SENTENCES Simple, compound and complex sentence

Simple Sentence  A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought.  Any independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. e.g. Jill enjoys reading and listening to music.

Examples A. Some students like to study in the mornings. B. Juan and Arturo play football every afternoon. C. Alicia goes to the library and studies every day. The three examples above are all simple sentences. Note that sentence B contains a compound subject, and sentence C contains a compound verb. Simple sentences, therefore, contain a subject and verb and express a complete thought, but they can also contain a compound subjects or verbs.

Compound Sentence  A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.  Each clause can stand alone as a sentence.  Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma. e.g. The sun was setting in the west and the moon was just rising.

Examples A. I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English. B. Alejandro played football, so Maria went shopping. C. My friend enjoyed the film, but she didn't like the actor.

Complex Sentence  A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses (which cannot stand by itself).  A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.

Exmaples A. When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the last page. B. The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow. C. After they finished studying, Juan and Maria went to the movies. D. The book that Jonathan read is on the shelf.

Quiz 1 Simple, compound or complex sentence? 1: The teacher walked into the classroom, greeted the students, and took attendance. 2: Juan played football while Juanita went shopping. 3: Juan played football, yet Juanita went shopping. 4: Although Mexico has the better football team, it lost. 5: The island was filled with many trails winding through the thick underbrush, a small lake, and dangerous wild pigs. 6: Naoki passed the test because he studied hard and understood the material.

Answers 1. Simple 2. Complex 3. Compound 4. Complex 5. Simple 6. Complex

Quiz 2 Simple, compound or complex sentence? 1. Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1880 and died in Until she was 19 months of age, her sight and hearing were normal. 3. At the age of 19 months, a severe illness left her deaf and blind. 4. When she was seven, she began her education in reading and writing with Anne Sullivan of the Perkins Institute for the Blind. 5. Through persistence and stubbornness, Anne breaks through Helen's walls of silence and darkness and teaches her to communicate.

6. Helen Keller learned to read by the Braille system, and she learned to write by using a specially constructed typewriter. 7. Later, she entered Radcliffe College and graduated with honors in Helen Keller's story needed to be told, so in 1962, a beautiful movie was made about her life. 9. "If there were only joy in the world, we could never learn to be brave and patient." -- Helen Keller 10. "Life is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing." -- Helen Keller

Answers 1. Simple 2. Complex 3. Simple 4. Complex 5. Simple 6. Compound 7. Simple 8. Compound 9. Complex 10. Compound

Subordinated Sentences  Dependent clauses can be nominal, adverbial or adjectival.nominaladverbial adjectival  A nominal clause (noun clause) functions like a noun or noun phrase. Noun clauses answer questions like "who(m)?" or "what?“

Subordinated Sentences  An adverbial clause (adverb clause) is a word or expression in the sentence that functions as an adverb. Adverb clauses answer questions like "when?", "where?", "why?“  An adjectival clause (adjective clause or relative clause) does the work of an adjective and describes a noun.

Nominal Clause  It is a group of words containing a subject and a finite verb of its own and contains one of the following: that | if | whether For example: I wondered whether the homework was necessary.

Adverbial Clause  An adverbial clause is separated from the other clauses by any of the following subordinating conjunctions: after | although | as | because | before | if | since | that | though | till | unless | until | when | where | while For example: They will visit you before they go to the airport.

Relative Clause  This kind of clause is used to provide extra information about the noun it follows.  It's usually introduced by a relative pronoun: who | whom | whose | that | which For example: I went to the show that was very popular.

Unit 42 Relative Clauses  A relative clause follows the noun it modifies.  It is generally indicated by a relative pronoun: who, whom, whose, (that) person which, that things when time where place

Restrictive or Non-restrictive  Restrictive relative clauses are sometimes called defining relative clauses, or identifying relative clauses.  Similarly, non-restrictive relative clauses are called non-defining or non-identifying relative clauses.  In English a non-restrictive relative clause is preceded by a pause in speech or a comma in writing, unlike a restrictive clause.

Restrictive or Non-restrictive?  The builder, who constructs very fine houses, will make a large profit.  The builder who constructs very fine houses will make a large profit.

Explanation  The builder, who constructs very fine houses, will make a large profit. This example, with commas, contains a non-restrictive relative clause. It refers to a specific builder, and assumes we know which builder is intended. It tells us firstly about his houses, then about his profits.  The builder who constructs very fine houses will make a large profit. This second example uses a restrictive relative clause. Without the commas, the sentence states that any builder who builds such houses will make a profit.

Unit 43 Purpose Clause  You use a purpose clause when you want to state the purpose of the action in the independent clause. The most common type of purpose clause is a to-infinitive clause. e.g. Sarah went to the computer lab to print out her research report.  In formal writing, in order to and so as to are often used. e.g. The company conducted a detailed survey in order to gauge its clients’ views.  In formal writing, you can also introduce a purpose clause with so that or in order that. These finite purpose clauses usually contain a modal. e.g. Dr Chan adjusted the overhead projector so that the students would be able to see the chart more clearly.

Unit 43 Result Clause  When you want to indicate the result of an action or situation, you can use a result clause. Result clauses are introduced by conjunctions such as so, so... that, or such … that. e.g. The lecture was boring and irrelevant, so some of the students began to fall asleep.  There are many other ways of talking about the result of an action or situation. In some situations you may prefer to use and as a result or with the result that. e.g. The lecture was boring and irrelevant, and as a result some of the students began to fall asleep.  As a result can also be used at the beginning of a new sentence. e.g. The lecture was boring and irrelevant. As a result, some of the students began to fall asleep.

Quiz Result or purpose clause?  There were so many books on the subject that Cindy didn’t know where to begin.  The teacher used hand outs so that the students would be able to see the grammar chart.  The government increased the duty on wine. As a result, there was a fall in demand.  The university introduced two new English courses with a view to enhancing students’ proficiency in the language.

Answers  Result  Purpose  Result  Purpose

Sources  eslbee.com   Technical English Vocabulary and Grammar Summertown Publishing 2002, Nick Brieger and Alison Pohl