Sentence Parts Lesson 1: Independent Clauses and
Dependent Clauses
Sentences require three things: a subject, a verb, and a complete thought
Example: He went to the store. (subject =he; verb=went; this expresses a complete thought.)
Complete thought: When a group of words makes sense by themselves without having to be attached
to other words.
Example: When he goes to town, he will buy some ice cream.
(“When he goes to town” is not a complete thought unless it is with the rest of the sentence.)
Clause: a group of words with a subject and a verb, but it is only used as part of a sentence.
Example: When he goes to town. (subject=he; verb=go; no complete thought)

There are two types of clauses: independent clauses and dependent clauses
Independent clause: a group of words with a subject and a verb that is used as part of a sentence,
but it could stand alone as a sentence because it expresses a complete thought.
Example: Mr. Smith cut pieces of stained glass, and his partner put them together.
^
independent clause
^
independent clause
In the above example, the two underlined groups of words are independent clauses:



They could each stand alone as a sentence.
They each have subjects, verbs, and express complete thoughts.
What makes them independent clauses is that they are used as parts of one sentence.
If they were written as separate sentences separated by a period, they would no
longer be independent clauses; instead they would be 2 sentences:
Example: Mr. Smith cut pieces of stained glass. His partner put them together.
Dependent Clause: a group of words with a subject and a verb, but it does not express a complete
thought. It is used as part of a sentence, but it cannot stand alone as a
sentence because it doesn’t express a complete thought.
Example: Since Ben earned good grades. (subject =Ben, verb=earned; no complete thought)

A dependent clause needs to be attached to an independent clause to make a sentence:
Example: Since Ben earned good grades, his mother has been proud.
^
^
dependent clause
independent clause
Parts of Sentences Lesson 2: Relative Clauses
Relative Pronoun: a pronoun such as that, which, whose, whom, or who.
Relative Clause: a type of dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun.
Example: that fell last night
The snow that fell last night is nearly gone.
^
relative clause

Relative clauses give a little more information about a noun in a sentence.
Example: In the case at the school is the trophy that Tom won. (“that Tom won” describes the trophy)
^
Relative clause

Sometimes a relative clause will not start with a relative pronoun.
Example: This is the dress I want. (This is the dress that I want.)
^
^
relative clause
relative clause

Sometimes the words “where” or “when” will start a relative clause:
Examples: Across the street is the house where I was born. Midnight is the hour when ghosts walk the earth.
^
^
relative clause
relative clause
Lesson 3: Phrases
Phrase: a group of words that go together.
It may be missing a subject, a verb, or both.
Examples: will be trying (verb phrase; has no subject)
between you and me ( prepositional phrase; no subject or verb)
The boy in the red shirt (has a subject, but no verb)
Prepositional Phrase- starts with a preposition and ends with a noun or a pronoun
Example: after dinner
Participial Phrase: Starts with form of a verb and is used to describe nouns in a sentence.
Example: The colorful flags waving in the breeze brightened the gloomy day.
^
Participial phrase (describes the flags)
Gerund Phrase: a gerund (“ing” verb) together with other words that act like a noun (a thing).
Example: Chewing gum in class is rude
^
Gerund phrase
Infinitive Phrase: starts with an infinitive (to + a verb) and has other related words.
In a sentence it
acts like a noun (a thing).
Example: To become an actor is my greatest goal.
^
Infinitive phrase
Parts of Sentences: Lesson 4: Simple and Compound
Sentences
Simple Sentences: Sentences that contain the one independent clause and no dependent clauses.
It may contain phrases that have more than one subject or verb.
Examples: The lake looks beautiful in the moonlight. ( 1 subject, 1 verb)
The Army, Navy, and Marines sent troops to the disaster area. (3 subjects, 1 verb)
We sang the old songs and danced happily at their wedding. (1 subject, 2 verbs)
My father, mother, and sister came to the school play, applauded the performers,
and attended the party afterwards. (3 subjects, 3 verbs)
Compound Sentences:

A sentence made up of 2 independent clauses.
There are two ways to join independent clauses to form a compound sentence.
1. Joining them with a comma and a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so):
Examples: He opened the drawer, and he found his missing disk.
He was tired, for he had run 10 miles.
2. Join them with a semicolon:
Example: He opened the drawer; he found his missing disk.
Sentence, Fragments & Run-ons: Lesson 1: Identifying
Fragments
Complete Thought:
If a teacher said to you, “Tomorrow I will give you a quiz on the chapter we
covered today,” you would know exactly what he/she was talking about.
He/she expressed what is called a complete thought.
Incomplete Thought:
If a teacher said to you, “Tomorrow when I give you a quiz on the chapter
we covered today,” you would probably be annoyed because he/she did
not finish the thought. This is an incomplete thought.
Fragment:

a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Fragments make no sense if they were to stand all by themselves as sentences.
Dependent clauses are fragments: Example: When she came.
Phrases are fragments: Example: Waiting there for some help.
Fragments often start with these words or phrases:
Because
even though
whenever
and
after
if
where
although
in order that
whereas
since
provided that
wherever
before
rather than
whether
as
as if
so that
while
even if
then
which
Examples: because the storm hit
after the storm passed
when John told his joke
although the pay was good
Sentence, Fragment, & Run-On: Lesson 2: Correcting
Fragments
 To correct a fragment, attach it to an independent clause
 Use a comma if the fragment comes first
After the storm passed, the weather was beautiful.
When John told his joke, everyone laughed.
Although the pay was good, Dad did not want to work overtime.
 If the independent clause comes before the fragment, no comma is
necessary:
The weather was beautiful after the storm passed.
Everyone laughed when John told his joke.
Dad did not want to work overtime although the pay was good.
Sentence, Fragment, & Run-On: Lesson 3: Acceptable
Fragments

Sometimes fragments are used on purpose. When we speak, we often use the
following fragments:
Interjections: Great! Hurray! Yeah!
Exclamations: What a day! How terrible! What a pain!
Greetings: Hello. Good morning. Good night. Good evening.
Questions: What for? Going where?

Sometimes writers of novels will break the rules and write in fragments in order
express an emotion:
I wanted to run on the beach. Roll in the sand. Drink in fresh gulps of clean air. Feel the sun on my face.
The cool waves of the ocean soothing my tortured body.

However, unless it is fiction, good writing is in complete sentences.
Sentences, Fragments, & Run-Ons: Lesson 4: Comma
Splices
Comma Splice: A form of incorrect punctuation. It is when two independent clauses have only a comma
between them. A comma splice is an example of a run-on sentence.
Example: The weather was disappointing, we canceled the picnic.
^
^
independent clause
independent clause
5 Ways to Correct a Comma Splice:
1. Separate the comma splice into 2 sentences:
Example: The weather was disappointing. We canceled the picnic.
2. Use a comma and a conjunction (for, and, not, but, or, yet, so):
Example: The weather was disappointing, so we cancelled the picnic.
3. Turn one of the independent clauses into a fragment (dependent clause), and add a comma.
Example: Because the weather was disappointing, we cancelled the picnic.
^
Fragment
4. Use a semicolon, followed by a conjunctive adverb, and a comma:
Example: The weather was disappointing; therefore, we canceled the picnic.
^
conjunctive adverb

Conjunctive adverbs: however, otherwise, therefore, similarly, hence, on the other
hand, then, consequently, also, thus
5. Use a semicolon by itself:
Example: The weather was disappointing; we canceled the picnic.
Sentences, Fragments, & Run-Ons: Lesson 5: Run-Ons
Run-on: two or more sentences joined together by a comma (comma splice), just by “and” or by no
mark of punctuation at all.
These are all examples of run-ons:
The weather was disappointing, we canceled the picnic. (comma splice)
The weather was disappointing we canceled the picnic. (no punctuation)
The weather was disappointing and we canceled the picnic. (just joined by “and”)
5 Ways to Correct a Run-on:
1. Separate the run-on into 2 sentences:
Example: The weather was disappointing. We canceled the picnic.
2. Use a comma and a conjunction (for, and, not, but, or, yet, so):
Example: The weather was disappointing, so we cancelled the picnic.
3. Turn one of the independent clauses into a fragment (dependent clause), and add a comma.
Example: Because the weather was disappointing, we cancelled the picnic.
^
Fragment
4. Use a semicolon, followed by a conjunctive adverb, and a comma:
Example: The weather was disappointing; therefore, we canceled the picnic.
^
conjunctive adverb

Conjunctive adverbs: however, otherwise, therefore, similarly, hence, on the other
hand, then, consequently, also, thus
5. Use a semicolon by itself:
Example: The weather was disappointing; we canceled the picnic.