G10 Q3 Basic Elements of Sentence

What is a sentence?

A sentence must contain both a subject and a verb and express a complete thought.

Subject – a subject is who or the doer of the action.

 Subject – one subject doing the action

Example: Susie called her friend on the phone

 Compound subject – more than one subject

Example: Susie and Joan jumped rope at recess.

Predicate – the verb is the action, the verb is also called predicate.

 Predicate – one action

Example: Josh swam laps in the pool.

 Compound predicate – two or more actions (two or more verbs)

Example: Josh rode his bike and skated his weekend.

What is a clause?

A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb.

Two Types of Clauses:

Independent Clause – is a group of words that form a complete thought when you put them together.

Example: The birds fly in the sky.

Note: This sentence is complete, which means that no more information is needed to understand them
completely.

Dependent Clause – also called subordinate clause. Dependent clause is incomplete thoughts. It depend on
an independent clause in order for the sentence to have meaning. Some clause begins with subordinate
conjunctions such as after, although, as, because, before even if, even though, if, in order that, once, so that,
since, though, unless, while, whenever, when, where, whether, etc.

Examples: when I got home (what happened?)

because the restaurant was closed (what happened because it was
closed?)
whom I respect very much (whom are we talking about?)

Note: As you can see, more information is needed. To create a complete sentence, you need to add an
independent clause. Here are the examples to make the dependent clause complete.

Example: I washed the dishes when I got home

We couldn’t eat because the restaurant was closed.

The company’s owner is Alice Brown, whom I respect very much.

Types of Sentences (Sentence structures)

1. Simple Sentence – is a basic sentence that expresses a complete thought. It contains a subject and a verb and delivers
a complete thought.

Examples: The car drove on the road.

Tom reads novels.

They are having pizza for dinner tonight

Note: red = subject, blue = verb

2. Compound Sentence – is made of two or more independent clauses joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction,
a semi-colon (;).

Although the most commonly used coordinating conjunctions are but, and, so, and or, there are seven
coordinating conjunctions in English: F – for, A – and, N – nor, B – but, O – or, Y – yet, S – so.

Structure: Independent Clause + Coordinating Conjunction + Dependent Clause

Example 1: She ate lunch, but she was still hungry.

She ate lunch, but she was still hungry

IC CC IC

Example 2: We can order food or we can make pasta at home.

We can order food or we can make pasta at home.

IC CC IC

Note: IC – Independent clause, CC- Coordinating conjunctions

The above sentences are all independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, so they are all
compound sentences.

3. Complex sentence – it contains one dependent clause and an independent clause. The dependent clause can come at
the beginning of the sentence or at the end.

Structure: Independent Clause + Dependent Clause

Dependent Clause + Independent Clause

Example 1: She fell asleep because she was tired

She fell asleep because she was tired.

IC DC

Example 2: Because she was tired, she fell asleep.

Because she was tired, she fell asleep.

DC IC

Example 3: Although I broke my arm, I still cheered for my team from the sidelines.

Although I broke my arm, I still cheered for my team from the sidelines.
DC IC

Note: IC – Independent clause, DC – Dependent clause

 When a dependent clause starts a sentence, you should put comma at its end to show where the clause
ends.

4. Compound-complex sentence – it has two independent clauses joined a coordinating conjunction and one dependent
clause. This is the most sophisticated type of sentence you can use.

Example 1: Though Jack prefers watching comedy films, he rented the latest spy thriller, and he enjoyed it
very much.

Through Jack prefers watching comedy films, he rented the latest spy thriller, and
DC IC CC

he enjoyed it very much.

IC

Example 2: Since the day was unpleasant, Judy looked at TV and Andy wrote several letters.

Since the day was unpleasant, Judy looked at TV and Andy wrote several letters.
DC IC CC IC

Example 3: As she loves red, Sheila wants to buy the Mustang, or she wants to wait for a few months.

As she loves red, Sheila wants to buy the Mustang, or she wants to wait for a few months.
DC IC CC IC

Note: IC – Independent clause, DC – Dependent clause, CC – Coordinating Conjunctions