Download Types of Sentences Phrases-​groups of words put together in a

Types of Sentences
● Phrases-​ groups of words put together in a sentence, but they do not have a
subject and verb combination
● Clauses-​ groups of words put together in a sentence that ​DO HAVE​ a subject
and a verb; ​we look at clauses when determining types of sentences.
○ Independent clauses:​ a group words put together that express a
complete thought or idea; to be considered a clause, ​A SUBJECT AND
VERB MUST BE PRESENT.
○ Dependent/Subordinate clauses:​ a group of words put together that
express an ​INCOMPLETE THOUGHT​, but ​A SUBJECT AND VERB
MUST STILL BE PRESENT.
● Examples:
○ Phrase:
■ On the way to the store,
■ Over near the window,
■ Before the sun came up,
■ By the field,
■ Earlier that day,
*These phrases do not contain a subject and verb combination.
○ Independent Clause:
​ ■ His head​ ​was big.
● His head​​ is the subject, ​was is the verb.
​
■ Jimmy​ ​went to the store.
● Jimmy​
​ is the subject, ​went is the verb.
*These clauses have a subject, a verb, and they express a complete
thought.
○ Dependent Clause:
​ ■ BECAUSE ​he​ ​was sad,
●​ He ​is the subject, ​was is the verb, BECAUSE is the
subordinating conjunction.
​
■ WHEN ​I​ ​was with Billy,
​
● I​ is the subject, ​was is the verb, WHEN is the subordinating
conjunction.
​
■ BEFORE ​I​ ​went to the store,
​
● I​ is the subject, ​went is the verb, BEFORE is the
subordinating conjunction.
​
■ WHILE ​he​ ​was under the bridge,
​
● He​ is the subject, ​was is the verb, WHILE is the
subordinating conjunction.
​
​
​
● Types of Sentences:
1. Simple Sentence:​ a simple sentence is ​one independent clause​, or one
group of words with ​one subject/verb relationship​ that ​expresses one
complete thought​.
a. Examples:
i. He​ ​went to the movie theater.
​
1. He​ is the subject, ​went is the verb.
ii.
After the parade yesterday, ​my friend Shane​, the tallest kid
​
in the school,
​
​ran into a tree limb, ​fell down, and ​broke all of
the bones in his hands and arms.
1. After the parade yesterday,
a. This is a phrase: PHRASES DO NOT HAVE
ANY IMPACT ON THE TYPE OF SENTENCE.
2. My friend Shane,
a. My friend Shane,​ is the subject of the
sentence.
3. the tallest kid in the school,
a. Adjectival phrase: the phrase is describing
Shane, and Shane is a noun; therefore, this
phrase is describing a noun, so it is acting as
an adjective.
4. ran into a tree limb, fell down, and broke all of the
bones in his hands and arms.
a. ran, fell, broke are the verbs of the sentence;
this is what the subject did.
5. Synthesis: This is a simple sentence because it has
only one subject/verb relationship. It expresses one
complete idea.
2. Compound Sentence:​ a compound sentence is a sentence that combines
two independent clauses​ using a comma and a coordinating conjunction
(FANBOYS), a semicolon, or a conjunctive adverb ( ; therefore,
; however,).
a. Examples:
​
i. He​ ​was intelligent; THEREFORE, ​he​ ​had all As.
1. Two subjects: ​he​ and ​he
2. Two verbs: ​was and ​had
3. One connector: CONJUNCTION ADVERB
(; THEREFORE)
ii.
iii.
Henry​ ​was getting ready to ride his bike, BUT ​the tires​ ​were
flat.
1. Two subjects: ​Henry​ and ​the tires
2. Two verbs: ​was getting and ​were
3. CONNECTOR: comma and coordinating conjunction
(, BUT)
Henry​ ​did not ​study; ​he​ ​failed the test.
1. Two subjects: ​Henry​ and ​he
2. Two verbs: ​failed and ​ did study
3. CONNECTOR: ;
3. Complex Sentence:​ a complex sentence is a sentence that includes ​one
subject/verb relationship (one independent clause)​ and ​at least one
dependent clause (one subject/verb relationship that is connected to
a subordinating conjunction).
a. Examples:
i. He​ ​had a big head​ ​because it could be measured​ at 5
inches.
1. One independent clause: H
​ e​ ​had a big
head
ii.
a. One subject: ​He
b. One verb: ​had
2. One dependent clause: because it could be
measured​ at 5 inches.
While ​we​ ​were on the fishing trip, m
​ y dad​ ​found a
shiny silver dollar sitting lonely all tarnished
and ruined.
1. One independent clause: m
​ y dad​ ​found a
shiny silver dollar sitting lonely all
tarnished and ruined
2. One dependent clause: While we were on the fishing
trip,
**If a dependent clause comes before an independent clause, put a
comma after the dependent clause (like in example ii).
4. Compound-Complex Sentence:​ a compound-complex sentence is a
sentence that combines a compound sentence (two independent clauses
joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction, a semicolon, or a
semicolon and a conjunctive adverb) and a complex sentence (one
independent clause and at least one dependent clause).
a. Examples:
i. The rain​ ​came down​, BUT i​ t​ ​stopped quickly
because it was just a scattered shower.
1. Two independent clauses: T
​ he rain​ ​came
down, ​it​ ​stopped quickly
ii.
2. One dependent clause: because it was just a
scattered shower
It​ ​was raining cats and dogs outside​, AND ​it
flooded our whole yard​ ​since we live in the valley.
1. Two independent clauses: I​ t​ ​was raining
cats and dogs, i​ t​ ​flooded our whole yard
2. One dependent clause: since we live in the valley
FAQ
1. A simple sentence has only one subject/verb relationship.
2. The difference between a phrase and a dependent clause is that a phrase has no
subject/verb relationship; it’s missing either a subject or verb. A dependent
clause has a subject/verb relationship, but it includes a subordinating
conjunction, which makes the clause dependent; it cannot stand alone.
3. The subject is the who or what the sentence is about. The verb is what the
subject is doing.
4. The predicate of the sentence begins where the verb of the sentence is. It is
from the verb to the end of the clause.
5. To identify long simple sentences, you have to find the subject of the sentence
and the verb. A helpful tip is to mark through any phrases because they are
grammatically insignificant.
6. To decide what’s what in a sentence, you have to analyze the sentence for
clauses (the subjects and verbs). Think about how many independent clauses
you have and how many dependent clauses you have.
7. You add a subordinating conjunction to an independent clause to make it
dependent.
8. 1IC=Simple Sentence, 1IC+1DC=Complex Sentence, 1IC+1IC=Compound
Sentence, 1IC+1IC+1DC(or more)=Compound/Complex Sentence (you may
have more than two IC and more than one DC, but you MAY NOT have less.
9. The verb of the sentence is what the subject is doing or how the subject is being
(action verbs or linking verbs--is, be, etc.).
10. ‘Is’ is a verb, so it will only ever join the subject with the predicate; it will not join
clauses and phrases.
11. You can have a compound subject (ex: Mayson and Ansley) and a compound
verb (are running to the store and picking up ice cream) and will still have a
simple sentence because there is only one subject/verb relationship.
12. Three independent clauses will constitute a compound sentence.
13. Can a verb be the subject? Example: Running is hard. ‘Running’ is a gerund
(word that looks like a verb but as acts as a noun), the verb is ‘is’.
14. Two independent clauses can be joined by a comma and a coordinating
conjunction (ex: We went to the fair, and I saw my friend.) (non-example: We
went to the fair but left before the rain came.)
15. If there’s a coordinating conjunction, does that mean there is a compound
sentence? Answer: It depends on how many independent clauses there are. If
there are two or more independent clauses, then yes. If there is only one
independent clause, then no.