C. Putnam L. Raney

Clause – a group of words that have a subject and a verb that must always agree

Phrase – a noun, verb, or preposition with all its modifiers

- does NOT have a subject and verb which agree

Noun phrases Verb phrases Prepositional phrases Appositive phrases

Definition: -A noun with all its modifiers -A complete subject is always classified as a noun phrase.

Example:

The frustrated, irritated teachers...

Noun: teachers

Modifiers: the, frustrated, irritated

Defined as a verb with all of its modifiersEXAMPLE:

…completely frightened the seventh grade students.

Verb - frightened Modifier - completely

EXAMPLE: …would like to improve her grammar skills.

Verb phrase - would like to improve

Gerunds – verbs that end in “ing” but DO NOT function as a verb- function as nouns- example: One teacher enjoys frightening new seventh graders. (noun as a direct object)

Infinitives- verbs that begin with “to”- function as a nouns, adjectives, or adverbs- example: The language arts classroom is a place

students do not want to enter. Participles

- verbs that function as an adjective- example: The screeching teacher frightened

the students.

Defined as the preposition, the object of the preposition (preposition who or what), and all its modifiers

Example: The frustrated, irritated teachers enrolled

in Mr. Ruff’s “ Grammar for Dummies” class.

preposition - in

object of the preposition - class modifiers – Mr. Ruff’s, “Grammar for Dummies”

Definition: A noun phrase that renames the noun it follows. Also known as a parenthetical phrase

Example: Brad Ruff, the grammar guru, empowers

teachers. Appositive phrase?- the grammar guru

Definition: Words that contain a subject and a verb which must always agree.

Two types of clauses: Independent Clause Dependent Clause

An independent clause MUST HAVE a subject and a verb which agree.

Example:The frustrated, irritated teachers finally understood the basic grammar concepts.

All the words in an independent clause can act alone as a sentence.

They are a complete thought.

The subject and verb agree, but the words CANNOT stand alone as a complete sentence.

also known as subordinate clause or relative clause

Examples:

since the teachers seek proficiency in grammar

which sheltered the children from the storm

Clauses can be joined with:

1. Coordinating conjunctions (join two independent clauses)

- AKA “FANBOYS” for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

2. Subordinating conjunctions (join dependent clause to independent clause)

Some examples:- if, since, because, with, when, whether, while

3. Relative Pronouns

- who, whose, whom, which, that - NOTE: If a relative pronoun is used to begin a

dependent clause, that pronoun also has a function within the dependent clause. It will also have an antecedent in the independent clause.

coordinating conjunction:- The busses lumbered along the boulevard, and the children eagerly looked for the first sight of Disneyland.

subordinating conjunction:- The busses lumbered along the boulevard while the

children eagerly looked for the first sight of Disneyland.

Relative pronoun: - The busses, which were slowly lumbering along the

boulevard, were filled with eager children looking for their first sight of Disneyland.

WHO OR WHOM? WHO – used as the subject of a clause WHOM – used as an object

Direct object Indirect objects Object of a preposition

Example: Because the wind violently sliced through

the branches, the toddler, who/whom was terrified, joined its howling.

- antecedent?

- function in the clause?

While the frustrated teachers were industriously taking notes, they relaxed, and the light bulbs went off in their brains, which indicated miraculous understanding of the grammar concepts.

Type of Sentence -Simple Sentence -Compound Sentence - Complex Sentence -Compound/Complex

Sentence

# of # of Independent Clauses Dependent

Clauses

1 0 2+ 0 1 1+ 2+ 1+