Writing Effective Sentences

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Writing Effective Sentences
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Complete Sentences

• A complete sentence
• has a subject
• has a verb
• expresses a complete thought
• Examples
• Olivia (subject) rode (verb) her bicycle two
  miles.
• Please be quiet! (verb) (The subject is you or
  the audience)

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Sentence Fragments

• A sentence fragment is a group of words that has
  been capitalized and punctuated but lacks a
  subject or a verb and does not express a complete
  thought.
• Examples Was an outstanding athlete!
• (no subject)
• Andi an impressive singer.
• (no verb)
• While she was taking swimming lessons. (not a
  complete thought)

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Run-on Sentences

• A run-on sentence is two complete sentences
  combined and punctuated like one. In a run-on,
  two separate thoughts run into each other.
• Example The yearbook staff is working hard to
  organize the yearbook they also like to take
  candid photos of students.

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Phrases

• A phrase is a group of words that acts as a
  single part of speech however, it does not have
  both a subject and a verb. Phrases are often
  used to combine sentences.
• Example The football team won again. They have
  won all their games this season.
• The football team has won all their games
  during this season.

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Prepositional Phrases

• A prepositional phrase includes a preposition,
  the object of the preposition (noun or pronoun),
  and any modifiers (articles or adjectives) of
  that object.
• Examples
• under the table over the
  rainbow
• above a street sign between two
  trees

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Commonly Used Prepositions
besidebetweenbeyondbutbyby means
ofconcerningdespitedownduringexceptexcept
forexceptingforfrominin addition toin back
ofin case of
in front ofin place ofinsidein spite
ofinstead ofintolikenearnextofoffonontoo
n top ofoutout ofoutsideover
pastregardingroundsincethroughthroughouttill
totowardunderunderneathunlikeuntilupuponu
p towithwithinwithout
aboutaboveaccording toacrossafteragainstalon
galong withamongapart fromaroundasas
foratbecause ofbeforebehindbelowbeneath

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Appositive Phrases

• Appositive phrases are phrases that need to be
  set off by commas. If a phrase renames a noun or
  pronoun in a sentence, it is an appositive
  phrase.
• Example
• Arachne challenged Athena, the goddess of wisdom,
  to a weaving contest.
• (Athena is named and then referred to again in
  the same sentence as the goddess of wisdom.)

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Adjective Phrases

• An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase
  that is used as an adjective. An adjective
  phrase modifies (describes) a noun or pronoun.
  It answers one of the following questions
• What kind?
• Which one?
• How many?
• How much?

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Adjective Phrases cont.

• Examples
• Ted Turner, a millionaire from Atlanta, owns
  several businesses.
• from Atlanta adjective phrase
• millionaire noun the phrase modifies
• Three dogs in the contest won blue ribbons.
• in the contest adjective phrase
• dogs noun the phrase modifies

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Adverb Phrases

• An adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase that
  is used as an adverb. It modifies (describes) a
  verb, adjective, or an adverb. Adverb phrases
  answer the following questions
• When?
• Where?
• How?
• Why?
• How often?
• How long?
• To what extent?

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Adverb Phrases cont.

• Examples
• We got our new puppy at the animal shelter.
• got verb
• at the animal shelter adverb phrase
• (The phrase answers the question WHERE.)
• On Saturday we will rehearse the new song.
• will rehearse verb
• On Saturday adverb phrase
• (The phrase answers the question WHEN.)

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Clauses

• A clause is a group of words that contains a
  subject and a verb.
• An independent clause can stand alone
  independently as a sentence.
• A subordinate or dependent clause cannot stand
  alone because it does not express a complete
  thought. It needs help to be a complete
  sentence.

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Clauses cont.

• Examples
• The band marched in the parade (independent
  clause)
• while the football team rode on a float behind
  them (subordinate clause)
• The band marched in the parade while the football
  team rode on a float behind them.

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Subordinate Clauses

• Subordinate or dependent clauses add extra
  information to sentences and they often begin
  with words like who, which, that, because, when,
  if, while, until, before, and after.
• Examples
• when the weather gets cold
• When the weather gets cold, I wear sweaters.
• before the movie begins
• I want to get some popcorn before the movie
  begins.

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Adjective Clauses

• An adjective clause is a subordinate (dependent)
  clause that describes a noun or pronoun. It
  contains both a verb and its subject. An
  adjective clause usually follows the word or
  words it modifies. It tells
• which one
• what kind

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Adjective Clauses cont.

• Example
• a red rose - adjective
• a rose with red petals - adjective phrase
• a rose that has red petals adjective clause
• rose subject
• has - verb

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Relative Pronouns

• A relative pronoun usually introduces an
  adjective clause by relating it to the noun or
  pronoun the clause modifies.
• Commonly Used Relative Pronouns
• that which who whom whose

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Relative Pronouns continued

• Examples (copy one sentence)
• A snorkel is a hollow tube THAT lets a diver
  breathe underwater.
• Gary Paulsen is the writer WHO is the author of
  Hatchet and Brians Winter.
• The teams mascot, WHICH is a bulldog, is called
  Uga.

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Adverb Clauses

• An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that
  modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. It
  contains both a subject and a verb. Adverb
  clauses answer the questions
• How?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• To what extent?
• How much?
• How long?
• Under what condition?

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Adverb Clauses cont.

• Example
• Bravely, Jason battled a dragon.
• adverb
• With great bravery, Jason battled a dragon.
• adverb phrase
• Because Jason was brave, he battled a dragon.
• adverb clause

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Subordinating Conjunctions

• A conjunction that introduces a subordinate
  clause. Adverb clauses begin with subordinating
  conjunctions.
• Examples
• AFTER the sun had risen, we left for the cabin.
• Late yesterday afternoon, BEFORE the deer left
  the field, we took photos of them.

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Common Subordinating Conjunctions

• after because though
• although before unless
• as how until
• as if if when
• as long as in order that whenever
• as much as since where
• as soon as so that wherever
• as though than while

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Coordinating Conjunctions

• Coordinating conjunctions can be used as
  connecting words to combine sentences.
• FANBOYS for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

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Simple Sentences (S)

• A simple sentence contains one independent clause
  and no subordinate clauses.
• Examples
• A good rain will help the farmers.
• rain subject, will help - verb
• Where are my keys?
• keys subject, are - verb

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Compound Sentences (CD)

• A compound sentence contains two or more
  independent clauses and no subordinate clauses.
• Example The leaves on the trees in Georgia are
  changing colors. The trees in Tennessee are
  already a beautiful orange. 2 simple sentences
• The leaves on the trees in Georgia are changing
  colors, but the trees in Tennessee are already a
  beautiful orange. 1 compound sentence connected
  with a coordinating conjunction

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Complex Sentences (CX)

• A complex sentence is a sentence that contains
  one independent clause and at least one
  subordinate clause.
• Examples
• When the outside temperatures start getting
  cooler, I think of college football.
• Albert Einstein, who was a famous scientist,
  wrote many interesting books and essays.

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Compound-Complex Sentence (CC)

• A compound-complex sentence contains two or more
  independent clauses and at least one subordinate
  clause.
• Examples
• When Jeb goes hunting, he takes camping supplies,
  and he wears camouflage clothing.
• The quarterback threw a pass, and Sawyer caught
  it before the buzzer sounded.

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Which paragraph is better? Why?

• I am nervous and excited. The championship
  game is tomorrow. Our team is ready. We have
  been practicing for months. We have the
  strongest offense. The other team is good. We
  are better. We will win. I know it.
• The championship game is tomorrow, and I am
  nervous and excited. Our team is ready, as we
  have been practicing for months, and we have the
  strongest offense. The other team is good,
  though we are better. I know that we will win.
  

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• I am nervous and excited (S). The championship
  game is tomorrow (S). Our team is ready (S). We
  have been practicing for months (S). We have the
  strongest offense (S). The other team is good
  (S). We are better (S). We will win (S). I
  know it (S).
• The championship game is tomorrow, and I am
  nervous and excited. (CD). Our team is ready,
  because we have been practicing for months, and
  we have the strongest offense. (CC). The other
  team is good, though we are better (CX). I know
  that we will win (S).