CLAUSES, COMMAS, AND

SENTENCE STRUCTURE
 There are 2 Types of Clauses
Independent Clause (IC) Dependent Clause (DC)
Has a subject and a verb Has a subject and verb
Expresses a complete Does not express a
thought complete thought
Can stand on its own Cannot stand on its own.
Needs to be with an
independent clause
There are four types of sentences.
Simple

Compound

Complex

Compound-complex
 Word Math:
Combining Sentences
Simple sentence IC = (S + V)

Compound sentence (IC) ; (IC)

(IC), and (IC)

Complex sentence (IC) + (DC)

(DC) + (IC)

Compound-complex (IC) + (IC) + (DC)

(DC) + (IC) + (IC)
(IC) + (DC) +(IC)
 Word Math:
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has 1 Independent Clause.

(S + V) = IC
The sun shone.

(S + V) = IC
The weather was beautiful.

(S + V) = IC
The weather was not hot.
 Word Math:
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence has 2 Independent Clauses joined by a
semicolon or a comma with a coordinating conjunction.

(IC) + (IC)
The sun shone; the weather was beautiful.

(IC) + (IC)
The sun shone, and the weather was beautiful.

(IC) + (IC)
The weather was beautiful and the sun shone.
 Word Math:
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has an independent clause and a
dependent clause joined by a subordinating
conjunction or relative pronoun.

(DC) + (IC)
When the sun shone, the weather was beautiful.

(IC) + (DC)
The weather was beautiful when the sun shone.
 Word Math:
Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence has 2 independent
clauses and 1 dependent clauses (p. 647)
(DC) + (IC) + (IC)
When the sun shone, the weather was beautiful, but it was not
hot.
(IC) + (DC) + (IC)
The weather was beautiful when the sun shone, but it was not
hot.
(IC) + (IC) + (DC)
The weather was beautiful, but it was not hot when the sun
shone.
Comma use with phrases and clauses
 Activity:
Swap your Proposal Paragraphs
Highlight or underline each of the following
sentences:
Simple
Compound
Complex
Compound complex
 Activity:
Swap your Proposal Paragraphs
Color Code Your Paragraph:
Use the different highlighters to show each
type of sentence:
Pink = Simple
Yellow = Compound
Orange = Complex
Green = Compound complex
 Analyze Your Writing
Which color did you use the most?
Which color did you use the least?
How will you adapt your writing to use varied
sentence structure?
 Write!

Use the rest of lab time to revise your

proposal paragraph