Grammar2015

The ClauseAn 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 clauseswho was the hero of the famous

novelthat he would find honor and glorybecause it is so funnyas soon as the program is overwhile we were watching the moviewhen I was a childif you can possibly spare a dollarsince you waited an entire hour

Adjective ClauseAn 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 ClauseAn 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 sentenceone independent clause and no

subordinate clause.

Cats are independent animalsOn his way home from the game,

Jake stopped for a hamburger at the diner with the rest of the gang.

Compound sentencea 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 sentencea 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= afterA= althoughA= asW= whenW= whileU= untilB= becauseB= beforeI= ifS= since

Compound-complex sentenceA 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 phrasesIs 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.

semicolonThe 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.

ColonThe 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.

parenthesesPunctuation marks used in

sentences to set off extra information, such as explanations or comments.

bracketsPunctuation marks used in

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

ellipsisSet 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.

exampleRick 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….”