1. CLAUSES
Grammar, Yay!

2. Main Clauses
Clause – Group of words that has a subject and a predicate and that is used as part of a sentence.
Main clauses or independent clauses
Subordinate clauses or dependent clauses
Main Clause – has subject and predicate and can stand alone as a sentence
Stories entertain, and people listen
Subject
Verb
Subject
Verb

3. Subordinate Clauses
Has a subject and a predicate, but cannot stand alone.
Must be attached to a main clause
Many begin with subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns.
Stories entertain because they are amusing.
Stories that entertain amuse people
Main Clause
Subordinate Clause
Subject
Verb
Subject
Verb
Main Clause
Subordinate Clause

4. Subordinating Conjunctions
After
how
till ( or 'til)
although if
unless as
inasmuch  
until As
in order that
When
as long as lest
whenever
as much as
Now that
where
as soon as
provided (that)  
wherever
as though
since
while
because
so that
before
than
even if
that
Even though
though

5. Relative Pronouns
Who
Whom
That
Which
whoever
whomever
whichever

6. Simple and Compound Sentences
Simple Sentence – Has one main clause and no sub. clauses
Stories entertain.
Stories and riddles entertain.
Stories and riddles entertain and amuse.
Stories about the Old West entertain adults and children alike.
Compound Sentence – two or more main clauses
Usually joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Semicolons may also be used.
Stories entertain, and riddles amuse.
Stories entertain, and riddles amuse, but poems delight.
Few wild animals live in China’s densely populated plains; in remoter areas, wildlife is abundant.

7. Complex and Compound Complex
Complex - has one main clause and one or more sub. Clauses
I like Toni Cade Bambara’s stories because they have real-life characters.
Compound-Complex – has two or more main clauses and at least one subordinate clause.
I read Frankenstein, which was written by Mary Shelley, and I wrote a report about it.

8. Sentence Fragments
Error that occurs when an incomplete sentence is punctuated as though it were a complete sentence.
Look for sentences lacking a subject!
Look for sentences lacking a predicate or verb!
Make sure you do not have a subordinate clause as a complete sentence.

9. Sentence Fragments To correct:
Join it to a main clause that comes before or after the fragment
You may have to add words to complete the sentence.
Woodpeckers ate suet from my bird feeder last winter. Seemed to be particularly fond of it.
A large bird with blue feathers eating from the feeder for weeks.
I filled the feeder with sunflower seeds. Which both the jays and the cardinals seem to like.

10. Run-ons
Two or more complete sentences put together as though they were one complete sentence
Tanya and Naoko are both going to work as a camp counselors this summer, they are looking forward to the experience.