mainclause

A main clause, often called an independent clause, is a clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete proposition. In many languages, the main clause serves as the core unit of a sentence, with additional material added through subordinate clauses.

In the structure of complex sentences, the main clause is distinguished from subordinate (dependent) clauses. Subordinate clauses cannot stand alone and function as parts of the main clause, such as noun clauses, relative clauses, or adverbial clauses. For example, in the sentence “I know that you are right,” the main clause is “I know,” while “that you are right” is a subordinate clause functioning as the object of the verb.

English examples illustrate the range of main clauses. A simple declarative main clause: “She enjoys music.” An interrogative main clause involves subject-verb inversion: “Do you like it?” An imperative main clause gives a command: “Listen carefully.” A complex sentence shows both types: “When the rain stops, we will go outside.” Here, “we will go outside” is the main clause, and “When the rain stops” is a subordinate adverbial clause.

Terminology varies across linguistic traditions. Some frameworks use matrix clause or independent clause to emphasize independence from subordinate content. Main clauses can carry different sentence moods (declarative, interrogative, imperative) and tenses, and they form the primary propositional content in many languages.