The lights go down. The play will start.
Make a complex sentence.
The play will start after the lights go down.
The play will start after the lights go down.
after the lights go down is the dependent clause. It indicates a condition. You can also start with it too, but then you need a comma: After the lights go down, the play will start.
Dependent clause
- ❌ Because I was tired. — fragment (dependent clause standing alone)
- ✅ I left early because I was tired. — attached to independent clause
- ✅ The man who called is my uncle. — relative clause (modifies man)
- ✅ If you're ready, let's go. — conditional dependent clause
A dependent clause has a subject + verb but cannot be a complete sentence. It starts with a subordinating word (because, if, when, although, who, which) and must attach to an independent clause.
Test: does the clause start with a subordinator and feel incomplete on its own? → dependent clause. On its own, it's a fragment — attach it to a main clause.
Complex sentence
- ✅ Because I overslept, I missed the bus. — dependent clause (reason) + independent
- ✅ The man who called is my uncle. — relative clause inside the sentence
- ✅ If it rains, we'll stay inside. — conditional dependent + independent
- ❌ Because I overslept. — fragment (dependent clause alone)
A complex sentence pairs an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses linked by subordinating conjunctions (because, although, if, when) or relative pronouns (who, which, that).
Pattern: independent clause = the main point. Dependent clause = the background, reason, or condition. Move the dependent clause around for emphasis.
Independent clause
- ✅ I have enough money. — independent clause (complete thought, stands alone)
- ✅ She laughed. — independent clause (subject + verb + complete)
- ❌ Because I was tired. — NOT independent (dependent clause)
- ✅ I left early, and she stayed. — two independent clauses joined
An independent clause has a subject + verb + complete thought. It can be a sentence on its own. Two independent clauses make a compound sentence when joined by a conjunction or semicolon.
Test: does it have a subject, a verb, and feel complete? → independent clause. Does it feel like it needs more? → dependent clause or fragment.
A2 | Elementary | Pre-intermediate
- ✅ I went to the cinema yesterday. — past simple
- ✅ I have visited Paris twice. — present perfect (life experience)
- ✅ If it rains, I'll take an umbrella. — first conditional
- ✅ You should see a doctor. — modal for advice
These patterns are A2 — the second CEFR level. At A2 you move past survival phrases into real grammar: past tenses, the present perfect, basic conditionals, and modals for advice/obligation.
Marker: if you can describe yesterday and give simple advice, but struggle with abstractions or nuance, you're at A2.
Medium
- If I were you, I would apologise. — one rule (second conditional), but distractors like was tempt you
- Answers require active thought, not instant pattern recognition
- Vocabulary and context are realistic, not artificially simplified
- Usually tests one rule, but the wrong answers are plausible
Medium marks middle-difficulty challenges: A2–B1, one rule tested, but with realistic distractors that require genuine understanding.
Use "Medium" when Easy feels too obvious but Hard feels overwhelming. This is where most productive learning happens — the sweet spot of difficulty.