BASIC GRAMMAR RULES

A complete sentence must include a noun and a

RULE 1 The plane flies.
verb.
A complete sentence must include a subject and The blue plane flies quickly
RULE 2
a predicate. across the sky.
The only exception to the above rules is the
RULE 3 Eat your vegetables!
imperative tense.
A compound subject includes two or more
RULE 5 The bird and the plane fly.
simple subjects.
A compound predicate includes two or more
RULE 6 The bird flies and sings.
predicates.
A compound sentence includes more than one The bird sings, and the
RULE 7
subject or predicate. plane flies. (2 ind. Clauses)
An independent clause consists of a subject and The bird sings, and the
RULE 8
a predicate, like a complete sentence. plane flies.
A dependent clause cannot form a complete
…when the engine is
RULE 9 sentence without additional information. (When,
turned on.
because, if, that)
In the passive voice, the object of the verb Flowers were given to my
RULE 12
becomes the subject of the sentence. mom (by me).
Sentences written in the passive voice, can omit Flowers were given to my
RULE 14
the subject of the acting verb. mom (by me).
In the passive voice, the subject of the acting verb The plane was flown by the
RULE 14
is connected by a prepositional phrase. pilot.
BASIC CONCEPTS
A sentence fragment is a clause that falls short of
SENTENCE true sentencehood because it is missing one of
...when she eats her lunch.
FRAGMENT three critical components: a subject, a verb, and
a complete thought.
IMPLIED Sometimes the subject of a sentence is implied,
Close the door.
SUBJECT when it is not written, as in a command.
 A word, clause, or phrase or a group of clauses or
phrases forming a syntactic unit which expresses
an assertion, a question, a command, a wish, an
exclamation, or the performance of an action,
that in writing usually begins with a capital letter
and concludes with appropriate end punctuation.
The boy is playing
SENTENCE In simple terms, a sentence is a set of words that videogames.
contains:
1. A subject (what the sentence is about, the
topic of the sentence), and
2. A predicate (what is said about the subject)
3. All sentences must have a complete idea that
stands alone. This is called an independent
clause.
TYPES OF SENTENCES.
A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes
a statement, provides a fact, offers an
STATEMENTS / explanation, or conveys information. These types
I don’t like rock music.
DECLARATIVE of sentences are also known as declarative
statements. They tell something, and end with a
period.
EXCLAMATIONS An exclamatory sentence makes a statement that
The baby is very cute!
/ conveys strong emotion or excitement. It ends
EXCLAMATORY with exclamation marks.
An interrogative sentence is a type of sentence
QUESTIONS / Do you like Mexican food?
that asks a question, and it ends with a question
INTERROGATIVE
mark.
Command sentences are used when you are
COMMANDS / telling someone to do something. They give Don’t open the door!
IMPERATIVE commands end with a period or exclamation
mark.
CLAUSES
A clause is a group of words containing a subject
When it rained, they went
CLAUSE and a predicate and functioning as a member of
inside.
a complex or compound sentence.
 TYPES OF CLAUSES
An independent clause expresses a complete
INDEPENDENT The airplane arrived on
thought and can stand alone as a coherent
CLAUSE time.
sentence
A subordinate or dependent clause does not
DEPENDENT OR express a complete thought and therefore is not
When it started to rain…
SUBORDINATE a sentence (sentence fragment). It must be
Because she was late…
CLAUSE attached to an independent clause to be
completed.
SIMPLE SENTENCE
A simple sentence has the most basic elements
that make it a sentence: a subject, a verb, and it Julie waited for the bus.
may also have and object or modifiers. However,
it contains only one independent clause. The bus was late.
The use of compound subjects, compound verbs,
prepositional phrases (such as "at the bus Julia and José took a plane.
SIMPLE station"), and other elements help lengthen
SENTENCE simple sentences, but simple sentences often are I looked for Julia and José at
short. the airport.
A simple sentence can also be referred to as
an independent clause. It is referred to as Julia and José arrived at the
"independent" because, while it might be part of airport early but waited for
a compound or complex sentence, it can also the plane until noon.
stand by itself as a complete sentence.
COMPOUND SENTENCE
I want to lose weight, yet I
A compound sentence refers to a sentence made eat chocolate daily.
up of two independent clauses (or complete
sentences) connected to one another with I saw Samuel yesterday, but
COMPOUND he didn’t see me.
a coordinating conjunction, with a comma or
SENTENCE with a semicolon. My mother likes coffee,
and I like hot chocolate.
F A N B O Y S
for and nor but or yet so My friend does not like
pasta, so we ordered pizza.
 COMPLEX SENTENCE
A complex sentence is made up of an
independent clause and a dependent clause
connected to it.

A dependent clause is like an independent clause,

or complete sentence, but it lacks one of the
elements that would make it a complete
sentence. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone
as a sentence, but they can be added to an
Wherever you go…
independent clause to form a complex sentence.
As she was bright and
COMPLEX Dependent clauses begin with subordinating
ambitious…
SENTENCE conjunctions. Below are some of the most
common subordinating conjunctions: After,
Because it’s starting to
before, though, whenever, why, although, even
make weird noises…
though, unless, whereas, whether, as, if, until,
wherever, which, because, since, when, while,
whoever.

Complex sentences are often more effective than

compound sentences because a complex
sentence indicates clearer and more specific
relationships between the main parts of the
sentence.
ORDER OF CLAUSES IN A COMPLEX SENTENCE
A complex sentence joins an independent clause
with one or more dependent clauses. The When the teacher arrived,
DEPEDENT
dependent clauses can go first in the sentence, there were no students in
CLAUSE FIRST
followed by the independent clause, as in the the classroom.
following:

Conversely, the independent clauses can go first There were no students in

INDEPENDENT
in the sentence, followed by the dependent the classroom when the
CLAUSE FIRST
clause, as in the following: teacher arrived.
 PERIODIC SENTENCES
The term periodic sentence is used to refer to a
complex sentence beginning with a dependent
clause and ending with an independent clause.
PERIODIC If I won a million dollar, I’d
This is used for emphasis and can be persuasive
SENTENCES buy a mansion in New York.
by putting reasons for something at the beginning
before the final point is made. It can also create
suspense or interest for the reader.
COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES

Maria forgot Chepito’s

COMPOUND- A compound-complex sentence contains at least
birthday, so she sent him a
COMPLEX two independent clauses and at least one
birthday card when she
SENTENCES dependent clause.
finally remembered.