What is a clause?

A clause is indeed defined as a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb. This means that within a clause, there is a subject performing an action or being described by a verb. There are two primary types of clauses: independent clauses, which can stand alone as complete sentences, and dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone and often function as part of a larger sentence.

The other options do not accurately reflect the definition of a clause. A complete thought without a subject does not meet the criteria for being a clause since it lacks the essential element of a subject. A fragment lacking meaning also does not describe a clause since a clause must contain both a subject and a verb to convey some level of meaning, even if it is not a complete thought. Finally, punctuation, while important in grammar, does not define a clause; rather, it serves to clarify relationships between clauses and other parts of sentences in complex structures.