BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Subordinate and independent clause

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:04 pm
Thanked: 1 times
by Mr.Hollywood » Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:28 pm
Hi guys, I have a somehow general question about sentence structure.

Subordinate and independent clause.

We can use the following two sentences to demonstrate

1. Andy and Lisha are inseparable; they do everything together.

2. The dam has created dead zones, where fish have disappeared.

The comma used in the 2nd sentence indicates that the second part of the sentence is subordinate to the first part. However, in my opinion, the second part of the 1st sentence is also subordinate to its first part. So I was wondering if anybody could please help me differentiate the differences between these two types of clause.

Thank you so much!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:30 pm
Mr.Hollywood wrote:Hi guys, I have a somehow general question about sentence structure.

Subordinate and independent clause.

We can use the following two sentences to demonstrate

1. Andy and Lisha are inseparable; they do everything together.

2. The dam has created dead zones, where fish have disappeared.

The comma used in the 2nd sentence indicates that the second part of the sentence is subordinate to the first part. However, in my opinion, the second part of the 1st sentence is also subordinate to its first part. So I was wondering if anybody could please help me differentiate the differences between these two types of clause.

Thank you so much!
"They (Andy and Lisha) do everything together" is an independent clause because it expresses a complete idea all by itself.

"Where fish have disappeared" is an dependent (subordinate) clause because it does not express a complete idea all by itself.

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

by gurpreetsingh.1982 » Mon May 14, 2012 9:12 am
Hi Brent,

For independent clauses, they can be connected by semi-colon as seen here. However, can they also be connected by conjunctions such as ", and" or ", but" (depending on usage of course)?

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

Cheers,
Gurpreet
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Mon May 14, 2012 9:22 am
gurpreetsingh.1982 wrote:Hi Brent,

For independent clauses, they can be connected by semi-colon as seen here. However, can they also be connected by conjunctions such as ", and" or ", but" (depending on usage of course)?

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

Cheers,
Gurpreet
Yes, we can also connect two independent clauses with a conjunction (and, but, etc.) and a comma.

Correct: Bob is from France; Sue is from Spain.
Correct: Bob is from France, and Sue is from Spain.
Incorrect: Bob is from France, Sue is from Spain.
Incorrect: Bob is from France and Sue is from Spain.

Cheers,
Brent
Last edited by Brent@GMATPrepNow on Mon May 14, 2012 9:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

by gurpreetsingh.1982 » Mon May 14, 2012 9:43 am
Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:
gurpreetsingh.1982 wrote:Hi Brent,

For independent clauses, they can be connected by semi-colon as seen here. However, can they also be connected by conjunctions such as ", and" or ", but" (depending on usage of course)?

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

Cheers,
Gurpreet
Yes, we can also connect two independent clauses with a conjunction (and, but, etc.) and a comma.

Correct: Bob is from France; Bob is from Spain.
Correct: Bob is from France, and Bob is from Spain.
Incorrect: Correct: Bob is from France, Bob is from Spain.
Incorrect: Correct: Bob is from France and Bob is from Spain.

Cheers,
Brent
Hi Brent,

Just to be sure, believe you mean:
Incorrect: Bob is from France, Bob is from Spain.
Correct: Bob is from France and Bob is from Spain.

Thanks,
Gurpreet
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 16207
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members
Location: Vancouver, BC
Thanked: 5254 times
GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Mon May 14, 2012 9:50 am
gurpreetsingh.1982 wrote:
Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:
gurpreetsingh.1982 wrote:Hi Brent,

For independent clauses, they can be connected by semi-colon as seen here. However, can they also be connected by conjunctions such as ", and" or ", but" (depending on usage of course)?

Thanks in advance for your clarification.

Cheers,
Gurpreet
Yes, we can also connect two independent clauses with a conjunction (and, but, etc.) and a comma.

Correct: Bob is from France; Bob is from Spain.
Correct: Bob is from France, and Bobis from Spain.
Incorrect: Correct: Bob is from France, Bobis from Spain.
Incorrect: Correct: Bob is from France and Bobis from Spain.

Cheers,
Brent
Hi Brent,

Just to be sure, believe you mean:
Incorrect: Bob is from France, Bob is from Spain.
Correct: Bob is from France and Bob is from Spain.

Thanks,
Gurpreet
Yikes, I used Bob for both people, and I wrote correct and incorrect for one sentence! I edited it.

I'll repeat it here:

Correct: Bob is from France; Sue is from Spain.
Correct: Bob is from France, and Sue is from Spain.
Incorrect: Bob is from France, Sue is from Spain.
Incorrect: Bob is from France and Sue is from Spain.

The last one ("Bob is from France and Sue is from Spain") is incorrect, because we need to join the 2 independent clauses with a conjunction and a comma. This sentence has no comma.
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2011 6:00 am
Thanked: 2 times

by gurpreetsingh.1982 » Mon May 14, 2012 9:55 am
Ah thanks for clarifying, Brent.

Have a good day!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1