Dependent clauses.

[asth678]

From foundations of verbal book-Determine which is the dependent clause (pg 74)
1.The company's leadership began to falter after the board disagreed sharply over the executives bonuses.

Here shouldn't the dependent clause be the company's leadership began to falter-1st the board disagreed over bonuses then the leadership began to falter...The leadership faltering wouldn't have happened unless the board hadn't disagreed...In this case the board disagreement came first.
But the correct answer is that the board disagreed sharply over the executive bonuses is the dependent clause-Why?

How do you decide which is a dependent clause and which isn't the main clause?

2.I'll go if you do
Here again my going is dependent on your going but despite this the "you do "is the dependent clause.Why?

What method or though process should I use to pick a main clause?


3.Unless you get your mba,you cannot rise to the next level in this company
The main clause should be you get your mba but again it isnt.
Why.

[Willy]

1.The company's leadership began to falter after the board disagreed sharply over the executives bonuses.

Here, 'The company's leadership began to falter' is complete sentence with complete sense. That is why it is independent clause.

'after the board disagreed sharply over the executives bonuses' is dependent clause. Standing alone, it doesn't have complete meaning. It leaves us to ask WHAT HAPPENED after the board disagreed sharply over the executives bonuses??

2.I'll go if you do

Here again 'I'll go' is complete sentence and conveys complete meaning but 'if you do' isn't suggesting complete meaning. It again leaves us with WHAT if you do? What's next?

3.Unless you get your mba, you cannot rise to the next level in this company.

Here, 'you cannot rise to the next level in this company' is complete sentence and conveys complete meaning. But 'unless you get your mba' isn't complete sentence and doesn't convey complete meaning and still leaves us with next question, WHAT HAPPENS unless you get your mba?

Okay, independent clauses do have complete meaning and dependent clauses need independent clauses for making complete sense.

[tim]

thanks Willy! let us know if there are any further questions on this one..