Grammar 2015

The Clause An independent (or main) clause expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself. A subordinate (or dependent) clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand by itself.

Examples of subordinate clauses who was the hero of the famous novel that he would find honor and glory because it is so funny as soon as the program is over while we were watching the movie when I was a child if you can possibly spare a dollar since you waited an entire hour

Adjective Clause An adjective clause is a subordinate clause used as an adjective to modify a noun or pronoun. The school that Ken attended last year is not eager to have him back. The old high school, which had long been abandoned, was destroyed by fire.

Adverb Clause An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. Kim looks as if she had heard the good news. When we went, we left our dog in a kennel. If we win, we will be in first place.

Simple sentence one independent clause and no subordinate clause. Cats are independent animals On his way home from the game, Jake stopped for a hamburger at the diner with the rest of the gang.

Compound sentence a sentence composed of two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses. I bought the blouse, but the necklace was given to me. The plants are not large, but they are healthy and they bloom regularly.

Complex sentence a sentence containing one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses. When we reached the pier, the boat had docked. If we start early, we can finish before noon.

A.A.A.W.W.U.B.B.I.S. A= after A= although A= as W= when W= while U= until B= because B= before I= if S= since

Compound-complex sentence A compound-complex sentence consists of at least two independent clauses, and at least one dependent clause. Example: If you want to be a successful writer, you must learn to write with description and clarity, and you must also know grammar and conventions.

Appositive phrases Is made up of an appositive(noun or pronoun that follows another noun or pronoun to identify or explain it) and its modifiers. My aunt and uncle, the Giovannis, own a store, the Empire Shoe Shop on Main Street. My hobby, collecting rocks, is so much fun.

semicolon The semicolon is a very useful mark of punctuation. It says to the reader, “Pause here a little longer than you do for a comma, but not so long as you do for a period.” Use a semicolon between independent clauses in a sentence if they are not joined by and, but, or, nor, for, yet.

Colon The usual purpose of the colon is to call the reader’s attention to what comes next. A colon means “notice the following.” We visited four states last year: Nevada, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado.

parentheses Punctuation marks used in sentences to set off extra information, such as explanations or comments.

brackets Punctuation marks used in quotations to set off extra information inserted by the writer(as opposed to the person or source being quoted).

ellipsis Set of three spaced periods (…,not...) preceded and followed by a space. Use an ellipsis to show that something has been left out of a quotation. If you see an ellipsis at the end of a sentence, include a period before the ellipsis.

example Rick Reilly says, “They want their Ambers and their Alexanders to grow up in a cozy womb of noncompetition, where everybody shares tofu and Little Red Riding Hood and the big, bad wolf set up a commune.” Rick Reilly says (of these parents), “They want their…[children] to grow up in a cozy womb of noncompetition….”