dependent clause
Sign in to saveAlso known as subordinate clause
grammar term: type of clause that cannot stand alone but serves as a clause element for another clause instead, usually introduced by a subordinator
~8 min read
Encyclopedic overview
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A dependent clause, also known as a subordinate clause, subclause or embedded clause, is a certain type of clause that juxtaposes an independent clause within a complex sentence. For instance, in the sentence "I know Bette is a dolphin", the clause "Bette is a dolphin" occurs as the complement of the verb "know" rather than as a freestanding sentence. Subtypes of dependent clauses include content clauses, relative clauses, adverbial clauses, and clauses that complement an independent clause in the subjunctive mood.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “dependent clause” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.