This presentation about the three types of sentences; simple, complex, and compound sentences

1. Mr O’Meara

2. Working in pairs, write a working definition
of a sentence.
Now let’s look at what a serious dictionary
has to say.

3. A linguistic form (a word or a sequence of
words arranged in a grammatical
construction) which is not part of a larger
construction, typically expressing an
independent statement, inquiry or
command.
(Macquarie Dictionary, Third Edition)

4. Let’s try for something simpler.
A piece of language expressing a
complete statement, inquiry or command.

5. 1. The dog ran.
2. The dog.
3. Ran down the road.
4. Last week, the dog.
5. Sit!
6. What is the time?
7. Mr Jones’ red fire engine.
8. Anyone who has a heart.
9. The answer, my friend.
10. I hope you had the time of your life.

6. Subject: What we are talking about.
Predicate: the action associated with the
subject.
 This phrase contains the verb and other
information.

7. 1. The dog ran.
 subject + predicate = sentence
2. The dog.
 Subject only = fragment
3. Ran down the road.
 Predicate only = fragment.
4. Last week, the dog.
 Subject only = fragment
5. Sit!
 Implied subject + predicate = sentence

8. 6. What is the time?
 Subject + predicate = sentence
7. Mr Jones’ red fire engine.
 Subject only = fragment
1. Anyone who has a heart.
 Subject only = fragment
6. The answer, my friend.
 Two possible subject = fragment.
7. I hope you had the time of your life.
 Subject + predicate = sentence.

9. Sometimes you will use fragments in your
writing.
But they are not full sentences.
Use them with care.

10. eg. I walked into the room and the dog
was on the bed. The dog. The bed.

11. “I decided to go to the shop for...” he said,
“I can’t remember what for.”

12. Simple sentences
Compound sentences
Complex sentences
Compound-complex sentences
But first we need to understand about
clauses.

13. The building blocks of sentences.
 Independent clause
▪ Can stand alone as a complete sentence.
▪ The dog raced down the road.
▪ The tennis balls were smashed across the court.
 Dependant clause
▪ Only part of a sentence; it cannot stand alone.
▪ To follow the ball.
▪ After colliding with the racquet.

14. One independent clause.
Just one thought.
 Indiana sat down on her bed.
Can contain multiples of subject or object.
 Indiana and Emmylou slept on the floor and
the couch.

15. Write two simple sentences.

16. A sentence that has two or more
independant clauses.
 Usually joined by a conjunction.
▪ eg. unless, because, but, rather than.
 Conjunctions create a relationship.
 This is an excellent way to demonstrate the
connection between events and information.

17. Basic: Indiana smells
nice.
Basic: Indiana just had
a bath.
Compound: Indiana
smells nice because
she just had a bath.

18. Basic: Emmylou was frightened by the
thunder.
Basic: Emmylou jumped into my lap.
Compound: Emmylou jumped into my lap
because she was frightened by the
thunder.

19. You can also make a compound sentence
using a semi colon.
This is useful when you don’t want to, or
don’t need to, explain the connection
between the ideas.
eg. Emmylou jumped into my lap; she was
frightened by the thunder.

20. Let’s take a quick detour and look at some
conjunctions.

21. There are lots of words used as
conjunctions but only a few simple types.
 Conditional
 Reason
 Choice
 Contrast
 Location
 Result
 Time

22. Shows a conditional link between clauses.
 Unless
 Provided that
 If
 Even if
Indiana will stay on the couch unless she
hears the fridge door open.

23. One clause is the reason for the other.
 Because
 As
 As If
Indiana sat on the floor because
Emmylou was on the couch.

24. Demonstrates choices or options.
 Rather than
 Than
 Whether
 Or
Indiana likes to sleep inside rather than
sit outside.

25. Contrasts one clause with another.
 Rather than
 Than
Emmylou runs faster than Indiana.

26. Shows location connection.
 Where
 Whereas
Last week it was raining in Williamstown
where I was riding my Zen bike.

27. One clause is a result of the other.
 In order that
 So
 So that
 That
I left out the book so that Emmylou could
eat most of it.

28. Show a time connection between the
clauses.
 While
 Once
 When
 Since
 Whenever
 After
 Before
 Until
 As Soon As.

29. Notice how the meaning is slightly different each
time.
 Indiana barks while it is dark outside.
 Indiana barks once it is dark outside.
 Indiana barks when it is dark outside.
 Indiana has been barking since it became dark
outside.
 Indiana barks whenever it is dark outside.
 Indiana barks after it is dark outside.
 Indiana barks before it is dark outside.
 Indiana barks until it is dark outside.
 Indiana barks as soon as it is dark outside.

30. Write your own compound sentence with:
a) a reason conjunction,
b) a result conjunction,
c) a conditional conjunction,
d) a semi-colon in place of a conjunction,
e) a contrast conjunction, and
f) a time conjunction.

32. A sentence with one independent clause
and at least one dependant clause.
Although Indiana is not very bright, she is
a wonderful pet.
Although Indiana is not very bright
(dependant clause), she is a wonderful
pet (independent clause).

33. Identify the independent and dependent
clauses in this complex sentences.
 Since I was starving, I went out for a drink and
a pizza.
 After seeing the movie, I decided that I would
not bother watching For Your Consideration
again on DVD.
 Although I was very tired, I could not sleep.

34. Write two complex sentences.

35. A sentence that has at least two
independent clauses and at least one
dependant clause.
These are the most complicated
sentences but perfectly simple really.
Identify the two independent clauses and
the dependant clause in the following
examples.

36. Indiana went to the shops although
Emmylou, being terribly tired, stayed
home to snooze.
I wanted to stay in bed but I decided, after
a brief mental struggle, to get up and go to
work.
We could study sentences for ever, it is
tempting, or play at little, by this I mean
just one, game of silent ball.

37. What type of sentence is each of these?
a) Because it was raining, I went inside.
b) I was playing video games and the rain
stopped.
c) I looked outside, just to be sure, and saw that
the rain had started again.
d) The rain fell down.

38. e) The rain fell some more and I moved onto a
new video game.
f) It was great but...
g) The roof fell in.
h) The power shorted out because of all the
water, as you’d expect.
i) So I went back to bed.

40. a) Because it was raining, I went inside.
 (complex)
b) I was playing video games and the rain
stopped.
 (compound)
c) I looked outside, just to be sure, and saw
that the rain had started again.
 (compound-complex)
d) The rain fell down.
 (simple)

41. e) The rain fell some more and I moved onto a new
video game.
▪ (compound)
f) It was great but...
▪ (fragment)
g) The roof fell in.
▪ (simple)
h) The power shorted out because of all the water,
as you’d expect.
▪ (compound-complex)
i) So I went back to bed. (fragment, dependant
clause).

42. Write.
a) Four simple sentences.
b) Three compound sentences.
c) Two complex sentences.
d) One compound-complex sentence.