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Simple Sentence Compound Sentence Complex Sentence Complex-Compound Sentence |
| Simply put, an independent clause can stand alone. It conveys a complete thought and has both a subject and a verb. A dependent clause, on the other hand, cannot stand alone. It does have a subject and a verb, but it leaves you thinking, "huh?" EXAMPLES-- Batik is a popular handicraft __________ by __________. Although I washed my new batik in cold water. You intuitively know that the first is an independent clause and can stand alone whereas the second one is not complete; the second clause is a dependent one. Learning the Patterns Once you understand independent and dependent clauses, you can learn the rules for putting them together to make sentences. There are five main sentence patterns. Each sentence pattern will likely take several lessons to master. Be sure that one pattern is firmly understood before introducing another one. As youre studying a particular sentence pattern, use every opportunity to reinforce it. When you see that sentence pattern used in your reading, point it out and analyze it. Simple Sentences Sentence Pattern !umber "ne So you know that if you have an independent clause, it can be a sentence. You capitalize the first word and use punctuation at the end. A simple sentence like that is called, amazingly, a simple sentence. Brilliant name, isn't it? Simple sentences are important in writing because they are the building blocks. But you don't want each and every sentence in your paragraph or essay to be a simple one. Simple also means foolish, and a paragraph full of simple sentences sounds childish. Exercise idea -- Write ten simple sentences. Make sure each one is a single independent clause (sentence pattern #1), punctuated and capitalized correctly. And make them interesting because you'll be using these again later. EXAMPLES -- I am learning __________ painting. Last Friday I learned to paint a sparrow. The supplies are inexpensive. Compound Sentences Sentence Pattern !umbers #$o and #hree What if you want to join two independent clauses together? Can that be done? Yes! It can. And there are two main ways. %. &se a semicolon bet$een the t$o independent clauses. To use a semicolon, the sentences should be very closely related in meaning. But I hope that you wouldn't try to connect two sentences that weren't related anyway! Notice that the word after the semicolon is not capitalized. '. &se a comma and a coordinating con(unction bet$een the t$o independent clauses. This rule is so simple, yet people will ruin it by forgetting the comma or by forgetting the coordinating conjunction. You have to have both! I call this rule "comma but." You can think of it as "comma butt" -- a terrible disease that infects the bottom. Actually you can use FOR, AND, NOR, OR, YET, or SO as well as BUT. An easy way to remember these coordinating conjunctions is FANBOYS. Have your child create his own FANBOYS poster to help him remember. A sentence that has two independent clauses joined together correctly is called a compound sentence. Try to use some of these in your writing. But don't overdo it! You don't want to have too much of a good thing. Exercise idea -- Look at the ten simple sentences you wrote earlier. Rewrite them, but this time add a semicolon and another closely related independent clause at the end to form a compound sentence (sentence pattern #2). EXAMPLES-- I am learning __________ painting; last Friday I learned to paint a sparrow. The supplies are inexpensive; I ________ less than ____ _________ for paint, paper, and brushes. Now take your newly written compound sentences and rewrite them using sentence pattern #3. That means youll take out the semicolon and add in a comma and one of the FANBOYS. Make sure to use both the comma and the conjunction. And of course, choose a logical conjunction. EXAMPLES-- I am learning __________ painting, and last Friday I learned to paint a sparrow. The supplies are inexpensive, so I think this is a good hobby for me. Hint for mom: Carefully check for semicolons and a lowercase letter after the semicolon. Carefully check for both a comma and a conjunction. If one is missing, it's wrong! What happens when you put two independent clauses together and do not use a semicolon or the "comma but" rule? You've created a run-on sentence. And that's a huge writing no-no. Avoid run-on sentences! Learn how to join independent clauses with sentence patterns two and three. Sentence Bad )uy *' +s. .ragment Ms. Fragment loves destroying perfectly good sentences. *rawing by Sprite, my daughter. If you've got a dependent clause standing alone, it's got a fancy name -- a fragment. And that's a pretty major writing error. What's the best way to find fragments? Read your draft backwards sentence by sentence. Not word by word, but read the last sentence. Then the next to the last sentence and so on. Usually you will find the fragments this way. Comple/ Sentences Sentence Pattern !umbers .our and .i0e Now we can start using dependent clauses in our sentences. We know that a dependent clause needs to be attached to something -- specifically to an independent clause. And there are two ways to do that. You can put it before an independent clause or behind one. And the punctuation is different in either case. The rule is Independent clause dependent clause. Dependent clause COMMA independent clause. Yes, that's right. When the dependent clause is at the end of the sentence you don1t need a comma. The words that introduce dependent clauses are called subordinating conjunctions. after once although pro0ided 2that3 as rather than as if since as long as so that as much as than as soon as that as though though because till before unless e0en if until e0en though $hen if $hene0er if only $here inasmuch $hereas in order that $here0er lest $hile no$ that This kind of sentence with a dependent clause and an independent clause is called a comple/ sentence. Now that name doesn't really matter a whole lot except that complex sentences imply a good understanding of both your topic and of writing. So you need to use these types of sentences when you write. Exercise idea -- Convert your original ten simple sentences into complex sentences by adding a dependent clause. (Having a list of the subordinating conjunctions handy is most helpful.) First add the dependent clause to the beginning of the sentence (sentence pattern #4). Start with one of the subordinating conjunctions in the list above, create the rest of the dependent clause, don't forget your comma, and then finish it with your independent clause (one of the original simple sentences). EXAMPLES -- Because I want a creative hobby, I am learning _________ painting. Even though I'm just starting, last Friday I learned to paint a sparrow. If you shop in a local store, the supplies are inexpensive. Then using the complex sentences you just made, rewrite them by rearranging them. Now put the dependent clause at the end. Don't forget to leave off the comma this time. These are sentence pattern #5 EXAMPLES -- I am learning __________ painting because I want a creative hobby. Last Friday I learned to paint a sparrow even though I+m ,ust starting. The supplies are inexpensive if you shop in a local store. Hint for mom -- Be ruthless about checking for commas when the sentence begins with a dependent clause. If there's no comma, it's wrong! Compound-Comple/ Sentence )et Creati0e4 +i/ &p Patterns "ne #hrough .i0e. There is actually another sentence pattern and that's a combination of at least two independent clauses with at least one dependent clause. Once you've mastered the first five sentence patterns, this one is fun to get creative with. You follow the same rules and join the clauses together. |