1. Sentence Structure
By Gustavo Pérez

2. Sentence Structure
Skill focus: The production of
grammatically correct, structurally sound
and meaningful sentences.

3. What is a Clause?
A clause is a group of words that contains both
and subject and verb.
There are two clauses DEPENDENT and
INDEPENDENT.
DEPENDENT clauses have a subject and verb,
but they do not make sense by themselves.
They depend on something else in order to
make sense.
INDEPENDENT clause have a subject and verb
and are complete thoughts. They can stand
alone.

4. Example Dependent Clause
Before we start
After the sun went down
While we waited
When we were younger

5. Example Independent Clauses
We will say a prayer.
We made a bonfire on the beach.
We listened to our I-pods.
We played silly games.

6. Simple and Compound Sentences
Simple Sentence = ONE independent
clause and NO dependent clauses.
– Ex. Brandy’s favorite assignment is writing.
Compound Sentence = Two or more
independent clauses and NO dependent
clauses.
– Ex. Brandy likes to write; she loves the
challenge.

7. Complex Sentences
Complex Sentence = ONE independent
clause and one or more dependent
clauses.
– Ex. When we went fishing, I had no luck.
– Ex. The president of student council, who is
my best friend, is a true leader.
– Ex. I love the way she sings because she
sounds like an angel.

8. Kinds of Dependent Clauses
Adjective Clause = a dependent clause
used as an adjective.
It answers the questions: what kind, which
one, how many, or how much.
Adjective clauses usually start with words
such as: who, whom, whose, that, or
which.
Ex. Max is a student who likes to learn.

9. Kinds of Dependent Clauses
Adverb Clause = a dependent clause used
as an adverb.
It answers the questions: where, when,
why, how, to what extent, and under what
conditions.
Adverb clauses usually start with words
such as: before, because, or when.
Ex. Because the weather was bad, school
was cancelled.

10. Kinds of Dependent Clauses
Noun Clause – a dependent clause uses
as a noun.
It can be used as a subject, P.N., D.O.,
I.O., or O.P.
Noun clauses can start with words such
as: that, whomever, whichever, what, or
who.
Ex. Whoever is making that noise must stop!

11. Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence = TWO or
more independents clause and one or
more dependent clauses.
– Ex. While we were waiting, she challenged
me to a game of tic-tac-toe, and I won!