What is required for a clause to be independent?

An independent clause is defined as a group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence. It contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. This means that the sentence does not depend on any other clauses or phrases to make sense. For instance, in the sentence "She enjoys reading," there is a clear subject ("She") and a verb ("enjoys"), and it conveys a complete idea.

Other options do not meet the criteria for an independent clause. While dependent clauses cannot stand alone and require an independent clause to make sense, an independent clause functions independently. Similarly, the presence of conjunctions is not a defining characteristic of independent clauses; they can exist without any conjunctions as well. Therefore, the correct answer clearly captures the essence of what makes a clause independent.