Wisconsin FORT (Foundations of Reading) Practice Test

What defines an Independent Clause?

1. A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence

2. A diagram, plan, or scheme

3. Double vowels that start as one vowel and end as another

4. Letter-sound information that readers process during reading

The correct answer is: A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as a sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not depend on another clause to give it meaning. In contrast, a dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence and needs to be attached to an independent clause to form a complete sentence. The key characteristic of an independent clause is its ability to function as a complete sentence on its own, making choice A the correct answer. Choices B, C, and D do not accurately define an independent clause and are therefore not correct.