What Is a Dependent Clause? (with Examples)
If you have been told that you are struggling properly punctuating sentences with dependent clauses, then HAVE NO FEAR! This page will provide you with general rules for punctuating sentences that contain dependent clauses, followed by examples of what dependent clauses actually are in English writing.
Use a comma after a dependent clause that starts a sentence.
Example: "When I went running, I saw a duck."
Example” “With the opioid crisis on the rise, Americans have no choice but to make changes.”
A dependent clause is a grammatical unit that contains both subject and verb but cannot stand on its own, like "When I went running ..." or “With the opioid crisis on the rise…”
An independent clause is a grammatical unit that contains both subject and verb and it can stand on its own. The independent clauses in the samples above would be:
"I saw a duck," and "Americans have no choice but to make changes."
Commas always follow these clauses at the start of a sentence. If a dependent clause ends the sentence, however, it no longer requires a comma. Only use a comma to separate a dependent clause at the end of a sentence for added emphasis, usually when negation occurs.
