Below are explanations for the two Clause Form Samples:

Clause Forms from The Heart of Darkness

Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound. The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth. We looked at the venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and departs for ever, but in the august light of abiding memories. And indeed nothing is easier for a man who has, as the phrase goes, 'followed the sea' with reverence and affection, than to evoke the great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames.

As the interactive exercise instructs, the first step is to highlight the Main Verb Phrases to determine the clauses for analysis:

Forthwith a change came over the waters, and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound. The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day, after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks, spread out in the tranquil dignity of a waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth. We looked at the venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and departs for ever, but in the august light of abiding memories. And indeed nothing is easier for a man who has, as the phrase goes, 'followed the sea' with reverence and affection, than to evoke the great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames.

There appears to be eight clauses in the passage:

1. A CHANGE CAME OVER THE WATERS: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
2. THE SERENITY BECAME LESS BRILLIANT: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
3. THE OLD RIVER . . . RESTED UNRUFFLED: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
4. THAT PEOPLED ITS BANKS: Dependent Clause - THAT is a relative (clause modifies RACE)
5. WE LOOKED AT THE VENERABLE STREAM: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
6. THAT COMES AND DEPARTS FOR EVER: Dependent Clause - THAT is a relative (clause modifies DAY)
7. NOTHING IS EASIER: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
8. WHO HAS . . . FOLLOWED THE SEA: Dependent Clause - WHO is a relative (clause modifies MAN)

A couple of notes:

• IN ITS BROAD REACH is a prepositional phrase
• UNRUFFLED is a past participle phrase
• DONE is a past participle phrase
• SPREAD OUT is a past participle phrase
• LEADING is a present participle phrase
• TO EVOKE is an infinitive phrase

Please review these so that you understand why these are phrases and not clauses.

Challenge Sample adapted from Heart of Darkness

The Director of Companies was our captain and our host. We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward. On the whole river there was nothing that looked half so nautical. He resembled a pilot, which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified. It was difficult to realize his work was not out there in the luminous estuary, but behind him, within the brooding gloom.

Again, the first step is to highlight the Main Verb Phrases to determine the clauses for analysis:

The Director of Companies was our captain and our host. We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward. On the whole river there was nothing that looked half so nautical. He resembled a pilot, which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified. It was difficult to realize his work was not out there in the luminous estuary, but behind him, within the brooding gloom.

For this sample, there appears to be five clauses in the passage:

1. THE DIRECTOR OF COMPANIES WAS OUR CAPTAIN: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
2. WE FOUR AFFECTIONATELY WATCHED HIS BACK: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
3. AS HE STOOD IN THE BOWS: Dependent Clause - AS is a subordinator (clause can be moved or deleted)
4. THERE WAS NOTHING: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
5. THAT LOOKED HALF SO NAUTICAL: Dependent Clause - THAT is a relative (clause modifies NOTHING)
6. HE RESEMBLED A PILOT: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
7. WHICH TO A SEAMAN IS TRUSTWORTHINESS PERSONIFIED: Dependent Clause - WHICH is a relative (clause modifies PILOT)
8. IT WAS DIFFICULT: Independent Clause - no dependent marker
9. [THAT] HIS WORK WAS NOT OUT THERE: Dependent Clause - Deleted THAT is a nominal marker (clause serves as direct object of TO REALIZE)

A couple of notes:

• LOOKING TO SEAWARD is a present participle phrase
• TO REALIZE is an infinitive phrase
• BEHIND HIM is a prepositional phrase
• WITHIN THE BROODING GLOOM is a prepositional phrase
• BROODING is a present participle phrase

Please review these so that you understand why these are phrases and not clauses.

Tips to Keep in Mind

The KEY MARKER for identifying Clause Forms is recognizing if the subject contains a dependent marker or not. The primary dependent markers are Subordinators, Relatives, Interrogatives, and the nominal-THAT.