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Mastering Clauses: From Basics to Complex Sentences

Understand clauses, sentences, fragments, and run-ons in English writing. Learn to identify and correct common errors. Improve your punctuation skills for clearer communication.

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Mastering Clauses: From Basics to Complex Sentences

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  1. WHAT IS A CLAUSE? The smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete thought (a basic sentence). Sentences may consist of multiple clauses. Every sentence must: Express at least one (1) clear thought about a subject. Contain a subject and a verb. The ‘noun’ part of the sentence/clause. The verb refers to this noun. 1. SUBJECT 2. VERB Modifies the noun by indicating an action. The refrigerator hummed through the night.

  2. WHAT IS A CLAUSE? If a sentence contains more than one subject and more than one verb, these are called compound subjects or verbs. They must be joined by a conjunction. Basic clause: Kate hugged James. Compound subjects: Kate and Sally hugged James. Compound verbs: Kate hugged and kissed James.

  3. SENTENCES, FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS  Asentenceis a group of words that expresses a complete thought. You should use complete sentences when you write in English. For example: Leah and I went to the park.  A fragment is a group of words that does not for a complete sentence. You should avoid using fragments in your writing. For example: Went to the park. A run-on sentence has a group of words that should be complete sentences, but they are combined into one long sentence without proper punctuation. You should avoid writing run-on sentences. For example: I went to the park with Leah we had a terrific time.

  4. Are the following sentences, fragments or run-ons? 1. I can't wait until Sunday we are going to a football game. 2. The tall man with the yellow hat. 3. A scared rabbit ran across the yard. 4. Drove quickly down the busy street. 5. I ate four slices of pizza Harry ate three chicken wings. 6. The clock in the kitchen stopped working. 7. At three o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

  5. More about run-on sentences… A run-on sentence is a sentence with at least two independent clauses (complete thoughts) which are forced together, instead of being properly connected. If read aloud, most readers should hear the natural break in the sentence, and an incorrect sentence may sound unnatural. This is why proof-reading your work aloud can help you pick up on such errors. For example Run-on sentence: He put on some sunscreen, the sun was so extremely hot, he wanted to go inside. • FIRST (1ST) CLAUSE: • “He put on some sunscreen” • SECOND (2ND) CLAUSE: • “the sun was so extremely hot” • THIRD (3RD) CLAUSE: • “he wanted to go inside”

  6. To correct a run-on sentence…(OPTION 1) You can separate the clauses (thoughts) using punctuation. However, don’t think that a comma is the answer to all your problems! A comma, by itself, is not enough to correctly join two separate clauses. If only a comma is used to connect two complete sentences, the writer has created a ‘comma splice.’ When connecting two complete sentences in this way, one must include a comma after the end of the first sentence and a coordinating conjunction like ‘and,’ ‘but,’ or ‘or.’  INCORRECT: The hammer in Tom’s hand was very heavy, he did not want to drop it. CORRECT: The hammer in Tom’s hand was very heavy, but he did not want to drop it. If you’re looking for a handy punctuation mark, try using a semi-colon (;) to fix a run-on.

  7. To correct a run-on sentence…(OPTION 2) You can separate the clauses (thoughts) using a coordinatingconjunction. For presents a reason  "He is gambling with his health, for he has been smoking far too long.“ • And presents non-contrasting item(s) or idea(s) "They gamble, and they smoke." • Nor presents a non-contrasting negative idea "They do not gamble, nor do they smoke." • But presents a contrast or exception "They gamble, but they don't smoke." Or presents an alternative item or idea "Every day, they gamble, or they smoke." Yet presents a contrast or exception  "They gamble, yet they don't smoke." So presents a consequence  "He gambled well last night, so he smoked a cigar to celebrate." NOTE: Transition words (adverbs) such as however, therefore, consequently, thus, etc., do not work as coordinating conjunctions. If you choose to use these to connect two clauses, you should separate the independent sentences with a semi-colon. For example: “They gamble frequently; however, they do not smoke.”

  8. To correct a run-on sentence… (OPTION 2) NOTE: Transition words (adverbs) such as however, therefore, consequently, thus, etc., do not work as coordinating conjunctions. If you choose to use these to connect two clauses, you should separate the independent sentences with a semi-colon. For example: “They gamble frequently; however, they do not smoke.”

  9. To correct a run-on sentence… (OPTION 3) • You can rearrange the sentence(adding or remove words to make an independent sentence). • INCORRECT: • The hammer in Tom’s hand was very heavy, he did not want to drop it. • CORRECT: • Although the hammer in Tom’s hand was very heavy, he did not want to drop it.

  10. Applying your knowledge… Now it’s time to try your hand at correcting some run-on sentences. Try using one of the following three methods: Separate the clauses (thoughts) using punctuation. Separate the clauses (thoughts) using a coordinating conjunction. Rearrange the sentence (adding or remove words to make an independent sentence). TIP: Read the sentence aloud to see if you can identify the two independent clauses.

  11. Applying your knowledge… She was late for the party her car would not start. The restaurant serves the best lasagne I begin drooling when I think about the delectable dish. My niece dumped her bowl of spaghetti on the floor while I was babysitting her this meant that I would have to clean it up before her parents arrived home. Even though I was not very hungry, I ate lunch my appetite should return in time for dinner though.

  12. Applying your knowledge… 5. When the teacher returned my essay I was shocked I had received an A+. 6. I was unable to make my appointment, however I was able to reschedule. 7. Amber was a very busy lawyer therefore her work left her little time to exercise her dog Sonny, who was getting fat and sluggish.

  13. A semi-colon belongs in each of these sentences… 1.  It is raining outside I will bring my umbrella with me. 2. Hopefully, the weather will change soon otherwise, the whole summer will go by without the sun shining.  3. Some universities offer full time scholarships others do not.   4. He doesn't understand algebra therefore, he will probably not pass the Math test.  5. We will play tennis tomorrow then we will go out for dinner.

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