Worksheet on identifying independent and dependent clauses with examples and practice exercises.

Let's solve this grammar worksheet step by step. The goal is to identify whether underlined groups of words are independent clauses (I) or dependent clauses (D), and then underline the dependent clause in each sentence.

---

🔹 Definitions Recap:

- Independent Clause: A group of words with a subject and predicate that can stand alone as a complete sentence.
- Dependent Clause: A group of words with a subject and predicate, but it cannot stand alone — it depends on an independent clause to make sense.

Common subordinating conjunctions (that often start dependent clauses):
*because, since, while, although, if, when, until, so that, before, after, unless, etc.*

---

## ✔ Part 1: Write I or D for the underlined group

We need to determine whether the underlined part is independent or dependent.

> Note: Since I can't see the actual underlining in your image, I’ll assume based on typical textbook formatting that the first clause in each sentence is underlined. But let’s analyze carefully.

Let’s go through each:

---

1. If you live on an island, you become independent.
- Underlined: *"If you live on an island"* → starts with "if", which is a subordinating conjunction.
- This clause cannot stand alone.
→ D

2. Natives made their own clothes because they could not buy them.
- Underlined: *"because they could not buy them"* → starts with "because"
- Cannot stand alone; depends on the main clause.
→ D

3. Since there were no stores, they hunted for food.
- Underlined: *"Since there were no stores"* → starts with "since"
- Dependent clause
→ D

4. A seal provided meat while people used its hide for clothes.
- Underlined: *"while people used its hide for clothes"* → "while" introduces a dependent clause
→ D

5. A hunting party paddled boats out to sea so that they could catch fish.
- Underlined: *"so that they could catch fish"* → "so that" shows purpose; dependent
→ D

6. Women gathered berries and roots before winter came.
- Underlined: *"before winter came"* → "before" is a subordinating conjunction
→ D

7. Because they needed containers for the food, they made baskets out of grasses.
- Underlined: *"Because they needed containers for the food"* → "because" = dependent
→ D

✔ So far, all underlined parts are dependent clauses.

---

## ✔ Part 2: Underline the dependent clause in each sentence

Now we need to underline the dependent clause in these sentences. Let’s do it one by one.

8. Because they cooked with fire, the natives kept live coals.
- Dependent clause: *"Because they cooked with fire"*
→ Underline: Because they cooked with fire

9. After food was prepared, they covered the embers with ashes.
- Dependent clause: *"After food was prepared"*
→ Underline: After food was prepared

10. While they slept through the night, the coals stayed warm.
- Dependent clause: *"While they slept through the night"*
→ Underline: While they slept through the night

11. The coals smoldered until morning came.
- Dependent clause: *"until morning came"*
→ Underline: until morning came

12. When the cook blew on the coals, they glowed brightly.
- Dependent clause: *"When the cook blew on the coals"*
→ Underline: When the cook blew on the coals

13. She fed wood to the coals so that the fire would catch again.
- Dependent clause: *"so that the fire would catch again"*
→ Underline: so that the fire would catch again

14. If her husband had caught fish that morning, they would eat well for breakfast.
- Dependent clause: *"If her husband had caught fish that morning"*
→ Underline: If her husband had caught fish that morning

---

## ✔ Final Answers:

Part 1: I or D

1. D
2. D
3. D
4. D
5. D
6. D
7. D

Part 2: Underline the dependent clause

8. Because they cooked with fire, the natives kept live coals.
9. After food was prepared, they covered the embers with ashes.
10. While they slept through the night, the coals stayed warm.
11. The coals smoldered until morning came.
12. When the cook blew on the coals, they glowed brightly.
13. She fed wood to the coals so that the fire would catch again.
14. If her husband had caught fish that morning, they would eat well for breakfast.

---

## 🌟 Home Activity Suggestion:
Ask your child to write a sentence about Native Americans using both types of clauses. For example:

> Native Americans built shelters from wood so that they could stay dry during storms.
- Independent: *Native Americans built shelters from wood*
- Dependent: *so that they could stay dry during storms*

Then explain:
- The independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
- The dependent clause needs the main idea to make full sense.

---

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or a PDF-style answer key!