”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use commas correctly in sentences with main clauses and subordinate clauses.
Main clauses and subordinate clauses
A main clause and a subordinate clause are the two main parts of a complex sentence. You can also combine two or more independent clauses with one or more subordinate clauses to make a compound-complex sentence.
A subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it begins with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.
| Subordinating conjunctions | Relative pronouns |
|---|---|
| Before, because, if, when, after, unless, while, once, since, until | That, which, who/whom |
Without a main clause, a subordinate clause (e.g., “after the boutique closed”) is a sentence fragment even though it has a subject and a verb. To fix this type of fragment, add a main clause (or remove the period that incorrectly separates the subordinate clause from the main clause).
- Because the joke was so funny.
- Roland couldn’t stop laughing because the joke was so funny.
- When the last customer left.
- When the last customer left, David closed the store.
- The book that Levy wrote won several awards.
- The woman who won the election used to be an actress.
Frequently asked questions about main clause
- What type of sentence contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses?
-
A complex sentence contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses (aka dependent clauses). The main clause is an independent clause that could be its own simple sentence because it expresses a complete idea and has a subject and a verb.
For example, each of these complex sentences has a main clause in bold.
- If they make another Spider-Man movie, we have to go see it when it’s at the cinema.
- The meeting ended abruptly because the Wi-Fi was down.
When you’re writing with complex sentences, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you avoid errors.
- Is a subordinate clause a dependent clause?
-
Yes, a subordinate clause is a dependent clause. “Subordinate clause” and “dependent clause” have the same meaning—a group of words that has a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
A subordinate clause is not a complete idea because it begins with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., “when”) or a relative pronoun (e.g., “which”). It needs to be combined with a main clause in a complex sentence (e.g., “After we ate dinner, we watched a show”).
When you’re writing sentences with subordinate clauses, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you use correct grammar and punctuation.
- How are independent clauses linked to other clauses?
-
Independent clauses can be joined together using a semicolon (e.g., “I love my puppy Coco; she is so much fun”) or a comma and coordinating conjunction, like “and,” “but,” or “so” (e.g., “I wish I could play with Coco all day, but I have to work”).
Less commonly, a colon or an em dash can be used to link two independent clauses (e.g., “Let’s admit what the real problem is here: We haven’t devoted enough time to training”).
Independent clauses can also be joined with dependent clauses to form complex and compound-complex sentences. In a complex sentence, the independent clause is known as the main clause.
QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help you use different sentence structures correctly.
