Sentence Structure and Clause Types

Sentence Structure

Types of Sentences

• Declarative Sentences: Statements that provide information
• Interrogative Sentences: Questions that ask for information
• Imperative Sentences: Commands or instructions
• Exclamatory Sentences: Express strong emotions or feelings

Clause Types

• Independent Clause: A complete sentence with a subject and verb
• Dependent Clause: A clause that cannot stand alone, typically starting with a subordinating conjunction
• Relative Clause: A dependent clause that begins with a relative pronoun (who, which, that, etc.)

Sentence Components

• Subject: The noun or pronoun performing the action
• Predicate: The verb and any additional information about the action
• Modifier: Words or phrases that describe or provide more information about the subject or predicate
• Complement: A word or phrase that renames or describes the subject

Sentence Patterns

• Simple Sentence: One independent clause
• Compound Sentence: Two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction
• Complex Sentence: One independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
• Compound-Complex Sentence: Two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses

Sentence Variety

• Active Voice: The subject performs the action
• Passive Voice: The subject receives the action
• Inverted Sentence: A sentence with an unusual word order, often used for emphasis

Common Sentence Errors

• Fragment: A sentence that lacks a subject or verb
• Run-on Sentence: Two or more sentences joined without proper punctuation
• Dangling Modifier: A modifier that is not clearly connected to the word it modifies

Sentence Structure

Types of Sentences

• Declarative sentences are statements that provide information.
• Interrogative sentences are questions that ask for information.
• Imperative sentences are commands or instructions.
• Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions or feelings.

Clause Types

• Independent clauses are complete sentences with a subject and verb.
• Dependent clauses cannot stand alone and typically start with a subordinating conjunction.
• Relative clauses are dependent clauses that begin with a relative pronoun (who, which, that, etc.).

Sentence Components

• The subject is the noun or pronoun performing the action.
• The predicate is the verb and any additional information about the action.
• Modifiers are words or phrases that describe or provide more information about the subject or predicate.
• Complements are words or phrases that rename or describe the subject.

Sentence Patterns

• Simple sentences have one independent clause.
• Compound sentences have two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction.
• Complex sentences have one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
• Compound-complex sentences have two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Sentence Variety

• Active voice sentences have the subject performing the action.
• Passive voice sentences have the subject receiving the action.
• Inverted sentences have an unusual word order, often used for emphasis.

Common Sentence Errors

• Fragments are sentences that lack a subject or verb.
• Run-on sentences are two or more sentences joined without proper punctuation.
• Dangling modifiers are modifiers that are not clearly connected to the word they modify.