The correct response is:
A dependent clause cannot stand alone in a sentence, but a phrase can.
However, it's important to note that typically, a phrase cannot stand alone as a complete sentence, whereas a dependent clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone. The better distinction is that a dependent clause includes a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought, while a phrase lacks either a subject or a verb (or both) and does not function as a complete clause.
However, since this option is represented in your choices, it seems there might be a misunderstanding in the phrasing of options provided. The most accurate distinction regarding independent and dependent clauses would be that dependent clauses require an independent clause to form a complete sentence, while phrases can function in various grammatical roles but usually do not.