Clauses How to improve your writing through combination of sentences

What are clauses? Groups of words that have a subject and a verb Main or independent clauses—can stand alone EX: He hopes to receive his college acceptance letter soon. Dependent or subordinate clauses—can not stand alone; fragments Ex: Because he hopes to receive his college acceptance letter soon

Why use clauses? Makes your writing less common, more sophisticated in syntax (arrangement of words in sentences) Good Ex: He hopes to receive his acceptance letter soon. He waits for the mailman anxiously each day. Better Because he hopes to receive his acceptance letter soon, he waits for the mailman anxiously each day.

Types of subordinate (dependent) clauses Adverb Adjective noun

Adverb clauses Begin with a subordinate conjunction Refer to list on page 84 in grammar book Copy list Tells how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what condition Ex: Because several locations have been attacked near the Olympic site in Russia, many athletes are hiring their own security agents. (why)

How clauses improve the writing good Several locations have been attacked near the Olympic site in Russia, and many athletes are hiring their own security agents. Does not show clear relationship between the two incidents. Better Because several locations have been attacked near the Olympic site in Russia, many athletes are hiring their own security agents. (Shows why and demonstrates cause/effect relationship between the two ideas._

Finding adverb clauses in given sentences Locate subordinate conjuction EX: While President Putin of Russia claims there is no real danger, terrorists have been posting threats daily on the internet. Follow through to the end of the thought

Elliptical adverb clauses A clause where part of the clause that is deleted because the meaning can be understood from the context of the sentence. EX: Martin asked more questions than he. Martin asked more questions than he did.

Joining ideas using adverb clauses Simple sentence EX: Take the subway. You will get there faster than by taxi. Compound sentence EX: Take the subway, and you will get there faster than by taxi. Complex sentence: EX: If you take the subway, you will get there faster than by taxi

How to join 1.Determine which relationship the ideas have how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what condition 2. Choose a subordinate conjunction from the list that demonstrates that relationship. 3. Join the sentences 4. If the clause is at the beginning of the sentence, separate with a comma.

EX: President Putin wants to reassure all of the countries sending athletes to the Olympics. He has sent 80,000 troops to Scosi Russia. Which relationship: how, when, where, why, to what extent, or under what condition Which subordinate conjunction would best fit

Example Demonstrates why Because President Putin wants to reassure all of the countries sending athletes to the Olympics, he has sent 80,000 troops to Scosi Russia