Grammar

EXERCISE 1: SENTENCE STRUCTURING I

Part A) Clause

A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. Clauses are what we are dealing with when we discuss sentence patterns; the types of clauses and number of clauses in a sentence determine the sentence pattern (Postal, 177).

Independent Clause

An independent clause (also called a main clause) contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. If the independent clause is linked to other sentences that complement your sense, then it ceases to be an independent clause and becomes a main clause. Independent clauses can exist alone and can join with other independent clauses by coordinating conjunctions to form compound sentences (Schmerling, 231).

Example: Tomorrow I will go to Washington and visit the monuments

Dependent Clause

The Dependent clause is one that is attached to the main clause by a subordinate conjunction or an adverb or a relative pronoun and designed to complement the main clause either explaining or determining its meaning. By itself, the subordinate clause is meaningless.

Example: Good students take notes and do the exercises when they read this lesson (Postal, 23).

Q. In the following paragraph, identify subordinate (dependent) clauses with parentheses ( ) and main (independent) clauses with brackets [ ].

(Although she has traveled extensively in her dreams), [Audrey has never gone on a real vacation]. [She decides that it is not too late]. [Arming herself with her credit card, Audrey marches into the travel agency], (which happens to be just down the street). [Audrey looks around nervously and then she begins to sweat profusely]. The walls, (which are covered in colorful posters of far-off destinations), seem to be closing in on her, an experience with (which she is familiar.)

Part B) Sentence Fragments, Fused Sentences, and Comma Splices

Identify sentence faults in the following paragraph: enclose sentence fragments in brackets [ ], enclose fused sentences in parentheses ( ), and underline comma splices.

[Audrey bolts from the building]. As the travel agents stare. She takes refuge in a nearby café and orders a cup of strong tea; however the beverage does not calm her nerves as she had hoped it would. (She orders another cup, she finds the tea comforting.) Audrey looks at the travel brochures in her bag and feels her resolve return she finishes her tea and heads back to the travel agency.

Correct:

Audrey bolts from the building of travel agency. As the travel agents stare, she takes refuge in a nearby café and orders a cup of strong tea. However, the beverage does not calm her nerves, as she had hoped it would. She orders another cup, because she finds the tea comforting. Audrey looks at the travel brochures in her bag, and feels her resolve return. She finishes her tea, and heads back to the travel agency.

EXERCISE 2: SENTENCE STRUCTURING II

Part A) Coordination & Subordination

Combine each of the following sets of sentences into one sentence that is an example of coordination and one sentence that is an example of subordination.

1) Suzanne liked the control that driving her own car ...