Which statement best defines a clause?

• A. It contains a finite verb
• B. It is always independent
• C. It lacks a subject
• D. It cannot have any modifiers

Answer: (A)

A clause is a group of words that contains a finite verb. The key idea here is that the defining feature of a clause is the presence of a finite verb—one that shows tense and agrees with the subject (like runs, ran, is running). This is what lets the clause function as a unit that can express a complete idea (in an independent clause) or be part of a larger sentence (in a dependent clause). Because both independent and dependent clauses have a finite verb, the statement about containing a finite verb best captures what a clause is.

Think of the other possibilities: a clause is not required to be standalone, since dependent clauses exist, so it isn’t always independent. A clause typically has a subject, so saying it lacks a subject isn’t accurate. And modifiers can appear in a clause, so it isn’t correct to claim it cannot have modifiers.