1. Sentence Structure Lesson IN COLOR!
Clauses and Phrases
Sentence Structure Lesson IN COLOR!

2. What is a Clause? A subject and verb working together I am.
Reading is fun.
I study hard so I get good grades.
Mike went to the park and Shelly cleaned.

3. What is a phrase? A group of words related to the subject or verb.
Hiding under the table, the dog knew he was bad.
Mickey Mouse, the world’s best anime character, enraged the student.

4. Conjunctions Join words, clauses, and phrases. Examples
Rob and I went to the movies.
She is good at singing and great at dancing.
We ordered pizza, but we couldn’t pay for it.

5. Conjunctions After If When Although Nor Whenever And As Or So Where
Wherever
Because
Since
While
Before
Though
Yet
But
For
Unless
Until

6. Dependent Clauses Cannot stand by themselves.
Do not express a complete thought.
Conjunction + Subject + Verb
Examples
Unless you want to go.
Because I care.
When you lose your cool.

7. Independent Clause Can stand by itself or with a dependent.
Expresses a complete thought.
Subject + Predicate (no conjunction)
Examples
I ran.
Fractions are fun to some people.
Pizza tastes good after a long swim.

8. Craig, my old friend, did not pick up the phone when I called because he was busy.
This example sentence has 3 clauses in it! It is a complex sentence because it has one INDEPENDENT clause and 2 DEPENDENT (or SUBORDINATE) clauses.
The underlined parts include the SUBJECT (something or someone) and the verb (what did he/it DO).