Sentence Structure

What is a clause?

• A clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb

– Some students work in the food pantry because they care about helping hungry people.

Types of Clauses

Independent Clauses • Expresses a

complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence

– Some students work in the food panty

Dependent Clauses • Doesn’t express a

complete thought; cannot stand alone

• AKA- subordinate clauses

– Because they care about helping hungry people.

Examples

Independent Clauses • Students will organize a

coat drive this winter

• They did this

• She organized a huge gift drive

Dependent Clauses • because homeless

people often do not have warm clothes.

• so homeless people could have a warm meal.

• which was very successful.

What is it?

•When Amber Coffman was only nine years old

What is it?

The book inspired her to volunteer at a shelter for the homeless when she was ten years old.

What is it?

•Because Amber wanted to do more, she started an organization.

What is it?

•While Amber prepared lunches each week

Simple Sentences

• A simple sentence contains an independent clause and no dependent clause–Shawn tutors.–Benita teaches young children

acrobatics after school.

Compound Sentences

• A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and no dependent clauses–Shawn tutors and helps

students learn math.

Compound Sentences

• Independent clauses can be joined by a coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon–Some children have no books, and

volunteers can hold book drives for them.–Some children have no toys; volunteers

collect donated toys for them.

Coordinating Conjunctions

• For• And• Not• Or • But • So • Yet

Comparing sentences

Simple Sentences• The vice principal

had a 16 year old daughter with cancer.

Compound Sentences• Alex wanted to help;

he started a benefit to raise money for the medical costs.

Comparing sentences

Simple Sentences• Alex’s younger

brother and two other friends also helped out with the benefit.

Compound Sentences• They group planned

the benefit, and people had to buy tickets for $25.

What is it?

• Tropical Storms often hit Florida. –SIMPLE

What is it?

•Windows are easily broken by fierce winds, but people cover them with plywood. –Compound

What is it?

•Not only do they board up their windows–Fragment

What is it?

•Volunteers put sandbags around buildings, and the bags help prevent flooding.–Compound

What is it?

•People in low lying areas may need to evacuate. –Simple

Complex Sentences

• A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.–When we visited, Mrs. Brodsky

shared her memoires of World War II.

Complex Sentences

•Mr. Luzzo, who is a retired pilot, talked to use about his experience in enemy territory, where he was a prisoner of war.

Compound-Complex Sentences

•Contains two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses

Compound-Complex Sentences

•When our school celebrates Earth Day, we sign up for environmental projects, and we try to complete them in one day.

Compound-Complex Sentences

• Students have clean up the beaches, and they have planted flowers in the park so that the shore looks inviting to visitors.