Sentences and Clauses

​Simple - one main clause
Compound - two or more main clauses, no subordinate clauses
Complex - one main clause plus one subordinate clause
Compound-Complex - two or more main clauses plus one or more subordinate clauses

​Main (Independent) Clause

• a group of words that contains at least one subject and one verb and that expresses a complete idea

​Subordinate (Dependent) Clause

• a group of words that contains at least one subject and one verb but that does not express a complete idea

• begin with subordinators

  • Adverb subordinate clauses usually modify verbs and begin with subordinators that answer when, why, how, to what degree.

  • Adjective subordinate clauses modify nouns or pronouns and begin with that or which.

​showing that one idea has less value in its placement in a sentence

If two simple sentences are closely related but unequal in importance, combine the sentences and turn the less important idea into a subordinate clause to show its subordinate (or inferior) position.

Example: Many women could not cast a vote in a federal election. The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920.

• Combined: Many women could not cast a vote in a federal election until the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920.

  • (The bold/underlined part is an example of subordination.)

​placing ideas in a sentence so that they have equal value

Coordination is achieved by connecting equal ideas from separate sentences and joining them with a conjunction.

Example: Kangaroos carry their young in pouches. Koalas carry their young in pouches.

• Combined: Combined: Kangaroos and koalas carry their young in pouches.

  • (The bold/underlined part is an example of coordination.)

using appositives and appositive phrases correctly

A noun or pronoun is placed beside another noun or pronoun to identify or describe it.

Example: The cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, was the first person in space.

• Appositive phrase: An appositive and its modifiers.

• Example: Officer Webb, one of the security guards, caught the burglar.

  • (The bold/underlined part is an example of appositive and appositive phrase.)