Independent Clause:
* "The cat sat on the mat." This is a complete thought, with a subject (cat) and a verb (sat). It can stand alone as a sentence.
Dependent Clause:
* "Because the dog barked loudly" This is not a complete thought on its own. It needs an independent clause to be a complete sentence. ("Because the dog barked loudly, the cat ran away.")
* "Which is very old" This is another dependent clause. It needs an independent clause to be a complete sentence. ("The house, which is very old, is for sale.")
More examples with different types of dependent clauses:
* "While I was eating, the phone rang." (Adverbial clause, modifying the verb "rang")
* "The man who lives next door is a doctor." (Adjective clause, modifying the noun "man")
* "If you study hard, you will succeed." (Adverbial clause, modifying the verb "will succeed")
Key takeaway: A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb. Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences, while dependent clauses need an independent clause to be complete.