Here's why:
* It contains a subject ("I") and a verb ("was talking").
* However, it does not express a complete thought. It needs an independent clause to make sense.
For example:
* While I was talking on the phone to Walter, the doorbell rang.
In this example, "while I was talking on the phone to Walter" is the dependent clause, and "the doorbell rang" is the independent clause. Together, they form a complete sentence.