Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature Practice Exam

An independent clause is characterized by its ability to express a complete thought and function independently as a sentence. This means it has both a subject and a predicate (verb), allowing it to convey a complete idea without requiring additional information. For example, the sentence "She loves reading" constitutes an independent clause because it clearly communicates an idea, can stand alone, and does not depend on other clauses for its meaning. In contrast, the other options outline features related to dependent or incomplete structures. A clause that cannot stand alone, for example, describes a dependent clause, which often relies on an independent clause to provide context. Similarly, a verbal phrase that lacks both subject and verb refers to functions that do not qualify as clauses at all. Thus, the answer effectively identifies the defining trait of an independent clause as one capable of standing alone as a complete sentence.