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The Simpsons Teach

Sentences
Adding Variety to Sentence Structure

To make your writing more


interesting, you should try to vary
your sentences in terms of length and
structure. You can make some of
your sentences long and others short.
Read the two paragraphs on the next
page.
Two Paragraphs
Read the paragraphs below. Choose the paragraph
that is more effective.
Paragraph #1 Paragraph #2
I love living in the city. I have a I love living in the city of San
wonderful view of the entire city. Francisco. I have a
I have an apartment. I can see the wonderful view of the entire city
Golden Gate Bridge. I can see from my apartment
many cargo ships pass under the window. In addition, I can see the
bridge each day. I like the Golden Gate Bridge
restaurants in San Francisco. I under which many cargo ships
can find wonderful food from just pass each day. I also like San
about every country. I don’t like Francisco because I can find
the traffic in the city. wonderful restaurants with food
from just about every country;
however, I don’t like the traffic in
the city.
How do you vary sentence structure?

You will want to use a variety of sentence


structures in your writing. There are three types
of sentences we will study in this lesson:

- Simple Sentence
- Compound Sentence
- Complex Sentence
The Simple Sentence
A simple sentence has one independent clause
(one subject and a verb):

Think of an Independent Clause as


Marge Simpson!

Marge is an independent woman.


She can survive on her own.
Independent (Marge) Clause

• Just like Marge, an


independent clause
can survive on its own.
• It is a complete
sentence which
expresses a complete
thought.
• Subject + Verb
Examples of
Independent (Marge) Clauses
SUBJECT VERB SUBJECT VERB

Bart does not like to go to school. Lisa loves the saxophone.

SUBJECT + VERB

SUBJECT VERB

Homer does not work hard at the power plant.


The Compound Sentence
A compound sentence For  F
contains two
independent clauses And  A
that are joined
together.
Nor  N

A trick to remembering But  B


HOW to join these two Or  O
clauses together is to
use FANBOYS! Yet  Y
So  S
Compound Sentence
,
(Marge + + FANBOYS + Marge)
For
And
Nor
But
Or

, Yet
So
Compound Sentence
,
(Marge + + FANBOYS + Marge)

Bart hates school, so he makes fun of the


teachers.

Homer loves donuts, and he enjoys


spending time at Moe’s.
Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause cannot survive by itself. It
does not express a complete thought. It is NOT
a sentence!
Think of an Dependent Clause as
Homer Simpson!
Homer is messed up when he
is on his own. Without Marge
by his side, things go wrong.
He is DEPENDENT
on Marge and cannot
survive without her.
Examples of Dependent
(Homer) Clauses

Until the next time I


see him
When I ran to the
yellow house
Although I want to get
an A in math
The “AAAWWUBBIS” Words

“AAAWWUBBIS”
are also known as Dependent clauses also
subordinating begin with signal
conjunctions. (AAAWWUBBIS) words.

We will call these


“AAAWWUBBIS” words
because they signal the
beginning of a Homer
clause.
Dependent Clause
“AAAWWUBBIS”
After
Although
As
When
While
Until Although the sun was bright
Because Before class started
Before
If
Since
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence is a combination of an
independent clause and a dependent clause.

Think of a Complex
Sentence as the
partnership between
Marge and
Homer Simpson!
Complex Sentences

Homer(D.C.) , + Marge (I.C.) Marge (I.C.) + Homer (D.C.)

, -OR-

Until Homer met Marge , Homer was a nobody until he


he was a nobody. met Marge.
Until Lisa goes to college , Lisa will have to live with
she will have to live with her her parents until she goes to
parents. college.
A Rule To Know!

A dependent clause
(Homer) must have
an independent
clause (Marge) by it
to be a complete
sentence.
Let’s Review the Three Types of
Sentences!
• Simple Sentences (Marge)
• Compound Sentences
(Marge, + FANBOYS
+Marge)
• Complex (Homer, +
Marge OR Marge +
Homer)
Simple Sentences (Marge)
Subject + Verb
• Marge walks to the lake.
• Homer sleeps too much.
• Bart is cool.
• Lisa will want to get a
dog.
• The last “normal” person
on earth is Ned.
Let’s make
Complex
Sentences.

The
formulas
are...
DEPENDENT

CLAUSE,
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
COMPLEX SENTENCE
Examples of Complex Sentence
,
AAAWWUBBIS + Homer + Marge.

• When the grass turns green, Homer


will have to mow the lawn.
• After Bart passes third grade, there
will be a huge celebration.
OR
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
DEPENDENT
CLAUSE
Examples of Complex Sentence

Marge + Homer (NO COMMA)

Homer will have to mow the lawn


when the grass turns green.

There will be a huge celebration


when Bart passes third grade.
Let’s
practice the
different
kinds of
sentences.
Write your answers on your worksheet.

Hart Middle School is


ranked #1 in the state of
Michigan.

What kind of sentence is


this:
•Simple, Compound, or
Complex?
How can you tell?
Mrs. Leider is quite a
strange teacher, but Mrs.
Nadlonek, Mrs. Schmidt
and Mrs. Lane are even
stranger.
What kind of sentence is
this:
–Simple, Compound, or
Complex?
How can you tell?
Although I can’t swim, the
beach is a glorious vacation
spot.

• What kind of sentence is


this:
–Simple, Compound, or
Complex?
• How can you tell?

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