What do we call a clause that cannot stand alone?

A clause that cannot stand alone is known as a dependent clause. A dependent clause is incomplete and does not express a complete thought, meaning it relies on an independent clause to give it meaning. For example, in the sentence "Although it was raining, we went for a walk," "Although it was raining" is a dependent clause and cannot function as a complete sentence by itself. It needs the independent clause “we went for a walk” to convey a full idea.

In contrast, independent clauses can stand alone as complete sentences because they express a complete thought. Complex and compound clauses refer to the structure of sentences involving multiple clauses but do not specifically indicate whether a clause can stand alone or not. Therefore, recognizing dependent clauses is essential in understanding the relationships between ideas within complex sentences.