Grammar overview ESL 0190 Dr. Tara Narcross Autumn 2013

Types of clauses Independent clause (IC) Dependent clause (DC)

What is a clause? A clause is a group of words with a subject and verb that expresses an idea. o An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. There is enough information in the clause to express a complete idea. o A dependent clause doesn’t have enough information on its own to express a complete idea. It needs to be attached to an independent clause to make a complete sentence.

Types of sentences Simple sentence (IC) Compound sentence (IC + IC) Complex sentence (IC + at least one DC) Compound-complex sentence

Simple sentences Derek mowed the lawn. I’m going to the grocery for Mom tomorrow.

Compound sentences Derek mowed the lawn and Frank trimmed the shrubs. I’m going to the grocery for Mom tomorrow and then I’m going to do the laundry.

Coordination Derek mowed the lawn and Frank trimmed the shrubs. Derek mowed the lawn; Frank trimmed the shrubs. Derek mowed the lawn; however, he didn’t trim the shrubs.

Comma splice Derek mowed the lawn, Frank trimmed the shrubs.

Comma splice Derek mowed the lawn, Frank trimmed the shrubs.

When is a sentence too long?

Too long! (Stringy sentence) Derek mowed the lawn and Frank trimmed the shrubs last week because we wanted the yard to look nice before the arrival of Derek’s mother, who lives in South Africa and was going to be here for her first visit in several years because she’s just not able to get here that often because of the high cost of traveling such a long distance and she had been here only once after Derek and I got married in 2001.

Types of dependent clauses Adjective clause Adverb clause Noun clause

Adjective clause The woman who is standing in front of the class is the teacher.

Adverb clause I will pick up supper before I go home today. We changed rooms because it was too hot upstairs.

Noun clause Donna said that she wanted us to come over for a picnic tomorrow.