Sentence Structures and Commas Ms. Fletcher English 1 October 7, 2014

What? Why? How? What: Scholars will be able to identify and create a variety of sentence structures using commas appropriately. Why: How you communicate is an indication of your intelligence. Simple mistakes can diminish your appeal. How: Scholars are Knowledgeable. They use their knowledge to deconstruct and construct further knowledge.

Once a writer knows the difference between the three sentence types (simple, compound, and complex), it is possible to write with sentence variety. Sentence variety helps make your writing more interesting.

Simple Sentence A simple sentence contains a subject and verb. A simple sentence is a single independent clause. It expresses a single complete thought.

Sample Simple Sentences The cat crept through the dark house. The wary mouse watched from underneath an upturned cereal box. The predatory cat stopped and surveyed his surroundings. The mouse darted for the safety of the nearly invisible hole under the cabinet.

Compound Sentences A compound sentence contains two independent clauses. Conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, and yet, so) join these independent clauses. (Hint: The conjunctions spell FANBOYS.) The conjunction used can impact the meaning of the sentence.

Sample Compound Sentences The cat was unsuccessful in his attempt to catch the mouse, and the mouse was equally as unlucky in his attempt to get the cheese. The dog had watched all of this, but he had refused to become involved. The mouse could wait until dark, or he could risk a daylight raid on the pantry. The cat usually slept during the day, yet curiosity held him at the corner of the kitchen.

Complex Sentences A complex sentence is an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A subordinating conjunction begins the dependent clauses. A dependent clause that begins a sentence must be followed by comma. A dependent clause has a subject and a verb, but it does not make sense on its own.

Sample Complex Sentences After he gave it some thought, the mouse decided to wait until later for his trek. The cat fell asleep on the warm kitchen because he was deprived of sleep the night before. When the mouse heard the soft snoring of his sleeping nemesis, he scurried to the pantry and grabbed enough food for a week. The dedicated, feline sleuth keeps his nightly vigil even though the foresighted mouse will not be venturing out this week.

Subordinating Conjunctions After how Until Although if Unless As in as much   as if in order that When as long as At least Whenever as much as now that whereas soon wherever as though Since While because so that Before even if That even though   though

Compound-Complex Sentences A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. The same subordinating conjunctions are used to introduce the dependent clauses. The same coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) are used for joining the independent clauses.

Sample Compound-Complex Sentences. After the two adversaries had spent years playing this “cat and mouse” game, they were joined by their children, and the fun continued. Even though it seems the two were bent on the other’s destruction, the cat and mouse were rather fond of one another, and neither wanted the other’s defeat. This game was begun thousands of years ago, and it will continue far into the future as other cats and mice revel in hide-and-seek.

Test Yourself – Simple, Compound, Complex, or Compound-Complex? 1. The teacher walked into the classroom, greeted the students, and took attendance. 2. Juan played football while Jane went shopping. 3. Juan played football, yet Jim went shopping. 4. Although Mexico has a better team, they lost the tournament, and their more aggressive style did not pay off. 5. The island was filled with many trails winding through the thick underbrush, a small lake, and dangerous wild animals. 6. Naoki passed the test because he studied hard, but Stacy did not understand the material.

Create your own (with a partner) Create one example of each Simple Sentence Compound Sentence Complex Sentence Compound-Complex Sentence List the 7 Coordinating Conjunctions

Commas Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases (appositives), and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the clause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause. Serial Comma: Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series. Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun. Be sure never to add an extra comma between the final adjective and the noun itself or to use commas with non-coordinate adjectives. Use commas to set off phrases at the end of the sentence that refer to the beginning or middle of the sentence. Such phrases are free modifiers that can be placed anywhere in the sentence without causing confusion. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates (except the month and day), addresses (except the street number and name), and titles in names. Use a comma to shift between the main discourse and a quotation.

Comma Rule Identification "I was able," she answered, "to complete the assignment." In 1848, Marx wrote, "Workers of the world, unite!” Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class. The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave. Fred, who often cheats, is just harming himself. The Constitution establishes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door. He was a difficult, stubborn child. That Tuesday, which happens to be my birthday, is the only day when I am available to meet. Well, perhaps he meant no harm. Having finished the test, he left the room. Birmingham, Alabama, gets its name from Birmingham, England. Nancy waved enthusiastically at the docking ship, laughing joyously. He was merely ignorant, not stupid. The chimpanzee seemed reflective, almost human.

Activity: Flipbook This activity will require you to use your knowledge of sentence structures and commas. For this assignment, you will need: At least three sheets of paper Notes on Sentence Structures Comma Rules Notes Pens, Markers, Colored Pencils, etc.

Overall 20 Points Available Rubric Points Available Requirement to Earn Points 1 Page 1 – Appendix 1 + 2 Page 2 – Types of Clauses 1 + 3 Page 3 – Types of Sentences 1 + 7 Page 4 – Rules for Commas 7 Page 5 – Usage and Identification in Story 2 Effort, Pictures, “Wow Factor” Overall 20 Points Available