Can an independent clause have an implied (or null) subject?

Question

I'm trying to determine whether a clause with an implied subject can be considered independent - specifically in the case of compound sentences. For example: "I was tired, but went to the party anyway." To my thinking, the second clause *is* an independent clause because the reiterated "I" is implied, but I can't find much to back this up. Thoughts?

Answer 1

You are correct. The “I” is implied, much as “you” in implied in an imperative sentence. The clauses could be separated into two simple sentences by replacing the implied word. Therefore, it is an independent clause.