Main clauses
The clause every sentence needs, where to find it, and why it is not always first.
The answer
A main clause is a clause that is not part of any other clause, so it can usually stand on its own as a sentence.
Examples
We went to the park after school.
After school is a phrase, so the sentence has one clause.
Lily laughed when the clown fell over.
Because the shop was shut, we went home.
The main clause can come last.
The sun was shining but the wind was cold.
Two main clauses joined as equals.
How to spot it
- Every sentence has at least one main clause.
- Cover up the rest of the sentence. If what is left makes sense as a sentence on its own, it is probably the main clause.
- Two main clauses can be joined by and, but or or, or by a semi-colon.
The common mistake
Thinking the main clause always comes first.
In ‘Because the shop was shut, we went home’, the main clause is at the end. Find it by what it does, not where it sits.
When it is taught
- First met
- Year 3
- On the pupil word list
- Not as a separate term
Main clause is not on the Appendix 2 terminology list, but the national curriculum glossary defines it, and it is taught alongside clause and subordinate clause from Year 3. The KS2 grammar test framework also covers the boundary between main clauses.
Try a question
Underline the main clause.
Although it was late, the children kept reading.
Show the answer
Answer: the children kept reading
It makes sense on its own. Although it was late is a subordinate clause: it leaves you waiting for more.
Practise it
An interactive exercise where your child builds a clause that makes sense on its own.
Related terms
- Practise the 11+ skill: Complete a finite clause
More grammar terms
Questions parents ask
Is a main clause the same as an independent clause?
Yes. Appendix 2 uses independent clauses in Year 6, where semi-colons, colons and dashes mark the boundary between them, and the KS2 grammar test framework writes independent (main) clauses. Both names mean the same thing.
Can a sentence have two main clauses?
Yes. ‘I washed up and Dad dried’ has two, joined by and. So does ‘It’s raining; I’m fed up’, joined by a semi-colon.
Can a main clause be a command?
Yes. ‘Close the door!’ is a main clause: the verb is close, and the subject, you, is understood.
Grammar turns up in 11+ English too
Many 11+ English papers include grammar and punctuation questions alongside comprehension. The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.