A simple sentenceconsists of one independent clause. A compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses. Let’s discuss the main of them. Using some compound sentences in writing allows for more sentence variety. The old fellow fidgeted a bit. Each of these can be identified by the number and types of clauses found within them. In What is a Sentence? Learn the different parts of a complex sentence. If, on the other hand, the sentence begins with an independent clause, there is not a comma separating the two clauses. One of the easiest ways to spot text that requires variety is by noting how each sentence opens. There are four basic sentence structures in English: A simple sentence is a sentence with just one independent clause (also called a main clause): Judy laughed. 5 Rules for Building a Grammatically Correct Sentence. Issue #3: Repetitive sentence structure. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines. The Mastering the Mechanics webinar series also describes required sentence elements and varying sentence types. Before: “The boy walked home after visiting his grandmother.” It covers grammar explained on our Sentence Structure page. It also includes examples of common sentence problems in written English. A sentence’s “structure” is the way its words are arranged. Sentences that require a … SENTENCE STRUCTURE CHECKER: It is a problem that can completely change the meaning of your article. We missed our plane because we were late. A sentence follows Subject + Verb + Object word order. Simple and compound sentences can be distinguished by the number of independent clauses they have. Just like word choice, writers should strive to vary their sentence structure to create rhythmic prose and keep their reader interested. It is one of the best ways to start learning the language and having conversations right away.. Did you know that you can make over 30 sentences in just a few minutes? A coordinating conjunction is a word that glues words, phrases, or clauses together. 2. Key: independent clause = yellow, bold; comma  or semicolon = pink, regular font; coordinating conjunction = green, underlined; dependent clause = blue, italics. It must be attached to an independent clause to become complete. In What is a Sentence? The following statements are true about sentences in English: A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb, and it may also have an object and modifiers. She finished her homework and went for a walk. Key: independent clause = yellow, bold; comma = pink, regular font; dependent clause = blue, italics. Use Word 2 Sentence tool to add 5 example sentences to every word in your list, making them easier to understand and remember.Word 2 Sentence tool to add 5 example sentences to every word in your list, making them easier to understand and remember. Take up this practice quiz and see if you can determine the different types of sentences and defend your argument. For example, this sentence doesn’t contain parallel structure: “On my day off, I enjoy stopping at the bank, mow the lawn, and have a conversation with my neighbor.” Corrected, it reads: “On my day off, I enjoy stopping at the bank, mowing the lawn, and having a conversation with my neighbor.” Of course, a comma isn't required to create a complex sentence. Subject: A person, animal, place, thing, or concept that does an action. These two independent clauses can be combined with a comma and a coordinating conjunction or with a semicolon. "Having been doing" is the present participle or gerund of "to have been doing", which combines present perfect ("to have -ed") and continuous ("to be -ing"). In English, we have four main sentence structures: the simple sentence, the compound sentence, the complex sentence, and the compound-complex sentence. Conversely, well-crafted longer sentences can develop a key idea, add in … EnglishClub: Learn English: Grammar: The 4 Types of Sentence Structure The 4 Types of Sentence Structure. Sentence Structure. During the revision process, make sure that you vary your sentence structure too. Simple sentences have a subject, verb, and object. Let’s discuss the main of them. Sentence structure is not just a matter of grammar, but also of style and flow. On the back of the card, you will include the definition of the term and three examples. The sentence has to end with … (A dependent clause starts with a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun, and contains a subject and verb, but does not express a complete thought.). Independent clause: An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. Many writing guides tell us to avoid dangling modifiers, and sentences with this same structure are used as examples: Running for the bus, my book fell in the mud. Search our website or email us. A sentence could be a command, a statement, an exclamation, a question. Removing these errors needs a lot of knowledge. When? (An independent clause contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought.). Review the following paragraphs sentence variety: Each uses a specific combination of independent and dependent clauses to help make sure that our sentences are strong, informational, and most importantly, that they make sense! Here's an example: There we have the independent clause, a comma, and the dependent clause, in that order. in the English Language A sentence is a group of words that are put together to make one complete thought.. Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses. we saw the minimum requirements for the formation of a sentence. Not only this, they can even make your articles difficult to read. Keep the four different sentence types in mind: 1. (When you join two independent clauses with only a comma, it's a mistake called a comma splice .) However, we don’t know the subject is Maria until after the end of the participle clause, so the subject is implied. Grammatically, we say that a sentence must have a predefined structure. This lack of subject variety can be distracting to a reader. 1. Key: Yellow, bold = subject; green underline = verb, blue, italics = object, pink, regular font =prepositional phrase. 2. The chief ingredients of a good essay include not only the content and your arguments, but also the sentence structures and grammar that bind them together and make the presentation as delightful to the reader, as a good dish is to a connoisseur foodie. A prepositional phrase answers one of many questions. A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. The number one friend to a complex sentence is the comma. 5 Rules for Building a Grammatically Correct Sentence. 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