WRITING SKILLS:Clauses

andSentence Types

Copy in your notebook

What in the world is a clause?

?????

A clause is …

• a group of words that contains a subject and a complete predicate.

– Independent clauses are able to stand alone as a simple sentence.

• Example: She finished her homework before going to bed.

– Dependent clauses can’t stand alone, do not express a complete thought and act as either a noun, adjective or adverb.

• Example: before she went to bed.

Student examples

Independent clauses• Colin’s leg is hurt.• Bob the Builder fixed the building.• We gave our best.• Big Sean sings on Ariana Grande’s song “Problem.”

Dependent clauses• After Tuan (or Wilson) starts the race• After Colin threw the ball• Before the football game

Different types of sentences

• Simple – has one independent clause (it may contain phrases, compound subject, compound predicate)

• Compound – two independent clauses joined by semicolon, conjunction or a comma

• Complex – one independent clause and one dependent clause

• Compound/complex – two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses

Examples of sentence types

• Simple:My throat and nose feel sore.

• CompoundI usually don’t mind missing school, but this is not fun.

• ComplexWhen I get back to school, I’m actually going to appreciate it.

• Compound/ComplexYes, I have a bad flu, and because I need to get well soon, I won’t think about school just yet.

Now you try it!

• Write 1 simple sentence.– ____________________________________.

• Write 1 compound sentence.– ____________________________________.

• Write 1 complex sentence.– ____________________________________.

• Write 1 compound/complex sentence.– ____________________________________.