ABAC Writing Center Basic Grammar Workshop

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ABAC Writing CenterBasic Grammar Workshop

• Clauses (subjects, verbs, phrases, AND
  independent, dependent, introductory,
  subordinating, and coordinating clauses)

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Overview

• subjects
• verbs
• phrases
• independent clauses
• dependent clauses
• introductory clauses
• subordinating clauses
• coordinating clauses

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Subject

• The subject tells who or what the sentence is
  about
• The successful student studies very hard for the
  final exam.
• It is a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun that
  identifies what is performing the action of the
  sentence.

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Verb

• The verb tells what the subject is doing or
  feeling
• The successful student studies very hard for the
  final exam.
• It is often useful to identify the main verb of
  the sentence first. That makes identifying the
  subject much easier.

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Phrases

• A phrase is any group of words that functions as
  a single grammatical part of a sentence, but it
  does not have a subject verb relationship.
• A noun phrase The boy who rode his bike down the
  hill
• A verb phrase racing wildly through the streets
• A prepositional phrase around the house

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Clauses - general

• A clause is a group of related words containing a
  subject and a verb. 
• There are many different kinds of clauses.
• Independent
• Dependent
• Introductory
• Subordinating
• Coordinating

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Independent Clause

• Can stand by itself and still make sense
• Could be its own sentence
• Is combined with other independent clauses and
  with dependent clauses
• Are sometimes called essential, main, or
  restrictive clauses. 

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Independent Clauses - examples

• Educators say teaching has changed over the
  years.
• Teaching used to consist mostly of lectures, but
  now the emphasis is on student participation.
• Classrooms even look different now technology
  has made its way into education.
• Learning occurs best when a variety of methods
  are used to present information.

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Combining Independent Clauses

• Independent clauses can be connected in a variety
  of ways 
• 1. With a comma and coordinating conjunction
  (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so). 
• 2. With a semicolon, by itself. 
• 3. With a semicolon accompanied by a conjunctive
  adverb (such as however, moreover, nevertheless,
  as a result, consequently, etc.). 
• 4. And, of course, they can be left unconnected
  and separated by a period.

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Dependent Clause

• Cannot stand by itself
• Depends on an independent clause for its meaning.
  
• By itself would be a sentence fragment
• Are sometimes called subordinate, nonessential,
  or nonrestrictive clauses

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Dependent Clauses

• Dependent clauses can be identified and
  classified according to their grammatical role in
  the sentence.
• Noun clauses can be subjects, objects, and
  objects of prepositions. 
• Adverb clauses tell something about the
  sentences main verb when, why, under what
  conditions. 
• Adjective clauses modify nouns or pronouns in the
  rest of the sentence.  

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Dependent Clauses/Coordinating Clauses

• Dependent clauses can be identified and
  classified according to their functional role in
  the sentence. 
• Introductory clauses introduce the context of the
  main independent clause and are usually adverb
  clauses (a kind of subordinating clause)
• Subordinating clauses add information to the
  independent clause and often use relative
  pronouns or subordinating conjunctions
• Coordinating clauses are independent clauses
  joined by a coordinating conjunction

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Introductory clauses

• According to the textbook, dinosaurs roamed the
  earth for a longer period than mankind has.
• After I send this letter, I will be happy to go
  to lunch with you.
• When the bell rings, you may leave quietly.

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Subordinating clauses

• Suggest unequal importance between information in
  main clause and subordinate clause
• Often use subordinating conjunctions
• There are many subordinating conjunctions. Here
  are a few of the most common ones
• after because since
• although before unless
• as if until
• I could not see the road clearly because the
  lights were too dim.
• Although the team won the game, they were still
  in last place in the standings.

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Coordinating clauses

• Two or more independent clauses joined together
  to give each separate idea approximately equal
  importance.
• The dog barked very loudly, so the neighbor
  called the police.
• The dog barked very loudly the neighbor called
  the police.
• The dog barked very loudly therefore, the
  neighbor called the police.