Which sentence demonstrates an independent clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence?

• A. The cat slept.
• B. Eating quietly.
• C. Because the cat slept.
• D. While the rain stopped.

Answer: (A)

An independent clause expresses a complete thought and has a subject and a verb, so it can stand alone as a sentence. The sentence “The cat slept.” fits this, with the subject The cat and the verb slept, conveying a complete idea. The other options don’t form a complete sentence on their own: “Eating quietly.” is a fragment because it lacks a finite verb and a complete thought; “Because the cat slept.” starts with a subordinating conjunction and needs another clause to complete the idea; “While the rain stopped.” also begins with a subordinating word and remains incomplete without a main clause. Therefore, the sentence that can stand alone is the one with the complete independent clause: “The cat slept.”