SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Phrases, Clauses, and Sentence Types
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES
An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a pre dicate (verb or verb and object), and expresses a complete thought.
An independent clause can be a sentence.
studied for his chemistry chemistry quiz at Tim Hortons Hor tons
DEPENDENT CLAUSES
A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but doe s not express a complete thought because it has a . The clause might begin with something like “when.”
When quiz
studied at Tim Hortons for his chemistry
(What happened when he studied? The thought is incomplete.)
SUBORDINATING SUBORDINA TING CONJUNCTIONS
RELATIVE PRONOUNS
Note that some relative pronouns, like who, whom, which, etc. can also be the subject of the dependent clause clau se
PHRASES
Phrases are a group of words that do not contain a subject or a predicate verb.
The most common phrases in English (i.e. begins with a preposition).
There are 76 English prepositions, including: to, i n into, on, onto, across, over, under, under , up, down, through.
Prepositional phrases look like this:
the store
the bridge
the table
the heat
PRACTICE PRACTIC E SENTENCES
Find the phrases, dependent clauses and inde pendent clauses in the sentences below
For each clause, circle the s ubject, put brackets around the verb, and put brackets under the phrases
When Eileen Eil een gets ge ts angry at her students, she yells and ju j umps up and down.
PRACTICE PRACTIC E SENTENCES
Find the phrases, dependent clauses and inde pendent clauses in the sentences below
For each clause, circle the subject, put brackets around the verb, and put brackets under the phrases
Ms Doucet has a shor t temper, temper , which can be a problem for me.
SENTENCE SENTEN CE T YPES
There are four major sentence types in English:
Simple Sentences
Compound Sentences
Complex Sentences
Compound-Complex Sentences
All are combinations of independent and dependent clauses, plus the phrases associated with those clauses.
SIMPLE SENTENCE
Simple sentences are composed of ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE and the PHRASES necessary to the idea expressed
I like chocolate.
like chocolate. chocolate .
Eileen ran to school.
Eileen ran to school. school .
In the heat of the night, Ms Doucet got up for a drink of water.
In the heat of the night, night , Ms Doucet got up for a drink of water. water .
COMPOUND SENTENCES
Compound sentences are sentences that have TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES and their associated PHRASES joined by a COORDINATING CONJUNCTION.
Coordinating conjunctions in clude: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (acronym – FANBOYS)
I love chocolate yet I hate chocolate -covered almonds.
I love chocolate y e t I hate chocolate-covered almonds .
Mr. Zohar rides his bike to school and Mr. McNaughton drives.
Mr. Zohar rides his bike to school a n d Mr. McNaughton drives .
COMPLEX SENTENCES
Complex sentences include ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE and ONE DEPENDENT CLAUSE and their associated phrases.
If you come over early, early, we can have lunch first .
I f y o u come over early, early , w e can have lunch first .
When my grandmother baked gingerbread cookies for us to take home, my sister and I used to throw them out of th e car window on the 401. 40 1.
When my grandmother baked gingerbread cookies for us to take home , my sister and I used to throw them out of the car window on the 401 .
COMPLEX-COMPOUND SENTENCES
Just as the name implies, a complex- compound sentence is the combination of ONE DEP ENDENT CLAUSE with a COMPOUND SENTENCE (two INDEP ENDENT CLAUSES joined by a COORDINATING CONJUNCTION) and their associated PHRASES.
This is the longest type of se ntence that can be formed in English. Adding more clauses will result in sentence errors.
When I go to Montreal, I visit my family and I go to Schwartz’s for a smoked meat sandwich.
When I go to Montreal , I visit my family a n d I g o to Schwartz’s for a smoked meat sandwich .
SENTENCE ERRORS
If you create a sentence that does not fit one of these paradigms, you have probably created a sentence error. error .
Sentence errors include:
Sentence Fragments
Comma Splices
Run-on Sentences
Fused Sentences
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS FRAGME NTS
A sentence fragment is any group of words that has a capital at the beginning and a period at the end tha t does not contain a subject and a pred icate and which does not form a complete thought.
Two commons causes of sentence fragments:
Phrases meant to be attached to the previous sentence are written as their own sentences Dependent clauses are written as their own sentences
E.g. “Like the three little pigs and Little Red Riding Hood.”
E.g. “W hich Eileen told them not to do.”
RUN-ON SENTENCES
A run-on sentence is one in wh ich two or more independent clauses are joined inappropriately.
The term “Run “Run -on on Sentence” includes both comma splices and fused sentences.
Often this term is used more specifically for sentences that have three or more independent clauses j oined by conjunctions.
E.g. “I like ice cre am so I went to the store to buy some, but the store didn’t have any left, so I had had to take the bus to the mall to get some, and th en I was late for work.”
FIX: I like ice crea m and went to the store to get some; however,, the store was out of ch ocolate ice cream, so I had to however go to the mall. After all the running around I did, I was late for work.”
COMMA SPLICES
A comma splice is the joining of two independent clauses with a comma. (Note: splice = join)
In some languages, like Spanish, this is per fectly acceptable, but in English it is not.
In English sentences must be joined by conjunctions, semi colons, or colons.
E.g. “I like ch ocolate ice cream, I eat it ever y other day.”
FIX: “I like chocolate ice cream; I eat it every other day.”
FIX: “I like chocolate ice cream, so I eat it ever y other day.”
FIX: “Because I like chocolate ice cream, I eat it every other day.”
FUSED SENTENCES
Fused sentences are ones that include more than one independent clause but which h ave no punctuation or conjunctions at all.
This error can be corrected using the same strategies that are used to correct comma comm a splices.
E.g. “I like ice cre am I eat it ever y other day.” day.”
FIX: “I like ice cream, so I eat it ever y other day.” day .”
CAN YOU Y OU SPOT THE ERROR(S)?
M s Doucet’s class is the be st, I always learn something from her.
ERROR: Comma Splice
CAN YOU Y OU SPOT THE ERROR(S)?
Eileen is tall enough to reach the top shelf I don’t think you are.
ERROR: Fused Sentence
CAN YOU Y OU SPOT THE ERROR(S)?
A long time ago in a country f ar, far away. away.
ERROR: Sentence Fragment
CAN YOU Y OU SPOT THE ERROR(S)?
Although I wanted to come to the party, I could not make it, I had to go to my grandmother’s house.
ERROR: Comma Splice
CAN YOU Y OU SPOT THE ERROR(S)?
The dog ate my homework and my little sister flushed my cell phone down the toilet and my bus pass disappeared, I was having a bad day.
ERRORS: Run-on Sentence and Comma Splice
