CLAUSES AND SENTENCE STRUCTUREMrs. Graham

WBHS 2007

LET’S START EASY….

� There are four types of sentences:

� Declarative (makes a statement)

�Ex: I have three pets.

� Imperative (gives a command or makes a

request)request)

�Get off the table.

� Interrogative (asks a question)

�Ex: How many pets do you have?

� Exclamatory (expresses strong emotion)

�She is such a beautiful dog!

EVERY SENTENCE MUST HAVE AT LEAST

ONE MAIN CLAUSE….(WHAT ARE THOSE?)

�A clause: a group of words that

has a subject and a predicate.

�A clause can function as a A clause can function as a

sentence by itself or as part of

a sentence.

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF CLAUSES…

MAIN CLAUSES

� Every sentence must have a main clause

� Main clauses has a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought.

The curtain rose.

The cast bowed and the audience applauded.

The actors and crew smiled and

Unless Rachel goes with us, we complete thought.

� It is the only type of clause that can stand alone as a sentence.

� A main clause can be also called an independent clause.

� Conjunctions cannot be included in your clauses.

crew smiled and bowed, and the audience cheered

and clapped.

goes with us, we won’t know how to get there.

Alex’s project, which was a

demonstration of centrifugal force, won first prize.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSES

� Subordinate clauses (also called dependent clause) has a subject and a predicate, but DOES NOT express a complete thought.

� It cannot stand alone as a sentence.

When the dog

barked, the baby cried.

Dogs that obey are a

joy.

Whoever joins the circus will

Julie and her friends went to a movie that sentence.

� There are 3 types of subordinate clauses: adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and noun clauses.

� In some cases, (see example 3) a relative pronoun can also function as the subject of both main and subordinate clauses.

circus will travel

across the country.

movie that they had already seen.

Whenever it snows, Alfonso and Max head for the slopes.

SUBORDINATE CLAUSES: ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

Magazines that inform

and entertain are my favorites.

Several writers whom I admire

contribute to magazines.

� Adjective Clauses: a subordinate clause that modifies (describes) a noun or a pronoun.

� May begin with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, that, and which)

The store where I buy magazines sponsors

readings by contributors.

National Geographic is the magazine I like the best.

whose, that, and which)

� An adjective clause normally follows the word it modifies.

� Sometimes the relative pronoun is dropped from the beginning of an adjective clause. (See ex. 4)

TWO TYPES OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSES….

� Restrictive Clauses: an

adjective clause that are

necessary to make the

meaning of a sentence clear

� Non-restructive Clauses: an

adjective clause that is not

necessary to make the

meaning of the sentence

Restrictive (essential)Non-restrictive (non-

essential)

meaning of a sentence clear

� It must not be set off by

commas.

� Example:

� Magazines that have no

substance bore me.

� Many writers whose works

have become famous began

their writing careers at the

New Yorker magazine.

meaning of the sentence

clear

� Always use commas to set

off a non-essential clause.

� Example:

� James Thurber, who was a

famous humorist, wrote

for the New Yorker.

**Use that to introduce an

essential clause and which to

begin a non-essential clause.

ADVERB CLAUSES

� Adverb Clause: a

subordinate clause

that modifies

(describes) a verb, an

adjective, or an

Before I took the test, I studied for hours.

I studied longer than I had ever studied before.

I was happy because I passed the

She can swim faster than I.

adjective, or an

adverb.

� It tells when, where,

how, why, to what

extent, or under what

conditions.

passed the test.

faster than I.

While walking, she listens to the

radio.

NOUN CLAUSES

Whoever wins the election will speak.

(Subject)

The reporter will do

whatever is required to get an interview.

(D.O)

The senator will give whoever asks an

A news story should begin

� Noun clauses: a subordinate

clause that is used as a noun

within the main clause of a

sentence

� You can use a noun clause as

a subject, a direct object, an

indirect object, an object of a

preposition, or a predicate

nominative.

asks an interview. (I.O)

should begin with whatever gets the reader’s attention.

(Object of Prep)That is why she included specific data in the article.

(Predicate Nominative)

Words that can introduce

noun clauses: how, however,

if, that, what, whatever,

when, where, wherever,

whether, which, whichever,

who, whom, whoever,

whomever, whose, why

BACK TO THOSE SENTENCES….

�There are four kinds of

sentence structure:

�Simple�Simple

�Compound

�Complex

�Compound-complex

� Contains only one

main clause and no

subordinate clauses.

� A simple sentence

may contain a

compound subject, a

compound predicate,

� Contains two or more main clauses.

� May be joined in any of four ways: � With a comma and a

coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)

� With a semi-colon

� With a semi-colon and a conjunctive adverb (as, however,

Simple Sentences Compound Sentences

compound predicate,

or both.

� Ex:

� Stories entertain.

� Stories and riddles

entertain and amuse.

� Stories about the Old

West entertain adults

and children alike.

conjunctive adverb (as, however, therefore, nevertheless)

� With a semi-colon and an expression such as for example

Examples:

Stories entertain me, and riddles amuse me, but poems are my favorite.

Talented oral storytellers are rare; Spalding Gray is exceptional.

� Contains one main

clause and one or

more subordinate

clauses

� Examples:

I like Toni Cade

Bambara’s stories

� Contains two or more

main clauses and at least

one subordinate clause

� Examples:

I read Frankenstein,

Complex Sentences Compound-Complex Sentences

Main

Main Clause

Bambara’s stories

because they have

good characters.

I read Frankenstein,

which Mary Shelley

wrote, and I reported

on it. Subordinate

Clause

Main

Clause

Main Clause

Sub.

Clause

THE END!!