BASIC
CONCEPTS OF
GRAMMAR
DISCOURSE
Technical Writing
SENTENCE
WRITING SUPPORTING SENTENCE
MODIFIERS
Sentence
word or group of words that expresses a
complete idea and that includes a subject
and a verb.
TYPES OF
SENTENCES
ACCORDING TO
FUNCTION
Declarative sentence
tells something and ends with
period (.)
Example:
Philippines is the best country I have
ever visited.
interrogative sentence
asks questions and ends with a
question mark (?)
Example:
Why is it possible to tickle
someone else but not to tickle
yourself?
imperative sentence
gives a command and ends with a period
Example:
Kindly work with your partners.
exclamatory sentence
shows strong feelings and ends with an
exclamation mark (!)
Example:
I hate you so much!
SIMPLE SENTENCES
has one independent clause.
ACCORDING
TO
STRUCTURE
COMPOUND SENTENCES
has two independent clauses connected by
coordinating conjunctions.
COMPLEX SENTENCES
has one independent clause and one or more
dependent clauses into it
COMPOUND-COMPLEX
SENTENCES
has two independent clauses and one or more
dependent clauses
Example:
David Letterman and Jay
Leno host talk shows.
SIMPLE
SENTENCE
Example:
Mushrooms grow in damp places
so
they look like umbrellas.
COMPOUND
SENTENCE
Example:
Many dead animals of the past changed to oil
(independent clause) while (subordinating
conjunction) others preferred to be gas
(dependent clause).
COMPLEX
SENTENCE
Example:
When the heat comes, the lakes dry up,
(dependent clause) (independent clause)
and farmers know the crops will fail.
(independent clause)
COMPOUND-COMPLEX
SENTENCE
WRITING
SUPPORTING
SENTENCES
Sentences that support the topic sentence
TOPIC SENTENCE: FOUR-YEAR-OLDS ARE A CHALLENGE IN EVERY WAY.
SUPPORTING
SENTENCES
1.First, they are a physical challenge.
2. They move non-stop from the time they bolt out of bed at daybreak until they
are forced back into bed at night.
3. Next, of course, four-year-olds are an emotional challenge, trying the patience
of even their devoted parents.
4. Finally, four-year-olds are a mental challenge, especially for those of us whose
mental abilities are on the wane as a result of four years of harried days and
sleepless night.
MODIFIERS
a word (such as an adjective or adverb) or
phrase that describes another word or group of
words
EXAMPLES
Lee caught a small mackerel.
(Here, the adjective small modifies the noun mackerel.)
Lee accidentally caught a small whelk.
(Here, the adverb accidentally modifies the verb caught.)
Lee caught a mackerel smaller than a Mars bar.
(This is an adjective phrase modifying the noun mackerel.)