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Identify the principal or main clause in the following sentence:
The boy ate the apple but his mother would not eat
A. The boy
B. Ate the apple
C. The boy ate the apple
D. His mother would not eat

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Answer
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Hint: A main clause or an independent clause is a part of the sentence that has a subject, a predicate, and has a finite verb. It has a meaning in itself even if it is separated from the sentence.

Complete step by step answer:
Option A – This option has just the subject in it and nothing else, so this is not the right option.
Option B – This option indicates the action of an apple being eaten and it does not qualify to be an independent clause.
Option C – The boy ate the apple has a subject, a predicate, and a finite verb in it. If this clause is separated from the sentence, it stands to have a meaning of its own. This is the right option.
Option D – This option does not have sufficient information and it also has a non-finite verb, which makes it more of a subordinate clause than a main clause, hence this is not the right option.

Thus, the correct option is C.

Note:
Main clauses can be fragmented and can be used as a single sentence. These sentences that have one subject, one predicate, and one finite verb in them are also known as simple sentences.