The counterpart of an independent clause. A dependent clause has a subject and verb, but it cannot stand on its own. It is not a complete sentence. A dependent clause begins with a DMW. For example, the following clause is independent:
Jim drove his car over the bridge.
but when a DMW is added to it, it becomes a dependent clause.
When Jim drove his car over the bridge…
The word “when” is a DMW and makes this clause dependent. It is called “dependent” because it must be attached to an independent clause in order for it to function as a complete thought (it is dependent on an independent clause). When the DMW is
- a subordinating conjunction, the clause is adverbial;
- a relative pronoun, the clause is adjectival. video
Dependent clauses can function adverbially, adjectivally, or substantively. Consider the following clauses:
After I ate lunch, I removed my Hebrew grammar from my backpack.
The dependent clause here is after I ate lunch. It is answering the when question and is thus adverbial. It modifies the verb “removed.”
The Hebrew grammar which was written by LaSor is a very different way of learning Hebrew.
The dependent clause here is which was written by LaSor. It answers the which one question and is thus adjectival. It modifies the noun “grammar.”
I love what you do.
what you do is the dependent clause, and it is the object of the verb “love.” Therefore, it is a noun or substantival clause.