What is the following statement: Clause or Phrase?

This is a clause. The difference between making it a clause and a phrase is actually only a few words; in this particular example, it’s the word “because” and take your pick from the rest of it. This is a word that subordinates a clause, instead of making it able to stand on its own. A phrase would not have a complete thought expressed. If you take away “because”, it can stand on its own. Either way, it expresses a complete thought.

If you were to say “right thing to do”, however, it’s just a phrase. It doesn’t express something completely, but it has the inklings of a thought or a complete idea. That’s really the only difference between a clause and a phrase.