A clause
has a subject and a verb.
An independent clause can be a
sentence by itself.
turtles run
rabbits bite
Separate independent clauses with
• A period and capital letter
(Turtles run. Rabbits bite.)
• A semicolon (Turtles run; rabbits bite.)
• a comma and a coordinating conjunction
(Turtles run, but rabbits bite. )
Coordinating conjunctions
Connect two sentence
elements of
EQUAL WEIGHT (they
separate two nouns, or
two verbs, or two
CLAUSES
There are 7 coordinating conjunctions
(MEMORIZE THESE!)
for
and
nor
but
or
yet
so
S
V , cc S
V
Turtles run, but rabbits bite.
OR
S
V cc V
Turtles run and squeal.
Two Patterns with Coordinating
Conjunctions
OR
,
cc
coordinating
conjunction
S
SUBJECT
V
VERB
,
and
rabbits
bite.
S
SUBJECT
V
VERB
Turtles
run
Turtles
run
and
squeal.
SUBJECT
S
VERB
V
coordinating
conjunction
cc
VERB
V
Which of these sentences requires a
comma?
• The situation was dire and caused trepidation.
• The situation was dire and it caused
trepidation.
The situation was dire and caused
trepidation.
The situation was dire, and it
caused trepidation.
Danger! Beware these traps!
• RUN-ON SENTENCE= The honey badger is
fearless he will attack anything. (2
independent clauses without punctuation)
• COMMA SPLICE= The honey badger is fearless,
he will attack anything. ( 2 independent
clauses separated by only a comma)
Start a story with one sentence using one of the words or phrases
below. Your sentence must contain at least twelve words.
while
when
if only
since
as if
after
as long as
that
even if
though
although
as though
whenever
once
where
in order that
before
whereas
so that
wherever
if
now that
as
unless
than
even though
rather than
until
• Continue the story that is in
front of you by writing ONE
sentence.
Your sentence must:
have at least twelve words
contain a word or phrase
from the chart that YOU
have not yet used and has
not been used yet in the
story in front of you
contain a vocabulary word
from your current list that
YOU have not yet used and
has not been used yet in the
story in front of you.
after
that
even if
though
while
when
if only
since
as if
although
as though
whenever
once
where
in order
that
before
whereas
so that
wherever
if
now that
as
unless
than
even though
rather than
until
as long as
COMMON
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
after
as long as
that
even if
though
while
when
if only
since
as if
although
as though
whenever
once
where
in order that
before
whereas
so that
wherever
if
now that
as
unless
than
even though
rather than
until
PUNCTUATION AND
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
• DO NOT USE A COMMA
when a subordinating
conjunction is in
between two clauses.
• When a subordinating
conjunction is at the
beginning of a
sentence, place a
comma between the
two clauses.
• Turtles run where the
grass is purple.
• Where the grass is
purple, turtles run free.
2 sentence patterns with
subordinating conjunctions
• DO NOT USE A COMMA when a subordinating
conjunction is between two clauses.
S
V
sc
Turtles
run
where
the
S
V
grass
is
purple.
• When a subordinating conjunction is at the
beginning of a sentence, place a comma between the
two clauses.
sc
Where
the
S
V
grass
is
purple
,
S
V
turtles
run
free.
PRACTICE
• Subordinating Conjunctions
• Little, Brown Handbook page 173
WHERE DO THE COMMAS GO?
• Write the vocabulary sentences meticulously
for we will be using them later!
• In order to increase her serenity she took a
circuitous walk around the park.
• The employees abominated Scrooge for he
was miserly.
WHERE DO THE COMMAS GO?
• Because the problem was ponderous it
engrossed him completely.
• Although the temple was sacrosanct Indiana
Jones ferreted out the treasure.
• She will disclose the secret or she will remain
discreet.
WHERE DO THE COMMAS GO?
• The beginning of class was not auspicious but
the unimpeachable behavior of the students
made it end well.
• The benefactor gave students personal
heaters and combed their hair.
• He thought his reputation was immaculate but
then he was indicted.