
You will need to write effectively in many
situations…
› Job resumes and applications
› Interoffice memos, e-mail, and communication
› Parent and school communication
› Letters of request
› Even on-line dating!
Writing says a lot about you.
 It gives people a “first glimpse” into

› Your educational background
› Your general intellect
› Your socio-economical status
› Your personality
Sentence fluency allows you to “build a
rapport” with your reader; they begin to
feel connected to you and your ideas,
even without having met you!
 A key to good sentence fluency is your
ability to artfully connect independent
and dependent clauses.


You are going to answer a request for a
date from an on-line dating
organization. This is the profile you open:
I like to take long walks on the beach. I take my dog with me. I
have a German shepherd. He has been my life companion for
years. He’s getting older. I want someone to walk with me. I also
like fine dining and good music. My favorite restaurant is an outof-the way place downtown. It serves Mexican food. There is a
mariachi band. It plays while guests eat. They are amazing. I
would love to meet someone. I would like to share my dog, my
walks, and my dinner with someone. That person should share
my interests.
OR
OR

You decided to open up at least one
more profile to see what else is out there.
This is the next profile you open:
I like taking long walks on the beach with my dog. I have a
German shepherd who has been my life companion for years,
but he’s getting older. I’m looking for someone who can share
our walks, and hopefully our lives. I also like fine dining and good
music. My favorite restaurant is an out-of-the way place
downtown that serves great Mexican food and sports a fantastic
mariachi band that plays while guests eat. They are amazing. I
would love to meet someone with similar interests with whom I
can share my dog, my walks, and my dinner.
OR
OR
Subordinate conjunctions connect two unequal parts, e.g., dependent
and independent clauses.
after
since
when
although
so that
whenever
as
supposing
where
because
than
whereas
before
that
wherever
but that
though
whether
if
as though
which
in order that
till
while
lest
unless
what
Relative pronouns introduce relative clauses, which are a type of
dependent clause.
that
whom
whose
which
when
why
who
where
The first on-line dater said, “I like to take
long walks on the beach. I take my dog
with me. I have a German shepherd.”
 How can we make that into one
sentence with a subordinate clause?

Try it…
Coordinating conjunctions combine grammatical elements of equal
importance
for
or
and
yet
nor
so
but
The first on-line dater also said, “My
favorite restaurant is an out-of-the way
place downtown. It serves Mexican food.
There is a mariachi band.”
 With your group, write this information as
one sentence with two or three
independent clauses.

Try it…
Our wayward on-line dater closed by
saying “I would love to meet someone. I
would like to share my dog, my walks,
and my dinner with someone. That
person should share my interests.”
 Try putting that information into one
sentence that contains a subordinate
clause.

Use the worksheet to create ten
sentences about yourself combining
independent and subordinate clauses.
 Then write ten more sentences that
explain your qualities combining
independent clauses.
 Underline subordinate clauses twice and
independent clauses once.

I love to watch funny movies because I have a
great sense of humor.
 My favorite actress is Jennifer Aniston, who
always makes me smile.


I am fun to be around, and I always
bring life to a party.