In formal documents, a clause most nearly means which?

• A. A provision or stipulation in a contract or another formal document
• B. A phrase containing a subject and a verb that is part of a larger sentence
• C. A drawing
• D. The conditions surrounding an event

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is what a clause is in language: a unit that contains a subject and a verb and forms part of a sentence. In formal writing, clauses are the building blocks inside sentences, and they can stand alone as a complete thought (an independent clause) or depend on another clause for meaning (a dependent clause). This makes the description of a clause as a phrase with a subject and a verb that is part of a larger sentence the best fit. A clause isn't a drawing, nor does it describe the external conditions around an event, and while a contract can have sections called clauses that spell out provisions, the fundamental sense most relevant here is the grammatical unit within sentences.