Here's the breakdown:
* Independent Clause: A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. It has a subject and a verb.
* Dependent Clause: A group of words that has a subject and a verb, but it cannot stand alone as a sentence. It relies on an independent clause to complete its meaning.
Here's how to spot a dependent clause:
1. Look for subordinating conjunctions: These words connect the dependent clause to the independent clause, like "because," "although," "since," "while," "if," "when," "after," etc.
2. Look for relative pronouns: Words like "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that" can introduce dependent clauses.
Examples:
* Independent Clause: The dog barked.
* Dependent Clause: Because the dog was hungry.
Putting it together:
The dog barked because the dog was hungry.
This sentence combines the independent clause "The dog barked" with the dependent clause "because the dog was hungry" to create a complete thought.
To answer your question: You need to see a group of words that has a subject and a verb but starts with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. That will be your dependent clause, which cannot stand alone as a sentence.