Four Types of Sentences

Four Types of Sentences

To Make You A Better Writer

(c) 2013 Sandra Halajian

1. You will learn to identify the four types of sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.

2. You will will learn to develop four types of sentence in order to connect ideas, convey specific meanings, and add variety to your writing.

Lesson Objectives What will you

learn?


Language ArtsLanguage. Grades 9 and 10 (L.9-10.1):

Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

b. Use of various types of . . . clauses (dependent and independent. . .) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.

(Note: It can meet CCSS for other grades)

Common Core State Standards


1) Simple Sentence2) Compound Sentence3) Complex Sentence4) Compound-Complex

Sentence

FOUR TYPES OF SENTENCES


ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE (IC)A CLAUSE is a group of related words containing a subject and a verb.

One complete thought Jack left.

Jack: Subjectleft: Verb

SIMPLE SENTENCE


• Jack and I went to the store. • Jack went to the store and bought ice

cream.• Jack and I went to the store and bought ice

cream. ALL are examples of SIMPLE SENTENCES. EACH conveys ONE COMPLETE THOUGHT.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: DO YOU KNOW WHY?

IMPORTANT NOTE Simple Sentence


How come???


Jack and Anne went to the store. Has a COMPOUND SUBJECT (2+ subjects):

Jack and Anne Both subjects perform the action of the

verb: went It is a still a Simple Sentence: ONE

complete thought Don’t confuse Compound Subject with a

Compound Sentence

BECAUSE…


Jack went to the store and bought ice cream.

Has a COMPOUND VERB (2+ predicates): went and bought

The subject (Jack) is performing both actions (verbs: went and bought)

It is a still a Simple Sentence: ONE complete thought Don’t confuse Compound Verb with a

Compound Sentence

BECAUSE…


Jack and Anne went to the store and bought ice cream.

Has a COMPOUND SUBJECT (Jack and I) AND COMPOUND VERB (went and bought)

Both subjects (Jack and Anne) are performing both actions (verbs: went and bought).

It is a still a Simple Sentence: ONE complete thought

BECAUSE…


SIMPLE SENTENCE = ONE COMPLETE THOUGHT

CAN HAVE COMPOUND SUBJECT AND/OR COMPOUND VERB

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH COMPOUND SENTENCE

Any Questions?

LET’S RECAP


To grab your reader’s attention• I finally made it to the finish line.• Did I just make a huge mistake?

To sum up an argument• Firefighters and police officers have

dangerous and difficult jobs. But don’t overuse it; it can make your writing

sound choppy or childish. Always combine it with other sentence types

(compound, complex, and compound-complex.)

Why UseSimple Sentences?


TWO or MORE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

Two or more complete thoughts connected with a conjunction, a semi-colon, and/or an adverbial.

AKA: Two Simple Sentences IC + IC (+ IC…)

Compound Sentence


TWO or more INDEPENDENT CLAUSES Two or more complete thoughts. Examples:

Jack went home after work, and Anne visited her parents.

Jack went home after work; Anne visited her parents.

Jack went home after work; however, Anne visited her parents.

Compound Sentence


TWO or MORE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES Two complete thoughts connected with:

1. A comma and a coordinating conjunction

Jack went home after work, and Anne visited her parents. (IC + comma + CC + IC)

There are SEVEN Coordinating Conjunctions:

FAN BOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Compound SentenceFIRST TYPE


FAN•For•And•Nor

Compound SentenceFIRST TYPE

There are 7 Coordinating Conjunctions:

BOYS •But•Or•Yet•So


TWO or MORE INDEPENDENT CLAUSES Two complete thoughts connected with:

2. A semi colonJack went home after work; Anne visited her parents. (IC + IC)Jack went home after work; Anne visited her parents, and she brought them dinner.

(IC + IC + IC)

Compound SentenceSECOND TYPE


TWO ore MORE INDEPENDENT CLAUSESTwo or more complete thoughts

connected with: 3. A semi colon and adverbials (plus a

comma)

Jack went home after work; however, Anne visited her parents.

Compound SentenceTHIRD TYPE


Adverbials (AKA conjunctive adverbs):

Compound Sentence

SHOT•Similarly• Hence•On the other hand• Thus

CAT•Consequently •Also •Then

HOT •However•Otherwise•Therefore


To create a sense of balance between two or more equally important ideas. My dad loves to cook, so he enjoys watching

the food channel on the weekends. To create a sense of contrast between two or

more equally important ideas.• I want to go the party, but I have to finish my

project first. To add variety to your writing, but don’t OVERUSE

it; your writing might sound immature.Any Questions?

Why UseCompound Sentences?


ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE and ONE or MORE DEPENDENT CLAUSES

Connected with a Subordinating Conjunction

IC + DC (+ DC…)

Jack went to the store because he needed milk. (IC + DC)

Complex Sentence


A Dependent Clause is NOT a complete thought.

Because he needed milk.When Jack left work. A Dependent Clause MUST HAVE an

Independent Clause.Jack went to the store because he needed milk.When Jack left work, he went to the store.

Important Note Complex Sentences


Dependent Clause must have a Subordinating Conjunction.

Subordinate Conjunctions: because, when, since, before, until, unless, even though, while, although, if, after, in order that, whereas, so that.

Jack went to the store because he needed milk. When Jack left the store, he went to the store. Jack went to the store while Anne visited her parents.

Complex Sentence


Jack went to the store because he needed milk. (IC + DC)When Jack left work, he went to the store. (DC + IC)When Jack left work, he went to the store because he needed milk. (DC + IC + DC)

Complex SentenceExamples


No Comma if DC is AFTER ICJack went to the store because he needed milk. (IC + DC) Comma if DC is BEFORE ICBecause he needed milk, Jack went to the store. (DC + comma + IC)

IMPORTANT NOTE Complex Sentences

(in most cases)


Complex Sentences can also have Adjective Clauses

IC + AC using a Relative Pronoun (who, whom, whomever, whose, which, that)

• The boy who is playing soccer is my brother. • The car that my mom wants to buy is on sale. • The hospital where I was born is in New York

City. • The oak tree which has pink blossoms is called

Lavender Twist.

Another Important Note Complex Sentences


To show how one idea is more important than another idea• Even though I was invited to the party, I don’t

want to go. To show how an idea caused another idea• Because I didn’t finish my project, I couldn’t go

to the movies with my friends. To add variety to your writing

Any Questions?

Why UseComplex Sentences?


At least TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES (Compound) and one or more DEPENDENT CLAUSES (Complex)

IC + IC + DC IC + IC (+ IC…) + DC (+ DC…) Clauses can be placed in any orderEven though they both love eating ice cream, Jack likes vanilla, but Anne prefers chocolate. (DC + IC + IC)

Compound-Complex Sentence


When Jack left work, he went to the store to buy milk, but he left his wallet on his desk.

(DC + IC + IC) When Jack left work, he went to the store to

buy milk; however, he had no money, so he decided to go to the bank first. (DC + IC + IC + IC)

Anne loves ice cream, so he asked Jack to buy some when he went to the store. (IC + IC + DC )

Compound-Complex SentenceExamples


IC and DC are CLAUSES CLAUSES must HAVE a SUBJECT and a PREDICATE (Conjugated Verb or verbs)

PHRASES do not have a subject or a predicate.

PHRASES do not affect the kind of sentence it is.

PHRASES add extra info to an IC or DC.

CLAUSES vs. PHRASES


When Jack left work, he went to the store to buy milk, but he left his wallet on his desk.

Phrases:• to the store (prepositional phrase)• to buy milk (infinitive phrase)• on his desk (prepositional phrase)

PHRASES


Noun Phrase

Prepositional Phrase

Infinitive Phrase

Gerund Phrase

Participial Phrases

Some Types of PHRASES

The dark and long hallway scared the kids.

On Wednesday, Jack went to the store.

Jack wanted to buy milk.

I like swimming in the ocean.

Working around the clock, Jack was exhausted.


A Simple Sentence is NOT always a short sentence. A Simple Sentence can have many phrases and still

be considered a Simple Sentence. Here’s an example with ONE Independent Clause

and FIVE phrases:Working around the clock (participial) on his project (prepositional), Jack was too exhausted to go (infinitive) to the party (prepositional).

Any Questions?

A Simple Sentence with Multiple Phrases


THINK ABOUT IT

Why Learn the Four Types of Sentences?


To connect ideasTo give good form to your writing

To convey specific meaningsTo add variety to your writing

Why Learn the Four Types of Sentences?


1. When my brother visits from college, my parents and I always take him out to dinner.

2. I love to play tennis, but I can’t play because my wrist hurts.

3. Nicole and John visited their grandparents on Sunday.

4. My report card showed great improvement; consequently, my parents took me to the movies.

Identify Each Sentence Type:


(Subordinating Conjunction) DC IC1. When my brother visits from college, my

parents and I always take him out to dinner. COMPLEX

IC (Coordinating Conjunction) IC (Subordinating Conjunction)

2. I love to play tennis, but I can’t play because my wrist hurts. COMPOUND-COMPLEX

DC

Did you Identify them Correctly?


IC3. Nicole and John visited their grandparents

on Sunday. SIMPLE IC (Semi

Colon)

4. My report card showed great improvement; consequently, my parents took me to the movies. (Conjunctive Adverb) IC COMPOUND

Did you Identify them Correctly?


He lifted the knocker, and it creaked up stiffly, as if it had never before been used. He let it fall, and it startled him with its booming loudness. He thought he heard steps within; the door remained closed. Again Rainsford lifted the heavy knocker and let it fall. (“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell)

Example from LiteratureIdentify the types of Sentences:


He lifted the knocker, and it creaked up stiffly, as if it had never before been used (Compound-Complex). He let it fall, and it startled him with its booming loudness (Compound). He thought he heard steps within; the door remained closed (Compound). Again Rainsford lifted the heavy knocker and let it fall (Simple). (“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell)

Discussion Question: How do the various sentence

types affect the meaning of the passage?

Example from LiteratureDid You Identify Them Correctly?


“Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery, and quicken my sympathies from my brethren in bonds. If any one wishes to be impressed with the soul-killing effects of slavery, let him go to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, and on allowance day, place himself in the deep pine woods, and there let him, in silence, analyze the sounds that shall pass through the chambers of his soul. And if he is not impressed, it will only be because ‘there is no flesh in his obdurate heart.’” (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Chapter 2)



“Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery, and quicken my sympathies from my brethren in bonds (Simple). If any one wishes to be impressed with the soul-killing effects of slavery, let him go to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, and on allowance day, place himself in the deep pine woods, and there let him, in silence, analyze the sounds that shall pass through the chambers of his soul. (Compound-Complex). And if he is not impressed, it will only be because ‘there is no flesh in his obdurate heart.’” (Complex) (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Chapter 2) Discussion Question: How do the various

sentence types affect the meaning of the passage?



And in the end, of course, a true war story is never about war. It’s about sunlight. It’s about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do. It’s about love and memory. It’s about sorrow. It’s about sisters who never write back and people who never listen. (The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.)



And in the end, of course, a true war story is never about war (Simple). It’s about sunlight (Simple). It’s about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things [that] you are afraid to do (Complex). It’s about love and memory (Simple). It’s about sorrow (Simple). It’s about sisters who never write back and people who never listen (Complex) . (The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.)

Discussion Question: How do the various sentence types affect the meaning of the passage?



Choose one (or more) of the following topics and develop a paragraph containing at least one of each type of sentence:• My favorite movie or show• My sister/brother (or other family member)• Halloween (or a special holiday)• Least/most favorite school subject• My hobby

Now It’s Your Turn

Four Types of Sentences

Documents

Transcript of Four Types of Sentences