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Understanding sentence structure is valuable to writers because structure gives them the flexibility to express a single idea, coordinate equal ideas, and subordinate unequal ones. This flexibility comes from arranging independent and dependent (or subordinate) clauses in various combinations.
A clause is simply a group of words that expresses a relationship between subject and verb and sometimes a complement.
Independent Clause. An independent clause expresses an idea that makes sense by itself. For example:
A major decrease in the elk population could occur.
Dependent Clause. A dependent clause expresses part of an idea and doesn't make sense alone. For example:
if winter conditions are especially severe
A dependent clause must be connected to independent clause. For example:
If winter conditions are especially severe, a major decrease in the elk population could occur.
When a dependent clause introduces the main idea, a comma often separates it from the independent clause, as if to say, "Okay, the main idea is about to start."
. . . . OR . . . .
A major decrease in the elk population could occur if winter conditions are especially severe.
No comma is needed when the independent clause comes first and is followed by the dependent clause.
All sentences represent various combinations of independent and dependent clauses. A simple sentence contains one independent clause and no dependent clauses.
