Sentence Structure Simple Compound Complex Compound/Complex

Simple Sentences  Simple sentences have a subject and a verb.  Example: The bag hangs on the hook. Subject – bag Verb – hangs

Simple Sentences can be long!  Example: The little tiny girl sang a sweet soft song. Subject: Girl Verb: Sang

Simple sentences can contain a compound subject or a compound verb!  Example: The pears and the peaches look amazing!  Subjects: pears and peaches  Verb: look  Example: Martin screamed and cried in the elevator.  Subject: Martin  Verbs: screamed and cried

Simple sentence can have a comma!  EX. On the side of the road, we noticed a lonely shoe.  HINT: Always cross out your prepositional phrases. There will be a comma if the sentence starts with the prepositional phrase.  HINT: Cross out infinitive phrases  To + Verb = infinitive  On the side of the road, we noticed a lonely shoe.  She ran to yell at the kids on the bus. to yell = infinitive

Practice of simple sentences  Write the sentence down. Label the subject and verb. Cross out all prepositional phrases.  1. The yellow cab stopped at the light.  2. At the light, the yellow cab stopped.  **Do you see the difference?

More simple sentence practice.  Label subjects and verbs. Cross out the prepositional and infinitive phrases.  1. The little boy and girl cried for candy.  2. At home, I’m allowed to chew gum.  3. The young child wrote a beautiful card.  4. The boys went to the store to buy candy.

Answers and helpful hints  1. The little boy and girl cried for candy.  2. At home, I’m allowed to chew gum. This one is tricky – Split contractions - I am  3. The young child wrote a beautiful card.  4. The boys went to the store to buy candy.

Compound Sentence  Two or more independent clauses (simple sentences) joined together.  Look for a semicolon (;) or a comma FANBOYS FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet) You will circle these in a sentence to help identify.

Some examples  The young boy ran to the bus. (Simple Sentence.  He was running late. (simple sentence)  The young boy ran to the bus ; he was late. (compound sentence)  The young boy ran to the bus, but he was late. (compound Sentence)

Your turn – Write two compound sentences - one with a semicolon and one with a comma FANBOY.  Follow these rules. - Label the subjects - Label the verbs - Cross out any prepositional or infinitive phrases - Circle the semicolon - Circle the comma FANBOYS

Complex Sentences  1 independent clause (simple sentence) and 1 or more subordinate clause.

Subordinate Clause  A subordinate Clause can not stand by itself – Look for signal words –  Here is a list of common signal words – While, as, that, because, when, who, if, since, after. ** Subordinate clauses have VERBS – if it doesn’t have a verb it is a prepositional phrase. **

Commas with complex sentences  If you start a sentence with a subordinate clause, you MUST add a comma after the clause.  If your subordinate clause is in the middle or end of the sentence, you do not use a comma.  HINT: NEVER add a comma before because NEVER!

Your turn  Write a complex sentence with the subordinate clause at the beginning of the sentence. ** You will need a comma.  Then turn the sentence around and put the subordinate clause at the end of the sentence. **You won’t use a comma. Put [brackets ] around your subordinate clause. Label your subjects and verbs.  Example: [If you study], you will do well on the test.  You will do well on the test if you study.

Compound/Complex Sentences.  2 or more independent clauses and 1 or more subordinate clause.  Example:  [Since it is Friday], we will eat pizza, and I will go to the movies.  ** always circle the comma FANBOYS

Your turn  Write a compound/complex sentence and label it.

Steps to label  1. Cross out all prepositional phrases and infinitive phrases.  2. Circle comma Fanboys or semi-colons.  3. Put brackets around subordinate clauses.  4. Label all subjects.  5. Label all verbs.

Label these sentences  1. On the way home, I noticed a stray cat.  2. I didn’t pick it up because it looked very sick.  3. The small cat meowed, and my heart melted.  4. The tiny kitty cuddled in my arms while I walked home, and I couldn’t wait to show my little brother.

Answers

S with a prep phrase

CP with a,FANBOY

Now try a CX