syntax (SENTENCE STRUCTURE)

Simple Sentence (independent clause) ARTICLE + SUBJECT + VERB (COMPLETE THOUGHT)

what is an article? the a an These define nouns as specific or unspecific the a an After the long day, the cup of tea tastes great. After a long day, a cup of tea tastes great.

make a cool sentence! The wombat wobbled.

The wily wombat wobbled weirdly.

In the wilderness, the wily wombat wobbled weirdly toward the river.

In the wilderness, the wily wombat, a furry fellow unfortunately named Dexter, wobbled weirdly toward the river.

In the wilderness, the wily wombat, a furry fellow unfortunately named Dexter, wobbled weirdly toward the river as the monsoon zoomed through the pale Australia sky.

In the wilderness, the wily wombat, a furry fellow unfortunately named Dexter, wobbled weirdly toward the river as the monsoon zoomed through the pale Australia sky, the wind whipping the waves, the rain streaming down upon the parched land like confetti, the light fading into an ominous darkness.

Simple Sentence (iNDEPENDENT CLAUSE) ARTICLE + SUBJECT + VERB (COMPLETE THOUGHT)

SIMPLE SENTENCE (INDEPENDENT CLAUSE) The wombat wobbled.

compound Sentence , + + SIMPLE SENTENCE coordinating conjunction For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

The wombat wobbled, and the kangaroo kicked. compound sentence The wombat wobbled, and the kangaroo kicked.

complex Sentence INDEPENDENT CLAUSE DEPENDENT CLAUSE + Cannot stand alone in a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION dependent clause SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION SUBJECT VERB + + Cannot stand alone in a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought

subordinating conjunctions

The wombat wobbled until the snake left. complex sentence The wombat wobbled until the snake left.

compound-COMPLEX Sentence + + INDEPENDENT CLAUSE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE DEPENDENT CLAUSE May contain additional independent clauses.

Compound-complex sentence The wombat wobbled, but the kangaroo kicked until the snake left.

absolute phrase ADD DESCRIPTION NOUN ADJECTIVE (or PARTICIPLE) MODIFIERS) (+ + Her expression was dejected. Sarah trudged into the room. Her expression dejected, Sarah trudged into the room. Her expression dejected after being turned down, Sarah trudged into the room.

PARTICIPLE

absolute phrase Legs quivering, our old dog Gizmo dreamed of chasing squirrels. Her arms folded across her chest, Professor Hill warned the class about the penalties of plagiarism. We devoured Aunt Lenora's carrot cake, our fingers scraping the leftover frosting off the plates

appositive phrase Renames another noun right beside it! The insect is crawling across the floor. The insect, a cockroach, is crawling across the floor. The insect, a large cockroach, is crawling across the floor. The insect, a large cockroach with hairy legs, is crawling across the floor. The insect, a large, hairy-legged cockroach that has spied the cat’s food, is crawling across the floor.

TO + SIMPLE FORM OF THE VERB infinitive phrase INFINITIVE [ ] BEGINS WITH... TO + SIMPLE FORM OF THE VERB

INFINITIVE PHRASE To finish her shift without spilling another soda is Claire’s only goal tonight. Samuel hopes to win the approval of his father by making the football team.

INFINITIVE PHRASE That tie, to be perfectly honest, does not go with that suit. To avoid burning another bag of popcorn, James watched this one carefully.

gerund phrase BEGINS WITH... GERUND AN ING WORD

Gerard hates buttering toast with a fork. GERUND PHRASE Always function as nouns! Eating ice cream on a windy day can be a messy experience if you have long, untamed hair. Jamming too much clothing into a washing machine will result in disaster. Gerard hates buttering toast with a fork.

participle phrase BEGINS WITH... PRESENT OR PAST PARTICIPLE

PARTICIPLE

PARTICIPLE

participle phrase PRESENT OR PAST PARTICIPLE BEGINS WITH... The horse trotting up to the fence hopes that you have an apple. PRESENT OR PAST PARTICIPLE Eaten by mosquitoes, we wished that we had decided to stay in a hotel instead of at a campsite. The water drained slowly in the pipe clogged with hair.

gerund phrase vs. participle phrase Behaves as a noun Walking on the beach is painful if jellyfish have washed ashore. Ben’s rudest habit is eating the last piece of pizza. Acts as an adjective Walking on the beach, Gerry avoided jellyfish that had washed ashore. Sharon found her roommate Ben eating the last piece of pizza.

NOUN OR PRONOUN OR GERUND OR CLAUSE prepositional phrase STARTS WITH... ENDS WITH... PREPOSITION NOUN OR PRONOUN OR GERUND OR CLAUSE indicates location

PREPOSITIONs

PREPOSITIONs

NOUN OR PRONOUN OR GERUND OR CLAUSE prepositional phrase STARTS WITH... ENDS WITH... PREPOSITION NOUN OR PRONOUN OR GERUND OR CLAUSE indicates location

NOUN OR PRONOUN OR GERUND OR CLAUSE prepositional phrase STARTS WITH... ENDS WITH... PREPOSITION NOUN OR PRONOUN OR GERUND OR CLAUSE at home with me by singing about what we need

PREPOSITIONal Phrase adjective WHICH ONE? The book on the bathroom floor is soaking wet! The note from Nora confessed that she had stolen the necklace. adverb HOW? WHEN? WHERE? Logan is stiff from yesterday’s long football practice. Before class, Pam begged for an extension on the homework. Feeling brave, we tried the “Fire In Your Hole Challenge” at Munchies 420 Cafe.

Make a sentence! Write a simple sentence that includes at least one adjective, one adverb, one prepositional phrase, and one appositive phrase. Write a compound-complex sentence that starts with a participle phrase. Write a simple sentence that starts with three absolute phrases. Write a compound sentence that contains an infinitive phrase. Write a compound sentence that begins with two prepositional phrases. Write a complex sentence that begins with a subordinate clause. Write a complex sentence that ends with a subordinate clause. Write a compound-complex sentence containing a simile or metaphor.

Sentence Poems Absolute phrase, Independent clause with an appositive phrase in it, Prepositional phrase

Sentence Poems Eyes focused, Teeth bared, Claws extended, The cats, young adventurers in the night, wait, In the silvery darkness Without a sound At dawn From the shadows Of the sunrise.

Sentence Poems Gerund phrase as the subject finish the sentence with a rhyme.

Sentence Poems Mastering the art of conversation is a process of great duration. Learning to write like Shakespeare will take more than a thousand years. Becoming a singer like Adele might make you want to bid practice farewell. Using the skills you already possess will result in your biggest success.

Sentence Poems Independent clause with an appositive phrase in it, Participle phrase

Sentence Poems The cats, young adventurers in the night, stalk and play, hiding in the shadows pouncing from the darkness chasing prey across time and space cuddling together as the sun rises waiting for the night