English 8R

 Simple Sentences  Has only one subject-verb combination  Expresses one complete thought. Example: My brother cooked dinner tonight. Brother is the subject, and cooked is the verb. Simple sentences have more than one subject or more than one verb Example: Shorts and T-shirts sway on the clothes line Example: The children splashed and squealed in the swimming pool.

 Compound Sentences  Made up of two or more complete thoughts joined to form a compound sentence. Example: Rose wants chili for dinner, but she forgot to buy beans. By using a COMMA and a conjunction (joining word), we can combine TWO simple sentences. Words like for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so, are all joining words. Example: The driver failed to signal, and he went through a stop sign. Example: The meal was not hot, so we sent it back to the kitchen.

 Complex Sentences  Made up of one complete thought AND a thought that begins with a word like: after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, where, and while. Example: Although I had a free ticket to the game, I was too tired to go. Example: I set my alarm for 5 a.m. because I wanted to finish a paper. Example: After the test was over, we got something to eat.

Practice! 1. Although I was absent, I made up my homework and classwork. 2. Allison’s hair smells great. 3. My parents drive me crazy, but I love them for it. 4. My grades made my parents proud. 5. I gave him a high five because he won the game. 6. She had a great time at the movies, and was home by 9 p.m.

Sentences MUST contain both a subject AND a verb, otherwise it is incomplete: A FRAGMENT!  Dependent-word fragments are very common. They contain a subject & a verb, but do not express a complete thought.  Example: Because Laura was tired. Another idea is needed to complete this thought. What happened because Laura was tired?  Corrected Example: Because Laura was tired, she took a nap.

More dependent-word fragments:  When I saw the big spider on my leg.  After I turned off the television set. Each of these begin with a dependent word (when, after) and expresses an idea that is NOT COMPLETE. Let’s see if we can fix them!  When I saw the big spider on my leg,________.  _________after I turned off the television set.

When you are writing and use dependent words, make sure you complete your thoughts. Here is a list of some common dependent- words: aftereven thoughunlesswho whereveralthoughasif becausesincewhenthough whilewheneveruntileven if

Practice!  Copy the examples below in your notes.  Underline the dependent word fragment in each of the following items.  Then correct it!  Remember: Add a comma after a dependent-word group that begins a sentence. Because we have smoke detectors. We survived the fire. The kitchen looked like new. After we painted it. My sister is always out of money. Although she has a good job. After this rain stops. The children can play outside.

Fragments without a subject:  Some fragments have verbs, but do not have subjects. Example: Joe lowered himself from the van into his wheelchair. And then rolled up the sidewalk ramp. The second group of words lacks a subject, so it is a FRAGMENT! Corrected Example: Joe lowered himself from the van into his wheelchair and then rolled up the sidewalk ramp.

-ING and TO fragments:  When a group of words starts with a word that ends in – ing, it could be a sentence fragment!  Example: Hoping to furnish their new home cheaply. The newlyweds go for garage sales. The first word group lacks both a subject and a verb, so it is a fragment.  A fragment can also result when it starts with to followed by a verb.  Example: Leo jogged through the park. To clear his mind before the midterm. The second word group is a fragment that does not have a subject or a complete verb. A word that follows to cannot be the verb of a sentence.

-ING and TO fragments (continued)…  You can fix these fragments! Combine them with the sentence that comes before or after.  Corrected Example: Hoping to furnish their new home cheaply, the newlyweds go to garage sales.  Corrected Example: Leo jogged through the park to clear his mind before the midterm. Punctuation note!: When an –ing or to word starts a sentence, follow it with a comma!

Fragments without a subject: -ING and TO fragments: Practice!  Copy the examples below in your notes.  Correct them! For class, we had to read several books. Including The Diary of Anne Frank. My grandfather has many interests. For example, playing poker and watching old cowboy movies.

Fragments without a subject: -ING and TO fragments: Practice Continued…  Groups of words that begin with words like including, such as, especially, and for example, are often FRAGMENTS!  You can correct these fragments by combining them to the sentence that comes before, or by adding a subject and a verb.  Examples Corrected: For class we had to read several books, including The Diary of Anne Frank. My grandfather has many interests. For example, he plays poker and watches old cowboy movies.

 Run-ons are made up of two complete thoughts that incorrectly run together without a connection between them. Example: Dolphins have killed sharks they never attack humans. The complete thoughts are dolphins have killed sharks and they have never attacked humans.  A comma splice is two complete thoughts that are incorrectly joined (or spliced) together with only a comma. A comma alone is not enough to connect two complete thoughts.  Example: Dolphins have killed sharks, they never attack humans.

How to correct run-ons and comma splices: Method 1: Use a period and a capital letter! Put each thought into its own sentence. Run On: The computer hummed loudly the sound was annoying. Comma Splice: The computer hummed loudly, the sound was annoying. Correct Version: The computer hummed loudly. The sound was annoying.

How to correct run-ons and comma splices (continued)… Method 2: Use a comma and a joining word! Connect two complete thoughts into one sentence with a comma and a joining word. Common joining words (conjunctions): and, but, so Run On: Dolphins have killed sharks they never attack humans Comma Splice: Dolphins have killed sharks, they never attack humans. Correct version: Dolphins have killed sharks, but they never attack humans. Run On: The garden is overgrown the fence is falling down. Comma Splice: The garden is overgrown the fence is falling down. Correct version: The garden is overgrown, and the fence is falling down. Run On: The little boy appeared to be lost several women stopped to help him. Comma Splice: The little boy appeared to be lost, several women stopped to help him. Correct version: The little boy appeared to be lost, so several women stopped to help him.

Practice!  Copy these down and fix them! The sun was going down the air was growing chilly. The coffee is several hours old it probably tastes like mud. Thousands of actors go to Hollywood, few ever become stars. There was traffic on the bridge today, traffic was stopped for an hour.

There are THREE main uses of commas: Rule #1 The commas is used to separate three or more items in a series.  The school cafeteria has learned not to serve broccoli, spinach, or Brussels sprouts.  The letters k, j, x, z, and q are the lease frequently used letters of the alphabet.  Our tasks for the party are blowing up balloons, setting the table, and planning the music.

Rule #2 The comma is used to separate introductory material from the rest of the sentence. Examples:  After taking a hot shower, Vince fell asleep on the sofa.  When covered with chocolate syrup, frozen yogurt is not a diet food.  As the movie credits rolled, we stretched and headed toward the exits.

Rule #3 The commas is used between to complete thoughts connected by and, but, or so. Examples  Lee broke her leg in the accident, and her car was badly damaged.  The forecast called for rain, but it’s a beautiful sunny day.  My glasses broke, so I mended them with duct tape.

Notes  A comma often marks a slight pause, or break, In a sentence. When you read a sentence aloud, you can often hear the point where slight pauses occur. Try it!  In general, use a comma only when a comma rule applies or when a comma is otherwise needed to help a sentence read clearly.

 In regards to Rule #3: DO NOT use a comma just because a sentence has and, but, or so in it. Use a comma ONLY when the and, but, or so, comes between two complete thoughts. Each of the two thoughts MUST have their own subject and verb.  Example with a Comma: Lee broke her leg in the accident, and her car was badly damaged. Each complete thought has a subject AND a verb: Lee broke and car was damaged.  Example with NO Comma: Lee broke her leg in the accident and badly damaged her car. This sentence expresses only ONE complete thought. The subject Lee has two verbs: broke and damaged.

Practice!  Add commas where needed. Are they for: between a series, after introductory material, or between complete thoughts? My neighbor’s dog dislikes children and it hates the mail carrier. Before the movie started there were ten minutes of “coming attractions.” This recipe calls for a can of tuna a bag of frozen peas a box noodles and a can of mushroom soup. Our apartment was too small after the twins were born so we started looking for a house Because of the bad weather school was delayed by two hours today.