The phrase 'the amount which she paid for a student loan' contains what kind of clause?

The phrase 'the amount which she paid for a student loan' contains what kind of clause?

• A. Dependent clause
• B. Independent clause
• C. Noun phrase
• D. Relative clause

Answer: (A)

Think about how clauses inside a noun phrase are classified. A clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence is a dependent clause. In this phrase, the part “which she paid for a student loan” is a clause added to identify or describe “the amount.” It’s introduced by the relative pronoun which and functions as a modifier of the noun, so it’s a relative clause. Since a relative clause cannot stand by itself, it’s a dependent clause. All the elements together form a noun phrase with a dependent (relative) clause attached, not a standalone independent clause.

Think about how clauses inside a noun phrase are classified. A clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence is a dependent clause. In this phrase, the part “which she paid for a student loan” is a clause added to identify or describe “the amount.” It’s introduced by the relative pronoun which and functions as a modifier of the noun, so it’s a relative clause. Since a relative clause cannot stand by itself, it’s a dependent clause. All the elements together form a noun phrase with a dependent (relative) clause attached, not a standalone independent clause.