Sentence Structure

1. Sentence Structure

2. What is a phrase? • Phrase are not sentences. • A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a subject, or a verb, or both. Examples of phrases: the fifth graders subject, but no verb wrote their reports verb, but no subject

3. What is a clause? A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. For example, the following sentence contains two clauses: Katewrote the day’s events in her journal before shewent to bed. SubjectVerb

4. Which of these are clauses? • when I jogged • the book • Mary slept late. • tables and chairs • Babies are cute and funny. • today Mrs. Hrin • when you are finished The rest of them are phrases. Numbers 3 and 5 are sentences (independent clauses)

5. Types of clauses • Independent – An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. Example: We ride our bikes to school. • Dependent – A dependent clause does not express a complete idea and cannot stand alone as a sentence. Example: when we ride our bikes to school

6. More info on dependent clauses Most dependent clauses are introduced by subordinate conjunctions, words like although, before, so that, when, while, and that. example:before she went to bed A dependent clause can be joined to an independent clause to add to the complete thought that the independent clause expresses. example: Katie wrote in her journal before she went to bed.

7. A quick review… Is it an independent or dependent clause? • when I was nine years old • because I said so • he likes cheese pizza • Mary likes rainy days • let’s go to the movies • are you going to call me • even though I like pizza The red ones are independent clauses (so they would actually get punctuated as sentence.)

8. Types of Sentences • simple sentence • compound sentence • complex sentence • compound-complex sentence

9. Simple Sentence A simple sentence has just one independent clause. It may, however, have a compound subject or a compound verb, and even a phrase or two. • My knees ache. (a basic simple sentence) • My face and necklook red and feel hot. (a simple sentence with a compound subject and a compound verb) • I just skated for two hours. (a simple sentence with a phrase at the end)

10. Compound Sentence A compound sentence is made up of two or more simple sentences joined together by a comma and a connecting word, or by a semicolon. • I’ve visited Los Angeles, but I have only seen a picture of New York. • Los Angeles is 150 miles from my house; New York is 3,000 miles away.

11. Complex Sentence A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. • The race was called offbecause of rain. • When Mr. Jones performs, he amazes the audience. • My uncle, who is a great actor, has been in three movies.

12. Compound-Complex Sentences A compound-complex sentence contains two or moreindependent clauses and one or more dependent clauses. While she was fishing, Amy saw many deer, and she tried not to disturb them. Amy unhooked the salmon from the line, and she threw it back into the streamso that it could live.