Independent And Dependent Clauses Quiz

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Reviewed by Juliette Firla
Juliette Firla, MA (Teaching Writing) |
English Teacher
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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 and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education. 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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1. The Pony Express might be revived.

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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About This Quiz
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... see moresentences, 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 whether 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. see less

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2. Because today's mail travels so slowly.

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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3. While they were called pony boys.

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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4. Because fuel is so expensive.

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

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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6. Since our mail delivery is so slow.

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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7. The Pony Express did not last long. 

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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8. The Pony Express riders would often ride throughout the night.

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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9. When they carried the mail.

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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10. Which of the following is an example of an independent clause?

Explanation

An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. The other options are dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone as sentences because they lack a complete thought.

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11. Students can sign up to ride the Pony Express.

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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12. Though nobody knew the trip's length.

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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13. Mail was carried by ships.

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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14. While another letter will be delivered by the postal system.

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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15. It would be fun.

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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Juliette Firla |MA (Teaching Writing) |
English Teacher
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 and an MA in Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a Classroom Teacher license from the Connecticut State Department of Education. 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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The Pony Express might be revived.
Because today's mail travels so slowly.
While they were called pony boys.
Because fuel is so expensive.
A rider traveled a great distance before he stopped for the night.
Since our mail delivery is so slow.
The Pony Express did not last long. 
The Pony Express riders would often ride throughout the night.
When they carried the mail.
Which of the following is an example of an independent clause?
Students can sign up to ride the Pony Express.
Though nobody knew the trip's length.
Mail was carried by ships.
While another letter will be delivered by the postal system.
It would be fun.
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