Sentence StructuresWhat you need to know to write a variety of sentence patterns in your writing.

4 Types of SentencesSimpleCompoundComplexCompound-Complex

Clauses

•A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb.▫Independent clause

▫Subordinate (dependent) clause

Independent Clause▫Has a subject and a verb, and is a complete

sentence on its own.

▫Examples: I walked to the grocery store after school. My mom gave me my lunch money before

school this morning. Are you going to the football game?

Dependent (Subordinate) Clauses

▫Has a subject and a verb but cannot stand on its own.

▫Can function as an adverb, adjective, or noun.

▫Needs to be joined with an independent clause, or it is a fragment.

▫Examples: Since you are going to the football game If your mom agrees Although I like most pizza

Simple Sentence

•Made up of 1 independent clause.▫Examples:

Junior High South is the greatest junior high in the world.

Fever 1793 is a book about yellow fever plaguing Philadelphia.

Compound Sentence

•A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction

(For, and nor, but, or, yet, so)▫Examples:

Candy brought the pumpkin pie, and Julie brought the green bean casserole.

Mattie caught yellow fever, and Grandfather took her to Bush Hill hospital.

Complex

•A complex sentence is made up of one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.▫Often joined by subordinating conjunctions

Examples: if, since, although, even though, etc.

Click here for more subordinating conjunctions

▫Examples: If you study for the test, you will make a good

grade. You will receive a discount because you paid

ahead of time.

Compound-Complex

•A compound-complex sentence has two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.▫Examples:

Because you read Fever 1793, you know more about historic Philadelphia, and you know more about the symptoms of yellow fever.

Although I exercised and dieted, I wasn’t able to lose weight, and I still can’t fit into my dress.

Varying Sentence Structure

•It is important to vary sentence structures in your writing.

•Let’s practice writing different types of sentences.

Let’s write compound sentences•Combine these independent clauses with

a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)▫Example 1:

Joe was hungry. Sally gave Joe a sandwich.

▫Example 2: I wanted to get a new pet. Mom said she was allergic to animals.

Let’s write complex sentences

•Combine these independent clauses by making one of the clauses subordinate with a subordinating conjunction.▫Example:

I don’t usually like onions. I loved that onion dip you made for the party.

▫Example: I studied for my history test for 2 hours last

night. I made an A on my test.

Let’s write compound-complex sentences•Combine the three independent clauses

by joining two of them with a coordinating conjunction and one of them with a subordinating conjunction.▫Example

Ice cream is my favorite dessert. I made homemade butter pecan ice cream. I shared it with all of my friends.

Story starter—pick one

•I walked into school this morning to discover all of the teachers and administrators were gone.

•My friend, Bob, and I finally convinced our parents to let us go ______________.

•Come up with your own.