Activity Questions 3.1

Based on the information in the sources, the statement “All clauses have independent status” is B. False.

Here’s why:

• A clause is defined as something that is embedded within a matrix clause.
• An embedded clause can also be called a subordinate clause.
• The sources explicitly state that a subordinate clause is called subordinate because it is not independent. It does not have any status out of the main clause.
• While a sentence with an independent status is called a clause too (specifically, an independent clause), structurally, a sentence is independent and a clause is dependent. The dependence of a subordinate clause on some constituent of the main clause makes it a subordinate clause.
• A finite sentence/clause can potentially become an independent clause, but a non-finite clause does not have that capacity and has to remain an embedded clause.

Therefore, since subordinate, embedded, and non-finite clauses, which are types of clauses, do not have independent status, the statement that all clauses have independent status is false according to the sources. An independent clause is a sentence that structurally does not depend on any other clause. If a sentence is dependent or embedded within something, it becomes subordinate.

Based on the sources, the sentence “The earth moves round the sun.” is a Simple sentence.

Here’s why, drawing on the information in the sources:

• A sentence is described as the fundamental tool for communication and a basic block of language. It has essential components, including a subject and a predicate which contains a verb. Structurally, a sentence is independent.
• A sentence with an independent status with a full stop is a sentence.
• A clause is described as something that is embedded within a matrix clause. Clauses are generally considered dependent on another clause. An embedded clause is also called a subordinate clause because it is not independent.
• However, a sentence can also be called a clause. Specifically, an independent clause is the main clause in a sentence. A simple sentence is essentially an independent clause.
• A complex sentence has one or more subordinate clauses (embedded clauses) within the main clause (independent clause).
• A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined together, typically by conjunctions like ‘and’, ‘or’, or simply by a comma.

Now let’s examine the sentence “The earth moves round the sun.”:

• The sentence has a subject: “The earth”.
• It has a verb: “moves”.
• It has a predicate: “moves round the sun.”
• It contains a single subject and a single main verb, forming one independent clause.
• It does not contain any embedded or subordinate clauses.
• It does not consist of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction or comma.

Therefore, because the sentence “The earth moves round the sun.” contains only one independent clause and no subordinate clauses, it is classified as a Simple sentence according to the distinctions made in the sources.

Based on the information in the sources and our conversation history, the underlined subordinate clause in the sentence “I saw how the accident happened” is a Noun clause.

Here’s the breakdown based on the sources:

• A clause can be something embedded within a matrix clause. When a sentence is embedded within a larger sentence, that embedded sentence is called a clause, specifically a subordinate clause or embedded clause. The sentence “I saw how the accident happened” is a complex sentence because it contains a subordinate clause within the main clause (“I saw”).
• Subordinate clauses can have different functions within a sentence. The sources mention three main types based on function: nominal clauses (or noun clauses), adjectival clauses, and adverbial clauses.
• A nominal clause or noun clause is a subordinate clause that functions like a noun. They can occur in various structural positions where a noun might appear, such as the subject position or the object position. Specifically, a subordinate clause can work as an object of a verb in the main clause.
• In the sentence “I saw how the accident happened”, the main verb is “saw”. This is a transitive verb. Transitive verbs typically take an object. The clause “how the accident happened” is directly following the verb “saw” and answers the question “What did I see?”. It is functioning as the direct object of the verb “saw”.
• Since the underlined clause is functioning as the object of the verb in the main clause, it is performing the role of a noun. Therefore, it is a nominal clause or noun clause.

The other options are not correct because:

• An adjectival clause functions like an adjective to modify a noun. The clause “how the accident happened” is not modifying any noun in the sentence.
• An adverbial clause functions like an adverb, providing additional information about the verb, adjective, adverb, or the entire sentence, often answering questions like when, where, how, or why. While the word “how” might suggest a manner, the entire clause “how the accident happened” here functions as the direct object (what was seen) rather than describing how the seeing occurred.

Therefore, the clause “how the accident happened” acts as the object of the verb “saw” and is correctly identified as a noun clause.

Based on the information in the sources, the sentence “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.” is a compound sentence.

Here’s the reasoning, drawing directly from the sources and our conversation history:

1. The sentence “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.” consists of two parts: “Manisha is a teacher” and “her brother is a doctor”.
2. Let’s analyse each part:
   • “Manisha is a teacher.” This part has a subject (“Manisha”) and a predicate (“is a teacher”) which includes a verb (“is”). This can stand alone as a complete thought and is structurally independent. According to the sources, a sentence with an independent status with a full stop is a sentence, and an independent sentence is also called an independent clause. Therefore, “Manisha is a teacher” is an independent clause.
   • “her brother is a doctor.” This part also has a subject (“her brother”) and a predicate (“is a doctor”) containing a verb (“is”). It can also stand alone as a complete thought. It is also an independent clause.
3. The two independent clauses are joined together by the word “and”.
4. The sources define a compound sentence as one where two sentences, two independent sentences are connected with either a comma, or some connectors like and, or, etc.. Another source reiterates that two or more independent clauses can be joined together by ‘and’, ‘or’, or simply by a ‘comma’, and these are called compound sentences.
5. The sentence “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.” perfectly fits this description of a compound sentence, as it has two independent clauses connected by “and”.

To contrast, a complex sentence is defined as one which has got several subordinate clauses in association with or within the main clause, which is also known as an independent clause. A complex sentence contains one or more subordinate clauses within the main clause (independent clause). A subordinate clause is defined as something that is embedded within a matrix clause and is not independent. The given sentence does not contain any subordinate clauses.

The sources do not provide a definition for a “compound-complex sentence”.

Therefore, based on the explicit definitions provided in the sources, the sentence “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.” is a compound sentence.

The correct option is A.

Drawing on the information in the sources and our previous conversation history, the sentence you are referring to is “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.” (from Q4).

To determine the number of independent clauses in this sentence, we need to understand what an independent clause is according to the sources:

• A sentence with an independent status with a full stop is a sentence.
• An independent clause is a sentence where we find embedded clauses within it. (Note: This definition might seem counter-intuitive initially, but other sources clarify).
• An independent clause structurally does not depend on any other clause.
• One of the features of an independent clause or main clause or matrix clause is that it cannot be dependent on another one.
• The main sentence is essentially an independent clause.
• All simple sentences are independent clauses.
• An independent sentence, a sentence with an independent status, is also called a clause; is called an independent clause.

Now let’s look at the sentence “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.”:

1. The first part is “Manisha is a teacher”. This part contains a subject (“Manisha”) and a predicate (“is a teacher”) with a verb (“is”). It can stand alone as a complete sentence. Therefore, it is an independent clause.
2. The second part is “her brother is a doctor”. This part also contains a subject (“her brother”) and a predicate (“is a doctor”) with a verb (“is”). It can also stand alone as a complete sentence. Therefore, it is also an independent clause.

These two independent clauses are joined by the conjunction “and”. As established in our discussion for Q4, when two or more independent clauses are joined together by ‘and’, ‘or’, or simply by a ‘comma’, these sentences are called compound sentences. The given sentence fits the description of a compound sentence precisely because it contains two independent clauses.

Counting the independent clauses we identified: there are two independent clauses in the sentence “Manisha is a teacher and her brother is a doctor.”

Based on this analysis, the number of independent clauses is 2.

The correct option is C. 2.