Clauses Say whether each sentence is a main clause or a subordinate clause. A witch flying by main clause subordinate clause We can use Hopeville Road. subordinate clause main clause Because it is flooded. subordinate clause main clause When the water has all drained away. main clause subordinate clause There will be a lot of mud left on the road. main clause subordinate clause This is a shop. main clause subordinate clause If the tornado comes here. main clause subordinate clause Schools are closed on Sunday. main clause subordinate clause Unless you turn the switch on subordinate clause main clause Put this meat in the fridge. subordinate clause main clause

1. A witch flying by - main clause

2. We can use Hopeville Road. - main clause

3. Because it is flooded. - subordinate clause

4. When the water has all drained away. - subordinate clause

5. There will be a lot of mud left on the road. - main clause

6. This is a shop. - main clause

7. If the tornado comes here. - subordinate clause

8. Schools are closed on Sunday. - main clause

9. Unless you turn the switch on - subordinate clause

10. Put this meat in the fridge. - main clause

Explanation:

The main clause in a sentence is an independent clause, which means it is able to express a complete thought on its own.

A subordinate clause, on the other hand, cannot express a complete thought when it is by itself. It needs the main clause in order to make sense. The best way to identify it is to look for subordinating conjunctions. When you read the clause, because of the conjunction, you can tell there is information missing. We often feel the need to ask "What?" once we have read a subordinate clause. Let's choose one of the subordinate clauses in the answer above:

7. If the tornado comes here. - ... what? What will happen if the tornado comes here. There is information missing. We can also identify this as a subordinate clause because of the conjunction "if" at the beginning.