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English Quiz - Clauses and Phrases (Questions)

Clauses can be independent or dependent. A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate AND is used as part of a sentence. An independent clause expresses a complete thought, e.g. 'He tore the page in half'. Thus, an independent clause could stand alone exactly like a sentence. On the other hand, 'whenever he heard it' is a dependent clause: it can't stand alone because it doesn't represent a complete thought. A phrase is a group of two or more connected words which does not contain a subject and predicate, e.g. 'the girl', terrible weather' 'the enemy having lost'. In this 11-plus English quiz, you are going to get some practice in dealing with phrases and clauses. A sentence is a collection of words that expresses a complete thought. In order to express a complete thought, the sentence must have a subject and predicate: the predicate is that part of the sentence that contains a verb and states something about the subject, e.g. in 'Peter fell over', 'Peter' is the subject and 'fell over' is the predicate. The predicate verb is 'fell'. Here's a useful tip: a phrase is neither a sentence nor a clause.

1. Although he was tired, he carried on swimming.
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
2. ... , he was very clever.
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
3. multicoloured, plastic flowers
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
4. ... because it was not possible to find it.
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
5. He was a famous engineer ...
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
6. He knew where the key was since he had seen her hide it.
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
7. Wherever he looked,...
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
8. I knew how to do it.
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
9. While waiting for him to return, ...
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
10. fresh crispy carrots
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
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English Quiz - Clauses and Phrases (Answers)
1. Although he was tired, he carried on swimming.
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[x] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
Dependent clause: 'Although he was tired' (note the use of a comma when the sentence starts with a dependent clause). Independent clause: 'he carried on swimming'
2. ... , he was very clever.
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[x] The text only contains an independent clause
The comma shows that something else precedes the independent clause: it could be a dependent clause
3. multicoloured, plastic flowers
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[x] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
This is a phrase
4. ... because it was not possible to find it.
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[x] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
The text does not express a complete thought
5. He was a famous engineer ...
[x] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
The text expresses a complete thought
6. He knew where the key was since he had seen her hide it.
[x] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
Independent clause: 'He knew where the key was'. Dependent clause: 'since he had seen her hide it'. This sentence can also be written as 'Since he had seen her hide it, he knew where the key was'. (Note the use of a comma when the sentences starts with a dependent clause)
7. Wherever he looked,...
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[x] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
The text does not express a complete thought. You should now have started to realize that dependent clauses often start with words such as 'although', 'because', 'since', 'though', 'as' and 'if'. It is these words that prevent the dependent clause from expressing a complete thought
8. I knew how to do it.
[x] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
The text expresses a complete thought
9. While waiting for him to return, ...
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[x] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[ ] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
The text does not express a complete thought
10. fresh crispy carrots
[ ] The text only contains an independent clause
[ ] The text only contains a dependent clause
[ ] The text contains both a dependent clause and an independent clause
[x] The text contains neither a dependent clause nor an independent clause
This is a phrase
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