Clauses Exam

A. Identifying Clauses

Identify each italicized clause in the following sentences as independent or subordinate.

1. The fire stared because someone did not smother a campfire.

2. The family that bought our house is moving in next week.

3. Did you know that Dr. Joel is the new ambassador to Lebanon?

4. Mr. Kim will buy the store if the bank lends him the money.

5. According to Ms. Garza, our math teacher, the binary system is important to know.

6. Wherever Maggie goes, her poodle Jack follows.

7. She won the golf match because she had practiced diligently.

8. Whatever you decide is fine with me.

9. I saw the job advertised in the school paper and decided to apply for it.

10. We were proud that you conceded defeat so graciously.

B. Identifying and Classifying Subordinate Clauses

Identify the subordinate clause in each of the following sentences.  Tell whether each clause is used as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun.

1. Emily Dickinson, who was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts, was a great American poet.

2. She appeared to lead a fairly normal life until she became a recluse in her family's home.

3. There she wrote poems that literary critics now call "great American poetry."

4. Unfortunately, only a few of Dickinson's poems were published while she was alive.

5. After she died in 1886, her other poems were published.

6. I think everyone should read at least some of Dickinson's poetry.

7. Dickinson is a poet whose work I now read often.

8. The poems I have just finished reading are "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" and Apparently with No Surprise."

9. They rhythms of Dickinson's poems are best appreciated when you read the poems aloud.

10. Whatever I read by Emily Dickinson surprises and inspires me.

C.  Identifying Independent and Subordinate Clauses.

Identify all subordinate and independent clauses.

1. After eating and drinking, the elephants galloped through the wheat field.

2. Mr. Chisholm wanted to go bowling, but Mrs. Chisholm preferred the dinner theater.

3. Ten steps up the dark staircase, the twins lost their nerve; dinner at home suddenly seemed much more appealing.

4. Kenzuo insisted that the bullet train was the best way to get to Osaka after midnight.

5. When the travelers arrived at the inn, the innkeeper greeted them.

6. Dr. Bourgeois knew that singing loudly would only irritate others, so he decided to keep his high spirits to himself.

7. While preparing to eat, the dog spotted itself in the mirror.

8. Mom always wanted to live in New Mexico, but Dad was too used to living in North Carolina to move.

9. Before the concert began, the first violinist leaned forward to tie his shoe; this innocent action set off a whole chain of unlikely events.

10. Tom Bell is Angela's favorite actor, but Sally like Ricky Blake.

11. While washing the car, Benito paused to admire the vintage biplane flying overhead.

12. Joseph had worked hard for straight A's on his exams, and when the results came in, he discovered that his hard work had paid off.

13. When the crocodile approached, the heron flew away.

14. Arnie carefully lined up the pieces on the chessboard; however, Dario's foot caught the edge of the board and pieces flew into the air.

15. We had hoped that being subtle would be enough, and indeed, for a while this tactic seemed to be working; but as the day wore on, we slowly realized that a bolder approach was needed.