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Skill 1: Appositive Phrase The appositive phrase identifies an adjacent noun or pronoun and occurs in the sentence opener, subject-verb split or sentence closer position. The appositive adds further information about the noun or pronoun and thus acts the way an adjective does. Typically, the appositive is set off by one or two commas (depending on sentence position), though in some cases one may be set off by a dash or by dashes. The appositive can be found in the sentence opener, subject-verb split and sentence closer positions. Examples (appositive phrases are underlined), all from The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros By the time we got to Mango Street we were six -- Mama, Papa, Carlos, Kiki, my sister Nenny and me. Meme has a dog with gray eyes, a sheepdog with two names, one in English and one in Spanish. (an appositive within an appositive) Darius, who chases girls with firecrackers or a stick that touched a rat and thinks he's tough, today pointed up because the world was full of clouds, the kind like pillows. Skill 2: Participial Phrase Participles describe nouns or pronouns. They are derived from verbs but act as adjectives. The present participle is formed by adding ing to the base form of the verb. The past participle of a regular verb is formed by adding ed to the base form of the verb. (The correct form of the past participle is always shown in a dictionary because there are many irregular verbs.) The participial phrase consists of the participle and other words completing the idea. Participial phrases can be found as sentence openers, subject-verb splits and sentence closers. Examples (participial phrases are underlined; same source as above) Oh no, she says, pointing the butter knife at me as if I'm starting trouble, no sir. . . . and there isn't a landlord banging on the ceiling with a broom. . . . then the scrape of concrete, the excited tinkling of dog tags, followed by the heavy jingling of keys, . . . Skill 3: Absolute Phrase An absolute phrase describes the rest of the sentence in which it is found. If you were to add the word was or were, the absolute phrase would be a complete sentence. Many begin with his, her, its, their, our, my, or your (possessive pronouns). The absolute can be found in all three sentence positions. Examples (absolute phrases are underlined; same source as above) My feet scuffed and round, and the heels all crooked that look dumb with this dress, I just sit. All brown all around, we are safe. I shake my head no, my feet growing bigger and bigger. Skill 4: Prepositional Phrase Prepositional phrases describe or modify people, things or actions. Most begin with one of these prepositions: in, before, after, down, across, at, inside, outside, over, under, below, behind, by, between, within, with, into, through, like, except, up, toward, of, by or for. Prepositional phrases may occur in the sentence opener, subject-verb split or sentence closer position. Examples (prepositional phrases are underlined; same source as above) We didn't always live on Mango Street. The house on Mango Street is ours, and we don't have to pay rent to anybody, or share the yard with the people downstairs, or be careful not to make too much noise, and there isn't a landlord banging on the ceiling with a broom. At school they say my name funny as if the syllables were made out of tin and hurt the roof of your mouth. Skill 5: Adjective Clause Like all clauses, an adjective clause has a subject and a verb. It is a dependent clause that cannot stand as a sentence all by itself. The adjective clause must attach itself to an independent clause. An adjective clause describes whatever is to the left of it in a sentence. Most begin with the words who, which, whose or where. If the adjective clause adds extra information that isn't vital to understanding the word it describes, then the clause is accompanied by a comma or commas. If the adjective clause adds vital information that defines the word it describes, then a comma or commas are not necessary. The adjective clause can be found in the subject-verb split and sentence closer positions. Examples (adjective clauses are underlined; same source as above) Nenny, who thinks she is smart and talks to the old man, asks lots of questions. Instead there was a button that did it for you. Those who don't know any better come into neighborhood scared. Skill 6: Adverb Clause (or Subordinate Clause) The adverb clause tells more about the sentence in which it appears. Like the adjective clause, the adverb clause is a dependent clause that cannot stand on its own. The adverb clause usually tells why, how, when or under what condition something was done. Most begin with subordinating conjunctions like because, since, if, when, whenever, as soon as, as, during, before, unless, although, even though or until. The adverb clause can appear in the sentence opener, subject-verb split and sentence closer position. Examples (adverb clauses are underlined; same source as above) I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she couldn't be all the things she wanted to be. (There are two adverb clauses here, one inside the other.) If you give me five dollars, I will be your friend forever. He doesn't turn the lights on unless you got money to buy things with, . . . .