Independent And Dependent Clauses Quiz

Reviewed by Juliette Firla
Juliette Firla, MA |
K-12 English Expert
Review Board Member
Juliette is a middle school English teacher at Sacred Heart of Greenwich, Connecticut. Juliette earned a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Elon University (2016-2020) and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University (Apr 2023-Dec 2025). She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education, obtained in July 2021. Juliette possesses strong skills in English language arts, writing, editing, and literature study. She has a deep passion for working with young people and contributing to the education of America's youth in the classroom.
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Independent And Dependent Clauses Quiz - Quiz


Take our Independent and Dependent Clauses Quiz! This quiz is designed to test your understanding of sentence structure by focusing on independent and dependent clauses. In English grammar, a clause is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate. Independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences, while dependent clauses cannot and rely on independent clauses to form complete sentences. Through a series of thought-provoking questions, this quiz will challenge your ability to identify and differentiate between independent and dependent clauses.

You'll be presented with sentences containing various types of clauses, and you'll need to determine Read morewhether each clause can stand alone or if it depends on another clause to make sense. By participating in this quiz, you'll not only improve your grammar skills but also enhance your overall writing abilities. Understanding how to properly use independent and dependent clauses is essential for constructing clear and coherent sentences.


Independent and Dependent Clauses Questions and Answers

  • 1. 

    The Pony Express did not last long. 

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given statement "The pony express did not last long" is an independent clause because it can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not rely on any other clause to convey its meaning.

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  • 2. 

    Mail was carried by ships.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given statement "Mail was carried by ships" is a complete sentence that can stand alone and express a complete thought. It does not rely on any other part of the sentence to make sense, therefore it is an independent clause.

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  • 3. 

    Because today's mail travels so slowly.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given correct answer is "Dependent Clause" because the phrase "Because today's mail travels so slowly" cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on the rest of the sentence to provide a complete thought and is dependent on the independent clause for its meaning.

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  • 4. 

    The Pony Express riders would often ride throughout the night.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given answer is an independent clause because it can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not rely on any other clauses to make sense. The statement "The pony express riders would often ride throughout the night" is a complete sentence that provides information about the actions of the pony express riders.

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  • 5. 

    While they were called pony boys.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given answer is "Dependent Clause" because the phrase "While they were called pony boys" does not express a complete thought on its own and relies on the rest of the sentence for meaning. It cannot stand alone as a sentence and is dependent on an independent clause to form a complete sentence.

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  • 6. 

    When they carried the mail.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given answer is "Dependent Clause" because it does not express a complete thought on its own and relies on another clause to make sense. It lacks a subject and a verb, which are necessary components of an independent clause. Therefore, it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

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  • 7. 

    Because fuel is so expensive.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given correct answer is "Dependent Clause" because the phrase "Because fuel is so expensive" cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on the rest of the sentence for its meaning and does not express a complete thought on its own.

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  • 8. 

    The Pony Express might be revived.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given correct answer is "Independent Clause" because the sentence "The pony express might be revived" can stand alone as a complete thought and does not rely on any other part of the sentence to make sense. It expresses a complete idea and can function as a standalone sentence.

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  • 9. 

    Though nobody knew the trip's length.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given correct answer is "Dependent Clause" because it starts with the subordinating conjunction "Though" which indicates that it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It is dependent on the rest of the sentence to provide the necessary information for it to make sense.

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  • 10. 

    A rider traveled a great distance before he stopped for the night.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given sentence "A rider traveled a great distance before he stopped for the night" is an independent clause because it can stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject ("a rider") and a predicate ("traveled a great distance before he stopped for the night") that expresses a complete thought. The clause does not rely on any other part of the sentence to make sense.

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  • 11. 

    Since our mail delivery is so slow.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given correct answer is "Dependent Clause" because it does not express a complete thought on its own and relies on another clause to make sense. It starts with the subordinating conjunction "Since," indicating that it is dependent on the information provided in the main clause.

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  • 12. 

    Before the letter arrived by pony express.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The given sentence "Before the letter arrived by pony express" is a dependent clause because it does not express a complete thought on its own. It relies on another clause to complete the meaning. In this case, the dependent clause is providing information about the timing or condition of something else that happened.

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  • 13. 

    Students can sign up to ride the Pony Express.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given statement "Students can sign up to ride the pony express" is an independent clause because it can stand alone as a complete sentence. It provides a complete thought and does not rely on any other clause to make sense.

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  • 14. 

    It would be fun.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    A. Independent Clause
    Explanation
    The given answer is "Independent Clause" because an independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone and express a complete thought. In this case, the phrase "It would be fun" is a complete sentence on its own and does not rely on any other part of the sentence for meaning.

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  • 15. 

    While another letter will be delivered by the postal system.

    • A.

      Independent Clause

    • B.

      Dependent Clause

    Correct Answer
    B. Dependent Clause
    Explanation
    The phrase "While another letter will be delivered by the postal system" is a dependent clause because it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. It relies on an independent clause to provide a complete thought. In this case, the independent clause is missing, but we can assume that it would provide the necessary context or main idea for the dependent clause to make sense.

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Juliette Firla |MA |
K-12 English Expert
Juliette is a middle school English teacher at Sacred Heart of Greenwich, Connecticut. Juliette earned a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Elon University (2016-2020) and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University (Apr 2023-Dec 2025). She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education, obtained in July 2021. Juliette possesses strong skills in English language arts, writing, editing, and literature study. She has a deep passion for working with young people and contributing to the education of America's youth in the classroom.

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  • Mar 28, 2024
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  • Apr 21, 2010
    Quiz Created by
    Jmweaver
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