Clause vs. Article — What's the Difference?

Clauses form complex sentences when combined.

A word that defines a noun as specific or general.

A group of words with a subject and verb.

"The" is a definite article.

Clauses can express different types of actions or states.

A particular item or object

A dependent clause cannot stand alone.

A piece of writing included with others in a newspaper, magazine, or other publication

An independent clause stands alone.

A separate clause or paragraph of a legal document or agreement, typically one outlining a single rule or regulation

In language, a clause is a constituent that links a semantic predicand (expressed or not) and a semantic predicate. A typical clause consists of a subject and a syntactic predicate, the latter typically a verb phrase, a verb with any objects and other modifiers.

A period of training with a firm as a solicitor, architect, surveyor, or accountant

(Grammar) A group of words containing a subject and a predicate and forming part of a compound or complex sentence.

The definite or indefinite article.

A distinct article, stipulation, or provision in a document.

Bind (a trainee solicitor, architect, surveyor, or accountant) to undergo a period of training with a firm in order to become qualified

(grammar) A verb, its necessary grammatical arguments, and any adjuncts affecting them.

An individual thing or element of a class; a particular object or item

(grammar) A verb along with its subject and their modifiers. If a clause provides a complete thought on its own, then it is an independent (superordinate) clause; otherwise, it is (subordinate) dependent.

A particular section or item of a series in a written document, as in a contract, constitution, or treaty.

(legal) A separate part of a contract, a will or another legal document.

A nonfictional literary composition that forms an independent part of a publication, as of a newspaper or magazine.

To amend (a bill of lading or similar document).

The part of speech used to indicate nouns and to specify their application.

A separate portion of a written paper, paragraph, or sentence; an article, stipulation, or proviso, in a legal document.

Any of the words belonging to this part of speech. In English, the indefinite articles are a and an and the definite article is the.

A subordinate portion or a subdivision of a sentence containing a subject and its predicate.

A particular part or subject; a specific matter or point.

See Letters clause or Letters close, under Letter.

To bind by articles set forth in a contract, such as one of apprenticeship.

(grammar) an expression including a subject and predicate but not constituting a complete sentence

A piece of nonfictional writing such as a story, report, opinion piece, or entry in a newspaper, magazine, journal, dictionary, encyclopedia, etc.

A separate section of a legal document (as a statute or contract or will)

An object, a member of a group or class.

(grammar) A part of speech that indicates, specifies and limits a noun (a, an, or the in English). In some languages the article may appear as an ending (e.g. definite article in Swedish) or there may be none (e.g. Russian, Pashto).

A section of a legal document, bylaws, etc. or, in the plural, the entire document seen as a collection of these.

A genuine article.

A part or segment of something joined to other parts, or, in combination, forming a structured set.

A person; an individual.

(archaic) A wench.

(dated) Subject matter; concern.

(dated) A distinct part.

(obsolete) A precise point in time; a moment.

(transitive) To bind by articles of apprenticeship.

(obsolete) To accuse or charge by an exhibition of articles or accusations.

To formulate in articles; to set forth in distinct particulars.

A distinct portion of an instrument, discourse, literary work, or any other writing, consisting of two or more particulars, or treating of various topics; as, an article in the Constitution. Hence: A clause in a contract, system of regulations, treaty, or the like; a term, condition, or stipulation in a contract; a concise statement; as, articles of agreement.

A literary composition, forming an independent portion of a magazine, newspaper, or cyclopedia.

Subject; matter; concern; distinct.

A distinct part.

A particular one of various things; as, an article of merchandise; salt is a necessary article.

Precise point of time; moment.

One of the three words, a, an, the, used before nouns to limit or define their application. A (or an) is called the indefinite article, the the definite article.

One of the segments of an articulated appendage.

To formulate in articles; to set forth in distinct particulars.

To accuse or charge by an exhibition of articles.

To bind by articles of covenant or stipulation; as, to article an apprentice to a mechanic.

To agree by articles; to stipulate; to bargain; to covenant.

Nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication

One of a class of artifacts;

A separate section of a legal document (as a statute or contract or will)

(grammar) a determiner that may indicate the specificity of reference of a noun phrase

Bind by a contract; especially for a training period

"A" is an indefinite article used before consonant sounds.

"An" is used before vowel sounds.

Articles are essential for correct English grammar.

A clause is a group of words in a sentence that contains at least a subject and a verb.

Clauses can function as main parts of sentences or as subordinate elements that provide additional information.

There are two main types: independent, which can stand alone, and dependent, which cannot.

An article is a word that introduces a noun and specifies its definiteness.

Articles modify nouns to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness.

Yes, many sentences do not require articles, especially if the nouns are not specific.

No, a clause must include a verb to be considered complete.

Definite articles refer to specific entities known to the reader, while indefinite articles introduce non-specific entities.

Yes, sentences can have multiple clauses, either independent or dependent, to add complexity.

Articles affect how a noun is perceived, whether as a particular known item or a general unknown one.

Articles help clarify whether nouns are being introduced for the first time or are already known.

Dependent clauses rely on an independent clause to provide a complete thought.

The use of articles can change based on whether the context requires specifying or generalizing a noun.