Clause vs. Sentence

Though very much alike, clauses and sentences are different from each other. Today I will discuss both in detail.

Sentence:

A sentence is a group of words that occur together and give a specific meaning. The sentence always contains a subject and verb.

Example:

She made a sweater out of wool.

The above example is that of a sentence. It has the subject and the verb both.

Note that it is starting with a capital letter and ending at a period. This is also one characteristic of a sentence.

Clause:

A clause is also a group of words in a sentence with a specific meaning. A clause is different from a phrase in a sense that it always has a subject and verb and can be identified as a complete sentence.

Example:

Ally speaks fluently although she lacks the ability to read.

In the above example, the clauses are;

Ally speaks fluently

She lacks the ability to read

Note that the clauses have the subject and the verb both. They are also a complete sentence and are conveying a complete thought but they are not supposed to start with a capital letter and end at a period.

Clauses can be a part of a sentence but a sentence is never a part of a clause.