Grammar Unit 1
Phrases and Clauses :)
Prepositional Phrases
• Recognizing prepositional phrases can
be tough, but doing so can help make
sure the sentence is grammatically
correct
Prepositions
Here are come common prepositions
•
about
•
at
•
down
•
of
•
through
•
in front of
•
above
•
before
•
during
•
off
•
toward
•
due to
•
across
•
behind
•
except
•
on
•
under
•
instead of
for
•
onto
•
until
•
out of
•
because of
•
after
•
below
•
•
against
•
beneath
•
from
•
out
•
up
•
along
•
beside
•
in
•
over
•
upon
•
among
•
between
•
inside
•
past
•
with
•
around
•
beyond
•
into
•
regarding
•
without
•
as
•
by
•
near
•
since
•
next to
Recognizing them
•
I often think of them in regards to a tree
and a squirrel:
•
The squirrel ran down the tree.
•
The squirrel sat near the tree.
•
The squirrel ran along the tree
branch.
•
The squirrel cooled off in the shade
of the tree.
•
In that last sentence, you can see
the two prepositional phrases.
Phrase Placement
• Phrases can be placed in different
locations:
• The players prepared for the game,
and the fans filled the stands.
• The players on the field waited for the
ref to start the game.
• We did not want to leave during the
game.
Sentence Types:
• Simple: a single independent clause
• Compound: two or more independent
clauses joined appropriately
• Complex: one independent and one
dependent clause joined appropriately
• Compound-Complex: two or more
independent clauses and one
dependent clause joined appropriately
Simple Sentences
• Jason walked his dog along the
reservoir trail.
• Unfortunately, grammar is difficult to
learn.
• The two students agreed to meet at the
coffee shop to study for the test.
Compound Sentences
• Compound sentences can be joined
using one of the fanboys, or they can
be connected with a semi-colon.
• Learning grammar will help you on the
ACT, and it will improve your writing.
Complex Sentences
• Because dependent clauses are
incomplete, they need independent
clauses to complete them.
• Sweat poured down my face when I hit
mile five of my half marathon.
Compound-Complex
• Because I finished the race so early, I
was able to pick up my cleats, and I
made it to my soccer game in time.
• Despite working tirelessly on the essay,
I didn’t feel like it was good enough,
and I went in for extra help.
Correctly Combining
• When you have two independent clauses, you
can do the following:
• Keep them as two simple sentences
• Combine them with a semi-colon
• Combine them with a semi-colon and a
conjunctive adverb + , (i.e. ; therefore, )
• Combine them with a , + FANBOYS (i.e. ,
yet...)
Examples:
•
•
Two Independent Clauses:
•
I like running in the rain
•
the air is so fresh
Possibilities:
•
I like running in the rain. The air is so fresh.
•
I like running in the rain; the air is so fresh.
•
I like running in the rain; undoubtedly, the air is so
fresh.
•
I like running in the rain, for the air is so fresh.
More Advanced
• You can also combine the two
Independent Clauses by making one of
them subordinate:
• I like running in the rain because the
air is so fresh.
• Because the air is so fresh, I like
running in the rain.
Notice!
• When the dependent clause FOLLOWS
the independent clause, you DO NOT
use a comma to separate the two.
• When the dependent clause
PRECEDES the independent clause,
you DO use a comma.
For more help
• If you still feel like you need to practice,
please go to chompchomp.com. The
site has great exercises and
presentations to help.