Lesson FourSentence Combining

Neijiang Normal University - Week Five - Brent A. Simoneaux

Review

A sentence base is the minimum required for a sentence. The most basic sentence contains a

noun phrase (NP) and a verb phrase (VP).

Sentence Bases

Sentence Base

We can also add the following optional third elements to the clause:

an object (O)

a complement (C) and/or an adverbial (AV).

We add these elements to the clause to make a more informative sentence

Sentence Expansion

Coordination means “being of equal structural rank.”

Coordination occurs when we use a coordinator (or, and, but, nor, yet, so) to connect parts of a

sentence together.

Sentence Expansion

Subordination means ‘being of lower structural rank.’

Words that are added to the bare sentence base are said to be subordinate because they are

grammatically secondary to the main elements.

Sentence Expansion

Subordination 1. Relative Clauses

2. Appositive Phrases 3. Adverbial Clauses 4. Participial Phrases 5. Absolute Phrases

Relative Clauses

Relative clauses enable the writer to embed a complete subject/predicate into a noun phrase.

Relative = relationship

Relative Clauses are introduced by either a relative pronoun (that, who, or which) or a relative adverb (where, when, why)

Appositive Phrases

An appositive phrase is a reduced sentence headed by a noun, functioning, just like a relative clause, to define or restrict the noun by adding definition-like details to it.

Appositive phrases rename nouns or noun phrases.

Adverbial Clauses

Adverbial clauses (subordinating) are clauses that modify verbs using a subordinator.

Examples of subordinating words:if, since,when, while, although, even though,

after, before as if, as long as, as soon as

Sentence Expansion 4. Participial Phrases

Participial phrases are verb phrases headed by the –ing or the –en / ––ed form of the verb which

function as adjectives.

They enable you to work concrete details into your sentences without actually increasing the number

of sentences needed.

Sentence Expansion 4. Participle Phrases

Two Types of Clauses:

Restrictive Clauses

Non-Restrictive Clauses

Restrictive Clauses

Necessary Information

Essential to sentence meaning

No commas

Non-Restrictive Clauses

Extra

Non-essential to the meaning

Does not limit of define the word it modifies

Uses commas

Examples

Restrictive: People who habitually brag about their cars often get upset over minor scratches.

Non-restrictive: Aubrey, who habitually bragged about her car, was upset about the scratch on her fender.

Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases

Example:

1. Mark stood next to Tracy.

2. Mark felt helplessly nervous.

Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases

We can combine these sentences:

Feeling helplessly nervous, Mark stood next to Tracy.

Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases

What happens when we move the participial phrase?

Mark stood next to Tracy, feeling helplessly nervous.

The focus of the sentence has shifted to the participial phrase.

Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases

It is important, however, to note that nonrestrictive participial phrases can open or close the sentence only if it modifies the subject—that is, when the subject of the participle is also the subject of the

sentence and is in regular subject position. Otherwise, the participle will “dangle.”

Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases

Dangling participle:

Feeling helplessly nervous, the scene was suspenseful, as if it had been taken directly out of a

movie.

Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases

An absolute phrase is a noun phrase—a noun headword with a post-noun modifier that adds

specific, concrete detail to the idea of the whole sentence.

Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases

You must remember the following about absolute phrases:

1. They can consist of just subject and a participle

2. They do not modify any particular word, but instead, they modify the entire sentence to provide more information to the reader.

Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases

Example:

Mark finally kissed Tracy, face blushing.

Legs running, Mark finally kissed Tracy.

Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases

Think of a movie camera focusing in on a specific detail in the scene.

Notice that the absolute phrase seems to be the focus of the sentence no matter where

we position it in the sentence.

Sentence Combining Activity

1. The fire raced through the abandoned warehouse. The fire leveled it in an hour.

Example:

The fire raced through the abandoned warehouse, leveling it in an hour.

Next Week:Sentence Expansion & Sentence Combining

Writing Assignment

Write and describe different characteristics you look for in a husband/wife, or boyfriend/girlfriend. You audience is me, ad since it is personal subject matter, informal style is fine.

200-300 words

Turn in your writing notebook.

Class 6

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Class 1

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Class 2

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Class 4

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Class 5

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Class 6

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