A clause...

tts Icon

contains both a subject and a verb.
tts Icon

can always stand alone as a complete sentence.
tts Icon

can never stand alone as a complete sentence.
tts Icon

is another name for a phrase.

1 answer

A clause is defined as a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb. Here are the correct statements regarding clauses:

  1. Contains both a subject and a verb. - This is true for all clauses.
  2. Can always stand alone as a complete sentence. - This is true for an independent clause, but not for all clauses, as some clauses (dependent clauses) cannot stand alone.
  3. Can never stand alone as a complete sentence. - This is true for a dependent clause, but not for all clauses as independent clauses can stand alone.
  4. Is another name for a phrase. - This is false; a clause and a phrase are different; a phrase does not contain both a subject and a verb.

So the most accurate statement in relation to clauses would be that they "contain both a subject and a verb."