1. Writing Complex Sentences
Handy Dandy Sentence Formulas

2. What are Handy Dandy Sentences?
Handy Dandy Sentences are formulas for creating complex sentences. You can use these complex sentences in your essays to help your ideas flow naturally.
Learning Objectives:
Organize and express your ideas in simple, compound, and complex sentences.
Write a variety of sentence types that reflect the relationships of the ideas you are trying to express.

3. Subordinating Conjunction Sentences
A Subordinating conjunction comes at the beginning of a Subordinate (or Dependent) Clause and establishes the relationship between the dependent clause and the rest of the sentence. It also turns the clause into something that depends on the rest of the sentence for its meaning.

4. Common Subordinating Conjunctions
after although as as if as long as as though because before even if even though
if if only in order that now that
once rather than since so that than though till unless until when whenever where whereas wherever while

5. Subordinating Conjunction Sentence Formula
Subordinating conjunction at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause + Period

6. Subordinating Conjunction Examples:
Because the football game begins at 7:00 PM, we need to leave by 6:30.
If Emily applies gets accepted to Stanford, she will need to apply for financial aid.
Until the electric company receives the check, they will be sitting in the dark.

7. You Try It
Subordinating conjunction at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause
Begin your sentence with:
If I had left ten minutes earlier, …
Please share your answers with a partner.

8. ED / Past Tense Verb Sentences
These past tense verbs usually end with an ‘ed’, but sometimes they change form. The verbs are usually followed by the words “by” or “as”.

9. Common Past Tense Verbs
Accepted
Approached
Assisted
Based
Created
Dressed
Helped
Inspired
Jostled
Kept
Loved
Moved
Manipulated
Needed
Noticed
Officiated
Organized
Proven
Puzzled
Questioned
Rushed
Understood
Verified
Victimized

10. Past Tense Verb Sentence Formula
Past tense verb at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause

11. Past Tense Verb Examples
Loved by millions, the Harry Potter books continue to be best sellers.
Organized by the Leos club, the canned food drive helps hundreds of families every year.
Inspired by a true story, Titanic was the most popular movie of 1997.

12. You Try It Sentence Formula
Past tense verb at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause + Period
Begin your past tense verb sentence with Based on my observations, …
Share your answers with a partner.

13. “Ing” Sentences
These sentences begin with words ending in “ing.”

14. Common “Ing” Words Addressing Begging Creating Disputing Encouraging
Guessing
Fidgeting
Helping
Instigating
Inspiring
Joking
Keeping
Loosing
Moving
Noticing
Offering
Providing
Remembering
Questioning
Underestimating

15. “Ing” Sentence Formula
“Ing” word at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause + Period

16. Examples of “Ing” Sentences
Disputing the referee’s call, the coach asked to review the tape.
Keeping his best friend’s secret, Andrew lied about Kyle’s actual whereabouts.
Noticing the grey clouds, my grandmother insisted we bring an umbrella.

17. You Try It Sentence Formula
“Ing” word at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause + Period
Begin your sentence with Hoping for good news,…
Share your sentence with a partner.

18. Ly/ Adverb Sentences
These sentences begin with words ending in “ly”

19. Common Ly Adverbs Quickly Softly Loudly Boisterously Enthusiastically
Idealistically
Exclusively
Inevitably
Inexcusably
Leisurely
Madly
Mistakenly
Accurately
Humbly
Passionately
Faithfully
Outrageously
Peacefully
Poorly
Randomly
Surprisingly

20. Ly/Adverb Sentence Formula
“Ly” word at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause + Period

21. Examples of Ly/Adverb Sentences
Poorly prepared, Josh reluctantly took his driving test.
Randomly chosen, six students in the class will read their research papers aloud.
Carelessly rummaging in the closet, Debbie created a huge mess.

22. You Try It
“Ly” word at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause + Period
Begin your sentence with Inexcusably late, …
Share your sentence with a partner.

23. Appositives Sentence Formula
The subject + Comma + a noun phrase that describes the subject + Comma + the predicate + Period

24. Examples of Appositives
Barack Obama, the newly elected president of the United States, was born in Hawaii
William Shakespeare, the most famous of all English authors, died on April 23, 1616.
Whittier, a city located 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, was founded by a Spanish soldier named Manuel Nieto in 1784.

25. You Try It Sentence Formula
The subject + Comma + a noun phrase that describes the subject + Comma + the predicate
Start your sentence with Pioneer High School, …, …

26. Review of the Five Types of Handy Dandy Sentences
Subordinating conjunction at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause
Past tense verb at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause
“Ing” word at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause
“Ly” word at the beginning of a clause + Comma + Independent Clause
The subject + Comma + a noun phrase that describes the subject + Comma + the predicate

27. Handy Dandy Sentence Quiz
Directions:
Copy over each of the sentences.
Punctuate them correctly.
Finally, identify them as SC (subordinating conjunction), ED (past tense verb), ING, LY (adverb) or AP (appositive).

28. Handy Dandy Sentence Quiz
1. Albert Einstein one of the world’s most famous physicists received his doctorate from the University of Zurich.
2. Before applying for a college visit the campus.
3. Unexpectedly orphaned last year Anthony had to work nearly 30 hours a week while still enrolled in high school.
4. Dancing for fifty-three hours straight Ginger and Roger raised thousands of dollars for charity.
5. Elected president of South Africa in 1994 Nelson Mandela helped reconcile the differences between the white and black communities.
Remember, punctuate each correctly and label them one of
the following: SC, ED, ING, LY, AP