English 104/Winter 2012
Assignment Sheet #3
Due Monday, 2/4: Your only homework is to read the introduction to Part 3: Dependent Clauses, pp.
129-130. Come to class ready to start on this new unit.
Due Tuesday, 2/5: Today’s homework deals with adverb clauses that modify verbs and whole
sentences. In Writers’ Choices, read pp.131-135. On p. 142, diagram sentences #1-5. On pp. 143-144,
do the sentence-combining exercises # 1-10. Finally, compose five sentences with adverb clauses
modifying verbs; in each, use a subordinating conjunction from a different classification on p. 131.
Make one of your adverb clauses elliptical!
Due Wednesday, 2/6: Now we turn to adverb clauses that modify adjectives or adverbs. In Writers’
Choices, read pp. 135-139. On p. 142, diagram sentences #6-20. Compose three sentences in which
adverb clauses modify adjectives or adverbs; please circle the word the clause modifies.
Due Thursday, 2/7: In Writers’ Choices, read pp. 140-141. Compose two sentences exhibiting coordinate
or parallel adverb clauses such as those in the Virginia Woolf and Samuel Johnson sentences. That is,
each of your sentences will have more than one adverb clause, and they will in some way be parallel, or
balanced, or in some other way rhythmic. To get you started, here’s one to complete with two adverb
clauses that parallel one already in it:
When we achieve truly equal opportunity for all, when _________________________, and
when ________________________________ —only then can we say we have fulfilled our
promise as a nation.
In Writers’ Choices, p. 145, look at exercise C, “Adverb Clauses in Published Writing.” Just identify all the
adverb clauses. Still in Writers’ Choices, p. 145, do exercise D1, “Combining in Context” – the paragraph
about childcare. Use adverb clauses in at least three different places to combine sentences and thereby
achieve smoother coherence and sharper focus.
Due Friday, 2/8: We now move on to the next type of dependent clause, the relative (adjective) clause.
We will focus on relative clauses beginning with who, whom, which, that, and as. In Writers’ Choices,
read in Ch. 12, pp. 147-151. Diagram sentences #1-9 on p. 158-159. On p. 160, do the sentence
combining #1-6. Then compose one sentence with each of the following relative pronouns--who,
whom, which, and that--plus one sentence in which the relative pronoun is omitted (five sentences in
all).
Due Monday, 2/11: For today we study relative clauses introduced by other words. In Writers’ Choices,
read pp.151-156. Diagram sentences #10-20 on pp. 158-159. Do the sentence combining on pp. 160161, #7-20. Then compose one sentence each with a relative clause beginning with the following (8
sentences in all):
 the relative adjective whose
 the relative adverbs when, where, why, before, and after
 the prepositional phrases in which and to whom
Remember that a relative clause comes after the noun that it is modifying. Double-check your sentences
to make sure you’ve written relative clauses and not adverb clauses!
Due Tuesday, 2/12: In Writers’ Choices, read pp. 157-158. Pay special attention to the matter of
restrictive versus nonrestrictive clauses. Now some brief practice with another topic: coordination and
parallelism with two or more relative clauses. To each of the following sentences, add a second relative
clause that parallels one already in the sentence; decide whether a comma is needed before the clause
you add (if one is needed, insert it, of course!):
(a) The dying millionaire had very different feelings about his daughter, to whom he left a great
deal of money, and about his son _______________________________.
(b) My brother, who works too much, is quite a contrast to my sister _____________.
(c) Which should one worry about more—a baby who eats too much or one
________________________?
Compose four sentences as follows:
 a sentence with a restrictive relative clause beginning with that*
 a sentence with a nonrestrictive clause beginning with which*
 a sentence with a restrictive clause beginning with who
 a sentence with a nonrestrictive clause, also beginning with who
*Remember that all relative clauses beginning with “that” must be restrictive – not set off by commas.
Relative clauses beginning with “which” may be restrictive or nonrestrictive although many people prefer
to limit “which” to nonrestrictive clauses – those that are set off by commas.
Due Wednesday, 2/13: Today we move on to the final dependent clause – the noun clause. In Writers’
Choices, read pp. 164-170. Diagram sentences #1-9 on pp. 177-178. Compose sentences with noun
clauses performing the following functions: (a) subject, (b) delayed subject, (c) direct object, (d)
delayed direct object, (e) subject complement, (f) object of the preposition, and (g) appositive – seven
sentences in all. Use only the subordinators that, whether, or if (try to distribute all three among your
sentences).
Due Thursday, 2/14: For today, a different, more difficult kind of noun clause – one introduced by a
functioning subordinator. In Writers’ Choices, read pp. 170-175. Diagram sentences #10-20 on p. 178.
Compose one sentence with each of the following (five sentences in all – for each one I have supplied a
part of the sentence; remember that you have to add a whole clause with its own subject and verb):





whatever functioning as a subject of a noun clause (not of the main clause) (“My mother spoils
my children; she lets them do . . . ”)
who functioning as a subject complement in a noun clause (“In the dark room, my failing
grandmother did not seem to know . . . ”)
whose functioning as an adjective in a noun clause (so whose will modify a noun) (“I do not
know . . . ”)
how functioning as an adverb in a noun clause (“You’d have to experience what I experienced to
understand . . . ”)
why functioning as an adverb in a noun clause (“You know red wine always gives you a
headache; I don’t understand . . . ”)
Due Friday, 2/15: Some final homework with noun clauses. In Writers’ Choices, read pp. 175-177. Do
the sentence combining #1-20 on pp. 179-181. To each of the following sentences, add one or two noun
clauses to parallel the noun clause already in it:
(a) A mountain climber’s skill is measured not only by whether she can reach the top of a mountain but
also ______________.
(b) (Add two noun clauses.) Success in a course can be measured by what grade you earn,
__________________, and, above all, by ______________________________.
(c) (Add two noun clauses.) When I come home at night, my inquisitorial roommate (mother, partner,
whatever) always wants to know where I’ve been, _______________, and
______________________________.
To begin reviewing for Test 3, review the different uses of “that.” As you know, that can be a relative
pronoun introducing a relative (adjective) clause; it can be a subordinator introducing a noun clause;
and it can be a subordinating conjunction introducing an adverb clause. Fill in each blank below with a
clause beginning with that and then identify the clause as relative, noun, or adverb:
(a) I am very grateful ___________________________
(b) I lost the beautiful watch _______________________
(c) The authorities announced ______________________
Note: that can also function simply as a demonstrative pronoun (see Appendix A, p. 262) either to
introduce a noun – That bicycle is mine -- or to substitute for a noun – That is mine.
Finally, here are two challenging sentences to diagram. They contain more than one kind of clause.
Diagram them. There is no answer key. A suggestion: after circling all the prepositional phrases,
identify every subject-verb combination, writing it down on scrap paper on a subject-verb diagram line;
then analyze the verb in each subject-verb combination – is it intransitive, linking, or transitive? If it is
linking or transitive, add the appropriate diagram line and put down the subject complement or direct
object (which may be one of the clauses in the sentence!). A final hint: remember elliptical adverb
clauses!
(a) While waiting for the meeting, I was handed a printed card which informed me that no more
applicants would be interviewed until another position became available.
(b) I was more delighted by the manner in which my sweetheart proposed to me than by what he said.
Monday, 2/18: NO SCHOOL: PRESIDENTS’ DAY
Due Tuesday, 2/19: Do the sample test on pp. 183-184. We will go over the answers in class.
Wednesday, 2/20: Extra review.
Thursday, 2/21: Test #3