Effective Sentences

1
Effective Sentences

• Unit 4

2
The Basic Sentence

• A complete sentence is a group of words that
  expresses a complete thought.
  
• A sentence has two basic partsa subject and a
  verb.

3
SUBJECT

• The subject of a sentence is the word or group of
  words that answers the question Who? or What?
  before the verb.
  
• V
• Cowboys herd cattle for a living.
• V
• Our ranch was in Texas.
• The noun Cowboys is the subject that tells us who
  
  
• herd the cattle. The noun ranch is the subject
  that
  
• tells what was in Texas.

4

• Identify the subject in the following sentences.
• Sara delivers the newspaper.
• Sara
• Her customers like getting the paper delivered.
• customers

5

• The newspaper is important to them.
• newspaper
• Kevin bought the newspaper at the corner store.
• Kevin
• He paid 1.25 for the paper.
• He

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VERB

• The verb in a sentence tells what the subject
  does, what is done to the subject, or what the
  condition of the subject is.
  
• S
• Bobby gave an unforgettable show.
• S
• Their prize horse was stolen.
• S
• She has been blue all day.
• Gave is the verb in the first sentence. It tells
  what the
  
• subject, Bobby, did. In the second example, was
• stolen tells what was done to the subject horse.
  Has
  
• been in the third example is a linking verb. It
  tells
  
• something about the condition of the subject by
  linking
  
• she to the word blue.

7

• Identify the verb in the following sentences.
• The paper prints three editions.
• prints
• Sara delivers 68 papers every day.
• delivers
• She gets paid once a week.
• paid
• It has been a good job for Sara.
• has been

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COMPLETE THOUGHT

• A group of words expresses a complete thought if
  it can stand by itself and still make sense.
  
• The man in the cowboy hat.
• What about the man in the cowboy hat? a
• reader might ask. Standing by itself, this
  group
  
• of words makes no sense. The verb is missing.

9

• If the sentence is complete, state complete, but
  if the sentence is not a complete sentence state
  not complete.
  
• Some drivers enjoy automobile racing.
• complete
• The sport tests the skills.
• complete
• The drivers race over tracks or courses.
• complete

10

• Each course has a different length, design, and
  construction.
  
• complete
• It has become one of the most popular.
• not complete
• This activity is a year-round sport.
• complete

11

• Racing cars have two categories.
• complete
• Open-wheeled vehicles and closed- wheeled
  vehicles.
  
• not complete
• The wheels are not under the fenders in
  open-wheeled vehicles.
  
• complete
• In closed-wheeled vehicles.
• not complete

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FOUR FUNCTIONS OF SENTENCES

• Different kinds of sentences have different
  purposes. A sentence can make a statement, ask a
  question, give a command, or express strong
  feeling. All sentences begin with a capital
  letter and end with a punctuation mark. The
  punctuation mark at the end of the sentence is
  determined by the purpose of that sentence.

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DECLARATIVE SENTENCES

• A declarative sentence states an idea and ends
  with a period.
  
• A great network of railways crisscrosses the
  vast Indian subcontinent.
  
• The trains are fast and efficient.

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INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE

• An interrogative sentence asks a question and
  ends with a question mark.
  
• Whose ticket is this?
• Which countries in Europe and Asia have
  high-speed trains?

15
IMPERATIVE SENTENCE

• An imperative sentence gives an order or a
  direction and ends with either a period or an
  exclamation mark.
  
• Most imperative sentences start with a verb. In
  this type of sentence, the subject is understood
  to be you.
  
• Follow the directions carefully to get to the
  correct platform.
  
• Wait for me!

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EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE

• An exclamatory sentence conveys strong emotion
  and ends with a exclamation mark.
  
• Shes not telling the truth!
• What an outrage that is!

17

• After each sentence, state the appropriate
  punctuation mark for the sentence. Next,
  identify the type of each sentence declarative,
  interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory.
• Please correct your misspelled words now
• period/imperative
• Ginseng is an herb used for medicinal purposes
• period/declarative

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• What a terrible accident
• exclamation mark/exclamatory
• Which artist do you admire the most
• question mark/interrogative
• Mary Pickford starred in My Best Girl
• period/declarative
• How many videotapes do you have in your
  collection
  
• question mark/interrogative

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• Drive to the first traffic light and turn right
• period/imperative
• Who is this strange person
• question mark/interrogative
• In Greek mythology Orpheus wrote beautiful music
• period/declarative
• Stop that shouting
• exclamation mark/imperative

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COMPLETE SUBJECTS AND COMPLETE PREDICATES

• Every sentence can be divided into two partsa
  complete subject and a complete predicate. The
  complete subject consists of the subject and any
  words related to it. The complete predicate
  consists of the verb and any words related to
  it.
• The complete subject and the complete predicate
  include all modifiers, articles, and prepositions
  relating to each.

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Complete Subject

• The complete subject of a sentence consists of
  the subject and any word related to it.
  
• A complete subject may be just one word the
  subject itselfor it may be several words.
  
• The simple subject is always a noun or a pronoun.

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Complete Predicate

• The complete predicate of a sentence consists of
  the verb and any words related to it.
  
• A complete predicate may be just one worda
  verbor it may be several words.
  
• The simple predicate is always a verb.

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• Underline the subject once and the verb twice.
  Then draw a vertical line between the complete
  subject and the complete predicate.
  
• Some famous outlaws played a big part in the Wild
  West.
  
• Jesse James was an American outlaw.

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• He was known throughout the country for bank and
  train robberies.
  
• The young man joined a band of pro-Confederate
  raiders at the age of fifteen.
  
• The group was led by William Clarke Quantrill.
• Jesse James later organized his own group of
  robbers.
  

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• The members of the group included his older
  brother, Frank, and Robert Younger.
  
• One infamous bank robbery occurred at the First
  National Bank of Northfield in Minnesota.
  
• The clerk would not open the safe.
• The gang shot him before they escaped.

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SENTENCE FRAGMENTS

• Sentence fragments lack either a complete subject
  or a complete verb.
  
• Also they do not express a complete thought.
• Example A pumpkin three feet tall.
• The reader is wondering What about a
  three-foot-tall pumpkin?

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Sentence Fragments

• Can be
• A group of words with no subject
• A group of words that includes a possible subject
  but no verb
  
• A group of words with a possible subject and only
  part of a possible verb
  
• A subordinate clause standing alone (Subordinate
  clause a group of words containing both a
  subject and a verb that cannot stand by itself as
  a complete sentence)

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Correcting Sentence Fragments
29

• Identify each of the following groups of words as
  either a sentence or a fragment.
  
• On top of the hill.
• Fragment
• On the morning of the big game.
• Fragment
• Leave now.
• Sentence

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• A bus racing toward the intersection.
• Fragment
• Although he invited me to the party.
• Fragment
• Must be out of the apartment by this time
  tomorrow.
  
• Fragment
• I know the way to the downtown shopping area.
• Sentence

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• The book with the World War II pictures.
• Fragment
• After trying to convince them all morning.
• Fragment
• Gum chewing is not allowed.
• Sentence
• At another time, perhaps in another era.
• Fragment

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• Use each of the following phrase fragments in a
  sentence. You may use the phrase at the
  beginning, at the end, or in any other position
  in the sentence.
• in half an hour
• between you and me
• changing my clothes
• to reach the station
• smoking cigarettes

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• of another kind
• growing different vegetables
• with all her friends
• to open my present
• told to report to the principal
• if I get his message
• because I like them

34
COMPOUND SUBJECTS AND COMPOUND PREDICATE

• A sentence might have more than one simple
  subject or simple predicate.
  

35

• A compound subject is two or more simple subjects
  that have the same predicate. The subjects are
  joined by and, bothand, eitheror, neithernor,
  or but.
• Compound Subject
• Charlotte Brontë and Emily Brontë were sisters.
• When the two simple subjects are joined by and or
  by bothand, the compound subject is plural. Use
  the plural form of the verb to agree with this
  plural compound subject.

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• Either Charlotte or Emily is my favorite author.
• Neither Charlotte nor her sisters were outgoing.
• In the first sentence, Emily is the nearer
  subject, and so the singular form of the verb is
  used. In the second sentence sisters is the
  nearer subject, and so the plural form is used.

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• A compound predicate is two or more simple
  predicates, or verbs, that have the same subject.
  The verbs are connected by and, bothand,
  eitheror, neithernor, or but.
• Many students read the novel Jane Eyre and enjoy
  it.
  
• The compound predicate in this sentence consists
  of read and enjoy. Both verbs agree with the
  plural subject.

38

• State whether each sentence has a compound
  subject or a compound predicate and state what
  they are.
  
• Either Charlotte or Emily Brontë will be the
  subject of my research paper entitled A Great
  Nineteenth-century Novelist.
  
• compound subject, Charlotte/Emily Brontë

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• Neither Anne nor Emily is as well known as
  Charlotte.
  
• compound subject, Anne/Emily
• Many readers have read and enjoyed their books.
• compound predicate, read/enjoyed
• Some scholars buy or sell rare editions of their
  books.
  
• compound predicate, buy/sell

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• Neither the Brontë sisters nor their brother was
  long-lived.
  
• compound subject, sisters/brother
• The Brontë sisters lived and wrote in Yorkshire,
  England.
  
• compound predicate, lived/wrote
• Charlottes mother and sisters died early.
• compound subject, mother/sisters

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• Anne Brontë both wrote novels and worked as a
  governess.
  
• compound predicate, wrote/worked
• Scholars study and discuss the Brontës novels.
• compound predicate, study/discuss
• Either Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre is my
  favorite Brontë novel.
  
• compound subject,
• Wuthering Heights/Jane Eyre

42

• State the correct form of the verb in
  parentheses.
  
• Neither Emily Brontës poems nor her one novel
  (deserve, deserves) to be forgotten.
  
• deserves
• Either Wuthering Heights or her poetic works
  (draw, draws) praise from critics everywhere.
  
• draw

43

• Her writing (show, shows) an understanding of
  people and (reveal, reveals) her love of
  England.
  
• shows, reveals
• Critics and other readers (discuss, discusses)
  and (praise, praises) her single novel.
  
• discuss, praise

44

• Critics or other readers (pay, pays) more
  attention to Charlotte Brontës works.
  
• pay
• Charlottes novel Shirley (paint, paints) a
  portrait of Emily and (show, shows) her feelings
  for her sister.
  
• paints, shows

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• Charlottes novels (reflect, reflects) her life
  experiences and (reveal, reveals) her dreams.
  
• reflect, reveal
• Both Anne Brontës novel Agnes Grey and
  Charlotte's The Professor (tell, tells) love
  stories.
  
• tell

46

• Charlottes novels Shirley and Villette (receive,
  receives) less attention today.
  
• receive
• Neither Annes the Tenant of Wildfell Hall nor
  Charlottes Shirley (attract, attracts) many
  readers today.
  
• attracts

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CLAUSES

• A clause is a group of words with its own subject
  and verb.
  
• Clause like phrases, are the building blocks of
  sentences. Unlike phrases, however, clauses do
  contain a subject and verb.
  
• There are two basic types of clauses, which have
  an important difference between them.
  
• Independent clause
• Subordinate clause

48
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

• An independent clause has a subject and a verb
  and can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
  
• The length of a clause has little to do with
  whether it can stand alone.

49

• Each of the following examples can stand alone
  because it expresses a complete thought.
  
• The reporter shouted.
• The Dome of the Rock, a Jerusalem landmark, is a
  holy site.
  

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SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

• A subordinate clause/dependent clause has a
  subject and a verb but cannot stand by itself as
  a sentence. It is only part of a sentence.
  
• A subordinate clause/dependent clause does not
  express a complete thought, even though it
  contains a subject and a verb.

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• when the phone rang
• whom I often admired
• since the country was divided
• Each of these clauses has a subject and a verb.
  But each lacks something. The first clause when
  the phone rang. When the phone rang, what
  happened? More information is needed to complete
  the thought.

52
Comparing Two Kinds of Clauses
53

• A subordinate clause usually must be combined
  with an independent clause. In the following
  examples, the subordinate clauses are
  italicized.
• Since he arrived this morning, he has been
  working at top speed.
  
• I will call the manager of the hotel tomorrow if
  the room is not clean.

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• Some subordinate clauses begin with subordinating
  conjunctions, such as
  
• if, since, when, although, because, while
• Other subordinate clauses begin with relative
  pronouns such as
  
• who, which, that, whom, whose
• These words are clues that the clause may not be
  able to stand alone.

55

• Identify the subordinate clause and independent
  clause.
  
• Even though it is not large, Jerusalem has many
  museums and holy sites.
  
• SC - Even though it is not large
• IC - Jerusalem has many museums and holy sites

56

• Since the city was politically divided in 1948,
  various religions have claimed ownership of the
  holy sites.
  
• SC - Since the city was politically divided in
  1948
  
• IC - various religions have claimed ownership of
  the holy sites
  
• When the city was divided, Jerusalem became known
  as East and West Jerusalem.
  
• SC - When the city was divided
• IC - Jerusalem became known as East and West
  Jerusalem

57

• East Jerusalem has most of the tourist
  attractions and museums because it is centered
  around the walled Old City.
  
• SC - because it is centered around the walled
  Old City
  
• IC - East Jerusalem has most of the tourist
  attractions and museums
  
• Because Jerusalem has three Sabbaths, a large
  portion of West Jerusalem closes down on Friday,
  Saturday, and Sunday.
  
• SC - Because Jerusalem has three Sabbaths
• IC - a large portion of West Jerusalem closes
  down on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

58
SIMPLE AND COMPOUND SENTENCES

• All sentences can be organized into four basic
  sentence structures
  
• Simple
• Compound
• Complex
• Compound-complex

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SIMPLE SENTENCE

• A simple sentence consists of a single
  independent clause.
  
• A simple sentence can be short or long.
• It must contain a subject and a verb.
• It may also contain compliments, modifiers, and
  phrases.

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• Some simple sentences contain various compoundsa
  compound subject, a compound verb, or both.
  
• Other parts of the sentence may also be
  compound.
  
• A simple sentence, however, does not contain any
  subordinate clauses.
  
• A simple sentence contains only one clause.

61
Simple Sentences

• One subject and verb The siren sounded.
• Compound Subject Cats and dogs ran down the
  street.
  
• Compound Verb My sister acts and sings in the
  play.
  

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• Compound Subject and Verb Art and archaeology
  reflect and explain Jerusalems history.
  
• With Phrases and Complements A written history
  dating back to 600 B.C. was found in a cave near
  Jerusalem.

63
COMPOUND SENTENCES

• Independent clauses are the key elements in a
  compound sentence.
  
• A compound sentence consists of two or more
  independent clauses. The independent clauses in
  most compound sentences are joined by a comma and
  one of the coordinating conjunctions (and, but,
  for, nor, or, so, yet).

64

• I liked the movie.
• I got tired near the end of it.
• Are both of these independent clauses?
• Do both have a subject, verb, complete thought?
• Give examples of how to join them.

65

• Sometimes a semicolon () is used to join
  independent clauses in a compound sentence.
  
• Compound sentences contain no subordinate
  clauses.
  
• The population of Israel is approximately
  4,700,000, but only eight percent of the people
  live in rural areas.

66

• State if the sentence is a simple or a compound
  sentence. Identify the subject and the verb.
  Identify any coordinating conjunctions that join
  two independent clauses.
• The trains and the buses recently changed their
  schedule.
  
• simple
• subjects trains, buses
• verb changed

67

• We reached the second traffic light and turned
  left.
  
• simple
• subjects we
• verb reached, turned
• The situation is confusing, but I hope to have
  more news soon.
  
• compound
• subjects situation, I
• verb is confusing, hope

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• Movies are just great, but I still enjoy a good
  book often.
  
• compound
• subjects Movies, I
• verb are, enjoy
• coordinating conjunction - but
• Have you found the map to Albany yet?
• simple
• subjects you
• verb have, found

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• Bill and Sue opened their gifts and examined them
  carefully.
  
• simple
• subjects Bill, Sue
• verb opened, examined
• Tom and Steve will meet us at the game, or they
  will phone their regrets.
  
• compound
• subjects Tom, Sue, they
• verb will meet, will phone
• coordinating conjunction - or

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Bibliography

• Alfieri, Catherine. "Nounsense." Monroe County
  Women's Disability Network. Monroe County Women's
  Disability Network. Sept. 2008 rg/grammar/endsf.html.
• Carroll, Joyce A., Edward E. Wilson, and Gary
  Forlini. Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar.
  Boston, Massachusetts Pearson Prentice Hall,
  2008.
• Royster, Jacqueline J., and Mark Lester. Writer's
  Choice Grammar Workbooks Teacher's Wraparound
  Edition. New York Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1996.