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A simple sentence is also called an independent clause.

A simple sentence is a complete thought. It has a

subject (what the sentence is about), a verb (what the

subject is doing) and often, but not always, an object

(what it's being done to).

A simple sentence is often short, but not always.

Adding adjectives (to describe nouns), adverbs (to

modify verbs or adjectives) compound nouns/subject (two

or more nouns/subjects, such as: the girl and the dog)

and compound verbs (two verbs, such as: imploring and

begging) will give the sentence more substance.

1. Read the following simple sentences.

The drain (subject) stunk-up (verb) the room

(object).

The moldy, rotten (adjectives) drain (subject)

stunk-up the beautiful room (adjective w/object).

2. Analyse the following sentence and complete the

following tasks.

The dead leaves speak a cryptically strange

language.

underline the subject

circle the verb

draw a square around the object

draw a triangle around the adverb

3. Write three simple sentences. The sentences must

exactly mirror/follow the structure (the dead

leaves...)above, not the content.

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c o m p o u n d

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A compound sentence has two independent clauses (or

complete sentences) that are connected with a

coordinating conjunction (i.e. and, but). Think: FAN

BOYS

For

And

NorBut

Or

Yet

So

The stale coffee tasted remarkably superb,

yet it looked terribly pissy and pale.

The ancient trees whisper words of wisdom

but you need to listen to them on a silent

night.

underline the subject

circle the verb(s)

draw a square around the object

draw a triangle around the adverb(s)

put a squiggly line under the adjective(s)

put a 1 beside the first independent clause

put a 2 beside the second independent clause

put a square bracket [ ] around the

conjunction

Write two compound sentences. The sentences must

exactly mirror/follow the structure (the ancient trees/

the state coffee)above, not the content.

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t h e c o m p l e x s e n t e n c e

A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause (a simple sentence) and one or more dependent clauses (not a sentence). A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause, or complete sentence, but it lacks one of the elements that would make it a complete sentence.

Examples of dependent clauses include the following:

because the waiter smiled at me

while the taxi idled near the train station

after the rain ceased

The dependent clauses above cannot stand alone as a sentence, but they can be added to an independent clause to form a complex sentence.

Dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions. Below are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions:

afteralthoughasbecausebeforeeven thoughhoweversincethoughunlessuntilwhenwheneverwhereaswhereverwhile

A complex sentence joins an independent clause with one

or more dependent clauses.

The dependent clauses can go first in the sentence,

followed by the independent clause. When the

independent clause comes first, use a comma to

separate them.

1. Read the following example of a complex sentence and

complete the tasks:

Whenever the air is thick and heavy, I get a

intensely debilitating migraine. After it

starts, I cannot think, eat, or sleep.

Underline the dependent clauses

Square the independent clauses.

Triangle around the subject

Circle the adjectives

Squiggle line under the verbs

Square Brackets around the object

Round bracket around the adverb

Independent clauses can go first in the sentence,

followed by the dependent clause but a comma should not

be used to separate them, for example:

She wanted to eat sushi before she found

out the fish was rotten. Her appetite

vanished though her stomach still

grumbled.

2. Write two complex sentences. The sentences must

exactly mirror/follow the structure above.

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Complex sentences are often more effective than

compound sentences because a complex sentence indicates

clearer and more specific relationships between the

main parts of the sentence. The word "before," for

instance, tells readers that one thing occurs before

another. A word such as "although" conveys a more

complex relationship than a word such as "and" conveys.

W O N K Y S E N T E N C E S

T H E C O M M A S P L I C E

The main purpose of a comma is:

to separate a dependent clause from an independent clause

(when she was sick, the doctor came by for a home-visit)

to offset expressions or ideas that interrupt a sentence (the

shower, remarkably, stayed hot for hours)

to set up a list of words or phrases (he packed his shirts,

his socks, and his gun).

A Comma Splice is when a comma is used, incorrectly, to separate

two independent clauses (the dog begged for a cookie, the cat

stole the cookie first). To fix this problem, use a semicolon

(;) or conjunction (but or and) or period.

T H E R U N - O N / F U S E D S E N T E N C E

A Run-on or Fused Sentence is when proper punctuation or correct

conjunctions are not used, such as when two independent clauses

are not separated by a period or semicolon (The TV is on it is

really loud so it must be destroyed).

Make the following sentences more “readable” by re-writing the

sentences by adding commas, semicolons, periods or conjunctions

and/or deleting commas or re-ordering words.

She wore a purple hat lime green sunglasses and a tacky

smiley-face necklace.

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The socks are always getting lost in the dryer, the socks

seem to want to run away from his stanky feet.

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He sat on the bench pondering his life of mistakes and bad

decisions it was winter and cold he sat on the bench for

hours without shifting.

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P R A C T I C E

1. Use the newspapers/magazines at your fingertips to find

the following:

at least one SIMPLE SENTENCE

at least one COMPOUND SENTENCE

at least one COMPLEX SENTENCE

any TWO of of the above

an image or two that you like

2. Arrange the sentences and words creatively on a blank

sheet of paper (i.e. a cool collage). MAKE SURE THAT

THERE IS NO WHITE SPACE. Paste them on.

3. Take a picture of your sentence collage.

4. Post it on your website.

5. Put the original on the board for the rest of us to

admire.

6. Use the sentences as inspiration to write something

spontaneous and original.

7. Write on your blog, under the collage.

8. Have fun.

e v a l u a t i o n

[application]

applies knowledge of sentence structure to write clear,

coherent and original sentences

1 2 3 4 5

applies knowledge of sentences structures and identifies

examples in use (newspapers, magazine) and uses examples to

write a clear, coherent and original piece of prose

2 4 6 8 10