Grammar Mini-Lesson #1

Phrases,
Clauses & the 4 Types of
Sentences.

What is a phrase?
By definition, a phrase is a group of words that
contains either a subject or a predicate, but not
both, and serves a single part of speech.
There are many types of phrases:
Verbal (derived from a verb, has the power of a verb,

but acts as another part of speechi.e. to appear cool

is an infinitive verbal phrase)
Prepositional (consists of a preposition, its object, and
any modifiersi.e. in the park)
Appositive (consists of a noun and its modifiers,
follows another noun or pronoun and renames iti.e. I
immediately recognized him as Buddy, my old boyfriend
from college.)

What is a clause?
By definition, a clause is a group of words
that contains a subject and a predicate (a
verb).
There are two categories of clauses:
Independent or Main (a clause that is a
sentence on its own)
Dependent or Subordinate (a clause that needs
to be joined with an Independent clause)

What is a clause?
Within the dependent clause category
there are three types:
Adverb clauses (begin with subordinating
conjunctions i.e. when, since, if, and so on)

Adjective clauses (begin with relative

pronouns i.e. who, which, that, and so on)

Noun clauses (begin with what, whatever,

that, who, or whoever)

Practice
Identify each underlined clause, Independent or Dependent. For each
dependent clause, identify it as an adjective clause, an adverb clause or a
noun clause.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and
the earth, casting a shadow.
(Independent clause)
Scientists have studied what happens during a solar eclipse.
(noun dependent clause)
In 1999, thousands of Europeans cheered as the moons shadow
fell upon them.
(independent clause)
A solar eclipse is a natural phenomenon that can help scientists
learn more about our red-hot power source, the sun.
(adjective dependent clause)

Types of Sentences
Sentences can be classified in many ways, and its
helpful to consider the potential effect a particular type of
sentence might have on a reader in a certain situation.
One of the most basic ways of classifying sentences is
according to the number and type of clauses in them.
There are four types of sentences:
Simple sentences
Compound sentences
Complex sentences
Compound-complex sentences

Simple Sentences
A simple sentence has a single independent clause.
Abraham Lincoln struggled to save the Union.

Within, its single clause, a simple sentence can have a

compound subject, a compound verb, or both.
Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson struggled to save the

Union.
Abraham Lincoln struggled to save the Union and persevered.
Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson struggled to save the
Union and persevered.

Compound Sentences
A compound sentence has two (or more)
independent clauses, each of which could exist
as a simple sentence if you removed the
conjunction connecting them.
Abraham Lincoln struggled to save the Union, and
Andrew Johnson assisted him.
Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson struggled to
save the Union and persevered, but the leaders of the
Confederacy insisted that the rights of the states were
more important than the maintenance of the Union.

Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has one
independent clause and at least one
dependent.
When the leaders of the Confederacy insisted
that the rights of the states were more important
than the maintenance of the Union, Abraham
Lincoln and Andrew Johnson struggled to save
the Union and persevered.

Compound-Complex Sentences
A compound-complex sentence has the
defining features of both a compound
sentence and a complex sentence: at least
two independent and at least one
dependent.
When the leaders of the Confederacy insisted
that the rights of the states were more important
than the maintenance of the Union, Abraham
Lincoln struggled to save the Union and
persevered, and Andrew Johnson assisted him.

Why should I be concerned with whether a sentence is simple,

compound, complex, or compound, complex when I am analyzing
someone elses writing or planning your own?

Function grows out of form.

When you need to make a succinct point, often a short,
simple sentence will do so effectively. A short simple
sentences can suggest to a reader that you are in
control, that you want to make a strong point.
If youre trying to show how ideas are balanced and
related in terms of equal importance, a compound
sentence can convey that to the reader.
A single compound sentence or a series of them in a
composition can suggest to your reader that you are the
kind of person who takes a balanced view of challenging
issues, that you want to give equal weight to more than
one side of an issue.

Why should I be concerned with whether a sentence is simple,

compound, complex, or compound, complex when I am analyzing
someone elses writing or planning your own?

If you want to show more complicated relationships

between ideas, then complex and compound-complex
sentences can communicate the intricacies of your
thinking.
A single complex or compound complex sentence or a
series of them can cue a reader that yours is a mind that
willingly takes up complicated issues and tries to make
sense of them, both for yourself and for your readers.

Loose vs. Periodic Sentences

A second method of analyzing sentences looks
at them in terms of another important structural
distinctionas loose sentences or periodic
sentences.
Sentences vary along the loose-periodic
continuum according to how they incorporate
extra details in relation to basic sentence
elements.
Basic elements of every sentence in English are:
Subjects, verbs, and complements.

Here is a sentence with just two basic elements:

Abraham Lincoln wept.

Loose Sentences
A loose sentence is a basic sentence with
details added immediately at the end of
the basic sentence elements:
Abraham Lincoln wept, fearing that the Union
would not survive if the southern states
seceded.

Periodic Sentences
A periodic sentence is a sentence in which
additional details are placed in one of two
positions, either before the basic sentence
elements or in the middle of them.
Alone in his study, lost in somber thoughts about
his beloved country, dejected but not broken in
spirit, Abraham Lincoln wept.
Abraham Lincoln, alone in his study, lost in
somber thoughts about his beloved country,
dejected but not broken in spirit, wept.

Loose vs. Periodic Sentences

Understanding the concepts of loose and
periodic, you can achieve sentence variety by
writing sentences that move along a looseperiodic continuum.
Abraham Lincoln considered the Union an inviolable,
almost eternally inspired, concept.
(loose sentence)
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught philosopher, a political
scientist even before there was such a field, considered
the Union an inviolable, almost eternally inspired,
concept.
(periodic sentence)

Loose vs. Periodic Sentences

Differences in these sentences can be heardin
what is emphasized, as well as in how quickly a
reader reads them. Writers use these sentences
to effect changes in meaning. Readers use
them to understand meaning more clearly.
The structure of a sentence affects the pacing of a
text.
Loose sentences move quickly.
Periodic sentences work with delaypostponing
the completing of the sentence until all the
details have been provided.

Activity
Do you think the following sentence from
Booker T. Washingtons Up from Slavery is
loose or periodic?
In order to defend and protect the women and
children who were left on the plantation when
the white males went to war, the slaves would
lay down their lives.