English IV Focused Grammar Instruction/Practice
I. Using commas with compound and complex sentences.
* A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb. There are independent clauses that can
stand alone without any other wording (pretty much a simple sentence), and there are dependent clauses that
make the reader say, "What?" (Those are fragments.)
Independent: The qualifiers ran in the state championship.
Dependent: After they won the district race.
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Dependent clauses are the ones that can't stand alone. Dependent clauses begin with words known as
subordinate conjunctions. Some of most common ones are listed below:
after
as
even though
unless
since
because
though
as soon as
when
whenever
as long as
until
although
before
if
while
*A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one dependent clause. (When a dependent clause
comes at the beginning of a sentence, it is called an introductory clause.) An introductory clause must be
separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma. However, when the dependent clause comes at the end, no
comma is needed.
Examples:
After the rain stops, the children will go out to play again.
(Dependent clause comes at the beginning of the sentence; it is followed by a comma.)
The children will go out to play after the rain stops. (Dependent clause is at the end of the sentence; there is no
comma.)
Practice: Put a comma in each of the following sentences that need one. Write C beside the sentences that do
not need a comma.
If the dance team does well this week it will advance to regional competition.
The one-act-play will be performed at school before it goes to state.
The girls' basketball team will definitely win unless they experience injuries early in the season.
When the tennis team plays The Woodlands they always have extra practices the week before.
Since Humble Rodeo competition is during the day the participants have to miss school.
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*Independent clauses are the ones that can stand alone.
A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by one of the FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but,
or, yet, so. A compound sentence requires a comma BEFORE THE CONJUNCTION.
Examples:
The family headed across the plains, for they desired a better life out West.
Roberto Clemente's lifetime batting average was .317, and he had 3,000 hits.
The sales lady did not help us find the clothes, nor did she put them in the dressing room for us.
The detective finally elicited a confession from the suspect, but the defense attorney was able to get the
confession suppressed.
You can ask the company for a refund, or you can request a replacement for your product.
You told the policeman that you weren't speeding, yet you admitted to running the red light.
The product demonstration was a success, so the salesman will schedule several others.
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Practice: In the following sentences, underline independent clauses once and dependent clauses twice. Circle
commas.
Example: Because I won the election, I am now the class president.
1. Since each galaxy is a huge collection of stars, the total number of stars is mind-boggling.
2. Some galaxies have clouds made up of dust and gas, but others do not.
3. Although our galaxy contains billions of stars, we can see only a few of them.
4. Our galaxy has a spiral shape, and the next nearest galaxy has a similar shape.
5. Our galaxy is just a little speck in the universe although it seems incredibly huge to us.
6. The earth revolves around the sun in one year, but it takes two hundred million years for the sun's revolution
around the galaxy.
??Why doesn't #5 have a comma?
Correct any comma errors in the following passage:
The topography of Mexico is extremely varied but most of the country's natural resources lie below the
surface. These resources include silver, copper, salt, iron, and gold. However, above-ground forests are also
important. Because the population is concentrated in the central highlands this area has been largely deforested.
Forests do remain in the mountains and rain forests still dominate southern Mexico.
Mexico contains almost every possible habitat, from the tallest mountains to the lushest rain forests. A
traveler sees desert, mountains, grassland, and rain forests as he travels from north to south. However, he is out
of luck if he wants to travel by boat because most of Mexico's rivers are not navigable. If he cruises the coast he
could disembark at Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico or he could visit Acapulco on the Pacific side.
The geographical resources of Mexico make the country unique but Mexico's position in the history of
the Americas also gives it an identity of great importance.
Add commas as necessary in the following sentences.
The Anasazi built complex multi-story structures but they lived and conducted ceremonies in them.
Archaeologists search there because pieces of pottery and other artifacts provide clues to the lives of the
Anasazi.
Even though Austin's family all had busy schedules they ate dinner together five times a week.
Austin's entire family enjoys the time but his parents admit that getting everyone together at once is often
difficult.
Jesse Owens was born in Alabama in 1913 and he became one of the world's greatest track and field athletes.
Although he set world records as a runner he also excelled in the broad jump.