Sentence Structure
Phrases, Clauses, Conjunctions
And Related Punctuation
Phrase
• A group of words with no self-contained,
independent meaning.
Types of phrases
• Modifying (describing)
• Prepositional (spatial or time)
• Verbal (infinitive, participle, gerund)
Clauses
• All clauses have at least a subject and
verb.
Sentence
• A sentence is a complete thought.
• It consists of a subject and predicate.
• The predicate is the verb and everything
that follows it.
• A sentence is also an independent clause.
?
• How can a dependent clause have a
subject and verb yet not express a
complete thought?
Two Types of Clauses
• Independent Clauses can stand alone as
complete thoughts.
• Dependent Clauses cannot stand alone,
and they depend on another word group
(an independent clause) to complete
meaning.
Subordinators
• Two groups of words cause dependence
or subordination:
• Subordinating Conjunctions
• Relative Pronouns
Examples
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Examples of SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS & the meanings they
express:
Time: when, since
Reason: because, since, as
Result: that, so that
Condition: if, unless
Contrast: although, whereas
Location: where, wherever
Choice: whether, than
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS CREATE DEPENDENT CLAUSES.
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See your text for a complete list of SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS.
“BISAWAWE”
is a memory tool for a few subordinating conjunctions
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Because
If
So that
After
When
Although
While
Even though
More subordinators
• Another group of words that create
dependent or subordinating clauses is
called RELATIVE PRONOUNS.
• They are:
• Who, which, that, whom, whoever
Examples
• If the bond issue passes, the city will install
new sewers.
• In the above sentence, the underlined clause is
dependent or subordinate.
• The bold clause is the independent clause
which could stand alone:
• The city will install new sewers.
Coordinating Conjunctions
• Coordinating Conjunctions connect “equal”
or independent clauses with a comma
preceding the conjunction.
Coordinating Conjunctions
“FANBOYS”
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For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions Connecting Independent
Clauses
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The sky turned gray, and it rained.
Two independent Clauses:
The sky turned gray.
It rained.
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I left early, yet I was late for class.
Two independent Clauses:
I left early.
I was late for class.
Conjunctive Adverbs
(Several are also known as transition-words)
and the Relationships They Express
• Addition: also, furthermore, moreover, besides
• Contrast: however, still, nevertheless, conversely,
nevertheless, instead, otherwise
• Comparison: similarly, likewise
• Result or Summary: therefore, thus, consequently,
accordingly, hence, then
• Time: next, then, meanwhile, finally, subsequently,
indeed, certainly
THE PATTERN:
Independent Clause/Semicolon/Conjunctive Adverb/Comma/Independent Clause
• Examples—
• I am overweight; therefore, I should exercise
more.
• I enjoy swimming; however, I don’t get to swim
often.
FOR MORE STUDY
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Sentence Structure & Punctuation
Phrases
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/phrases/phrases.htm
http://www.leasttern.com/Grammar/PhrasesClauses.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_verbals.html
Clauses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clause
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/clause.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/clauses.htm
Independent clauses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_clause
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_clause.html
http://grammar.uoregon.edu/clauses/independent.html
Dependent Clauses
http://grammar.uoregon.edu/clauses/dependent.html
http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/grinker/LwtaDependant_Clauses_and_Phrases.htm
Comma Splices
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma_splice
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/punct/csfsro.html
http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/SentComSplice.html
http://www.grammartips.homestead.com/splice.html
Fragments
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/punct/fragmentcauses.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_frag.html
Semicolons & Colons
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/colons.htm
http://chuma.cas.usf.edu/~olson/pms/semicolon.html
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/punct/semicolon.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_commacomp.html
Run-On, Comma Splice, Fragment Self-check Quiz
http://www.uvsc.edu/owl/tests/run_frag.html
For More Study
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Commas & Sentence Structure
Trying to place commas by noting pauses is very dangerous!
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The reason it's dangerous is that often people do not know correct sentence structure, so they pause in the wrong place!
To understand comma use, you need to understand independent clauses, dependent clauses, subordinating conjunctions, and
coordinating conjunctions.
Note the links below-http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/conjunctions.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/conjunctions.htm
http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/grammar_subordinate.html
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/coordinatingconjunction.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/coconj.htm
http://www.cmsu.edu/PreBuilt/documents/Punctuating%20SubordinatingConjunctionswithCommas.pdf#search=%22comma%20with%20c
oordinating%20conjunctions%22
http://www.as.ysu.edu/~english/COMMAndCCj.pdf#search=%22comma%20with%20coordinating%20conjunctions%22
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/comma.htm
http://www.chompchomp.com/rules/csfsrules.htm
Clauses
http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/sentelmt.htm#Clauses
Sentence Structure
http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ows/sentencestruct.htm
Exercises
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/nova/nova1.htm
Reminder
• Remember to document your Study
Journal to show what you have studied!
In Closing
• I hope you enjoyed your journey down the
adventurous yellow-brick-road to the
wonderful world of grammar!