Identify the independent clause in the sentence:
The sun is shining brightly.

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as a complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not rely on another clause to convey its meaning. In this case, "The sun is shining" is an independent clause because it can function as a standalone sentence. Option a) correctly identifies the independent clause in the sentence.