Set of Posters for classroom use.
Based on Gail Loane’s book,
“I’ve got something to say”.
What is a Sentence?
• A sentence is a group of
words which makes sense on its
own.
• Sentences can have different
purposes.
• They can be structured as
statements, commands,
questions or explanations.
Statements
Sentences that convey
information.
e.g. This is a book about
ladybirds.
Commands
Sentences that give orders or
requests
e.g. Read this book
Questions
Sentences that require an answer
e.g. Have you read this book?
Exclamations
Sentences that express strong
feelings
e.g. This is the best book I have
ever read!
A Simple Sentence...
Consists of one clause, which is a
group of words containing a
subject and a verb.
e.g. The boy
Subject
rode
verb
his bike.
object
A Simple Sentence...(2)
You can add any number of descriptors to this
sentence, but it is still a simple sentence:
The
small, curly-haired
boy
adjectives
noun (subject)
enthusiastically
rode his shiny new
bike
adverb
verb
adjectives
noun
on the footpath
after breakfast.
adverbial phrase (where)
adverbial phrase (when).
Despite all the added description the sentence still has only one
subject and one verb. It is still a simple sentence.
A Compound Sentence
You can join two or more simple sentences
with co-ordinating conjunctions, to make a
compound sentence.
Jack was a chef.
He made a cake.
Jack was a chef and he made a cake.
Jack was a chef. He specialised in baking. He made a cake.
Jack was a chef and he specialised in baking and he made a cake.
Each part of the compound sentence is a main clause. We can say that each
clause can stand alone. When we can join clauses of equal weight, the
conjunctions we use are coordinating conjunctions.
Coordinating conjunctions for
Compound Sentences
because
and
so
however
but
therefore
Complex Sentences
In Complex sentences, there is one main
clause, and one or more subordinate clauses:
Jack made cakes
Main clause
When?
because he was a chef
subordinate clause (adverbial clauseanswers the questions How?
Where? Or Why)
who had specialised in baking.
Subordinate clause (adjectival clause- tells us
More about the noun and often begins with
who,which,that or whom.)
Complex Sentences (2)
An adverbial clause answers the
questions How? When? Where? Or
Why?
An adjectival clause often
begins with who, which,
that or whom, and tells
us more about the noun.
Complex Sentences (3)
Each clause contains a verb
The subordinate clause depends on the main
clause-it cannot stand alone.
When we join a main clause to a subordinate
clause, we use a subordinating conjunction:
after, although, as, when, while, until, because,
before, if, since
Or a relative pronoun:
whom, who, which, that, whose, whomever,
whichever, whatever
Complex Sentences (4)
A phrase is a group of related words that
does not stand on its own and does not
contain a verb.
It is not a complete sentence. We can use
phrases instead of nouns, adjectives and
adverbs.
The chef baked a cake
as quickly as possible.
adverbial phrase (how)
The chef
with the tall hat
baked a cake.
adjectival phrase
All the chefs in the hotel
baked a cake.
noun phrase
Reminders
Effective writers combine the use of all types and
forms of sentences, deliberately, for different
purposes and with different effects.
• A simple sentence can be powerful, when a
strong verb is used: He struggled up the
mountain.
• A strong verb often has more impact than
adding verbs: The bull charged across the
field. The bull ran very quickly across the
field.
Reminders (2)
• A sentence is not necessarily improved by adding
lots of descriptors: The small, curly-haired boy
enthusiastically rode his shiny new bike on the
footpath after breakfast.
• Specific nouns in a sentence often add more impact
than a list of adjectives: The tall, lovely, old,
gracious tree was shedding its leaves. The oak was
shedding its leaves.
• A variety of sentence length, sentence
structure and sentence beginnings will make
for more effective writing.