Using Main and Subordinate Clauses — Identify and Write Your Own ... - Free Printable

Let's solve the problem step by step based on the worksheet titled "Main and Subordinate Clauses".

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🔹 Understanding the Definitions:

- Main clause: A clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It has a subject and a verb and makes sense on its own.
- Subordinate clause: A clause that cannot stand alone; it depends on a main clause to make sense. It often starts with subordinating conjunctions like *because, although, after, as, since*, etc.

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## ✔ Activity 1: Underline the main clause in each sentence.

We are to identify and underline the main clause (the part that makes sense on its own).

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Sentence 1:

"The corridors were dark because of the power cut."

- Main clause: *"The corridors were dark"*
→ This is a complete thought: subject ("corridors") + verb ("were").
- Subordinate clause: *"because of the power cut"*
→ This explains why, but cannot stand alone.

✔ Underline: The corridors were dark

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Sentence 2:

"Although Justin felt brave, he stayed away from the cellar."

- Main clause: *"he stayed away from the cellar"*
→ This is a complete sentence: subject ("he") + verb ("stayed").
- Subordinate clause: *"Although Justin felt brave"*
→ Starts with "although", so it’s dependent.

✔ Underline: he stayed away from the cellar

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Sentence 3:

"Thunder rumbled all around Dreyah after a flash of bright lightning."

- Main clause: *"Thunder rumbled all around Dreyah"*
→ Complete thought: subject ("Thunder") + verb ("rumbled").
- Subordinate clause: *"after a flash of bright lightning"*
→ Time-related detail, not independent.

✔ Underline: Thunder rumbled all around Dreyah

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## ✔ Activity 2: Underline the subordinate clause in each sentence.

Now we find the dependent (subordinate) clause — the one that needs the main clause to make sense.

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Sentence 1:

"A tingle dashed down his back and legs after a noise rushed around behind him."

- Main clause: *"A tingle dashed down his back and legs"*
- Subordinate clause: *"after a noise rushed around behind him"*
→ Starts with "after", which is a subordinating conjunction.

✔ Underline: after a noise rushed around behind him

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Sentence 2:

"As he crept around the mansion, floorboards creaked with whispered secrets."

- Main clause: *"floorboards creaked with whispered secrets"*
- Subordinate clause: *"As he crept around the mansion"*
→ Starts with "as", indicating time or action that precedes.

✔ Underline: As he crept around the mansion

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Sentence 3:

"Nobody came here at night since the mysterious disappearance of the ancient key."

- Main clause: *"Nobody came here at night"*
- Subordinate clause: *"since the mysterious disappearance of the ancient key"*
→ "Since" introduces a reason — this part doesn’t make sense alone.

✔ Underline: since the mysterious disappearance of the ancient key

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## ✔ Final Answers:

Activity 1: Main Clauses

1. The corridors were dark
2. he stayed away from the cellar
3. Thunder rumbled all around Dreyah

Activity 2: Subordinate Clauses

1. after a noise rushed around behind him
2. As he crept around the mansion
3. since the mysterious disappearance of the ancient key

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📌 Summary:

- Always look for subject + verb to find the main clause.
- Look for subordinating conjunctions like *although, because, after, as, since* to spot subordinate clauses.
- The subordinate clause adds extra information but cannot stand alone.

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