Sentence Structure Sentence Types

Sentence Structure Sentence Types

Simple Compound Complex

Basic Elements of Every Sentence SUBJECTPREDICATE

Basic Elements Mary plays tennis. SUBJECT PREDICATE

SIMPLE SENTENCE Mary plays tennis. SUBJECT PREDICATE one subject one predicate

Simple Sentence play tennis.Tom and Mary Compound Subject &

Simple Sentence play tennis and swim. Tom and Mary Compound Subject Compound Predicate & &

SIMPLE SENTENCE with compound subject Tom and Mary play tennis.

SIMPLE SENTENCE with compound subject and compound predicate Tom and Mary play tennis and swim.

Hi, I’m Punctuation Pete!

SIMPLE SENTENCE with compound subject and compound predicate No comma before “and” in compound subjects and predicates! Tom and Mary play tennis and swim.

Compound Sentence with Coordinating Conjunctions SUBJECTPREDICATE SUBJECT PREDICATE and

Compound Sentence Tomswims, Maryplays tennis. and

COMPOUND SENTENCE: COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS FOR AND NOR BUT OR YET SO

Tom swims, and Mary plays tennis. COMPOUND SENTENCE: COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS Clause 1 Clause 2 Independent

COMPOUND SENTENCE: COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS Tom swims, and Mary plays tennis. Comma before “and” in compound sentences!

COMPOUND SENTENCE: CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS MOREOVER HOWEVER OTHERWISE THEREFORE

COMPOUND SENTENCE: CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS Bob is handsome; moreover, he is rich. Clause 1 Clause 2 Independent

COMPOUND SENTENCE: CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS Note: Semicolon before conjunctive adverb and comma after conjunctive adverb! Bob is handsome; moreover, he is rich.

Conjunctive Adverbs “float” Conjunctive adverbs are sometimes called “floating” adverbs because they can be positioned at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a clause.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB: AT THE BEGINNING Bob is handsome; moreover, he is rich.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB: IN THE MIDDLE Bob is handsome; he is, moreover, rich.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB: IN THE MIDDLE Note: Place commas before and after a conjunctive adverb in the middle! Bob is handsome; he is, moreover, rich.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB: AT THE END Bob is handsome; he is rich, moreover.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB: AT THE END Note: Place a comma before a conjunctive adverb at the end! Bob is handsome; he is rich, moreover.

Semicolons “If the relation between the ideas expressed in the main clauses is very close and obvious without a conjunction, you can separate the clauses with a semicolon” (Little, Brown Handbook, 9th Edition, p. 361).

COMPOUND SENTENCE: SEMICOLON Matt has benefited from his exercise program; he is slim and energetic.

Complex Sentence SUBJECTPREDICATE SUBJECTPREDICATE even though

Complex Sentence Bobis popular heis ugly. even though

COMPLEX SENTENCE: SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS EVEN THOUGH WHEN BECAUSE UNLESS WHEREAS ADVERB CLAUSES

COMPLEX SENTENCE: SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS Bob is popular even though he is ugly. Clause 1 Clause 2 Independent Dependent

COMPLEX SENTENCE: SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS Even though Bob is ugly, he is popular. Clause 1 Clause 2 Dependent Independent

COMPLEX SENTENCE: SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS When the MAIN clause is first, it is usually NOT followed by a comma! Bob is popular even though he is ugly.

COMPLEX SENTENCE: SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS When the ADVERB clause is first, it is followed by a comma! Even though Bob is ugly, he is popular.

Compound-Complex Sentence Mikeis popular heis good looking, because heis not very happy. but

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE: COMBINES BOTH TYPES Punctuate each clause according to its rules! Mike is popular because he is good looking, but he is not very happy.

Punctuation Review!

No commas before “and” in compound subjects and predicates! My friends and I play tennis and go bowling every weekend. SIMPLE SENTENCE

Comma before coordinating conjunction! Men may exercise harder, but they may not exercise as regularly as women do. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Coordinating Conjunction

Semicolon before conjunctive adverb Comma after conjunctive adverb! Native and nonnative English speakers have different needs; however, some schools fail to distinguish between these groups. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Conjunctive Adverb

Semicolon after first independent clause-- Commas before and after conjunctive adverb! Native and nonnative English speakers have different needs; some schools, however, fail to distinguish between these groups. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Conjunctive Adverb--in the middle

Semicolon after first independent clause-- Comma before conjunctive adverb! Native and nonnative English speakers have different needs; some schools fail to distinguish between these groups, however. COMPOUND SENTENCE: Conjunctive Adverb at the end

When main clause is first, it is not usually followed by a comma! People had continuous moderate exercise when they had to hunt for food. COMPLEX SENTENCE: Adverb Clauses--Subordinating Conjunction

When the adverb clause is first, it is followed by a comma! When people had to hunt for food, they had continuous moderate exercise. COMPLEX SENTENCE: Adverb Clauses--Subordinating Conjunction

References Writing Academic English, Second Edition, by Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue. White Plains: Addison, Wesley, Longman, The Little, Brown Handbook, by H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, Pearson, 2004.