Sentence Structure

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Sentence Structure

• University of the Sacred Heart
• Department of Humanities
• Center for Language Development Across the
  Disciplines
• LAD

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Objective

• To provide the student with pointers on how to
  construct sentences

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Simple Sentence

• A simple sentence has one subject and one
  predicate

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Simple Sentence
Observe how a simple sentence is constructed
We went to San Juan yesterday.
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Simple Sentence
Pronoun
Verb
Prepositional phrase
We went to San Juan .
Simple subject
Complete predicate
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Compound Sentence

• A compound sentence has more than one part that
  can stand alone (independent clauses)
• Independent clauses are connected by coordinating
  conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs or a semi-colon.

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Compound Sentence
We went to San Juan, and
most of us danced all night.
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Compound Sentence
Subject
Verb
Prepositional phrase
We went to San Juan,
Predicate
Coordinating Conjunction
and most of us danced all night .
Modifying phrase
Subject
Verb
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Compound Sentences

• My parents caught a severe cold consequently,
  they had to cancel their vacation.
• Some people like basketball others prefer
  baseball.

Conjunctive Adverb
Semi-colon
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Complex Sentence

• A complex sentence has at least two parts one
  that can stand alone and another one that cannot
• The part that cannot stand alone is linked to the
  rest of the sentence by a subordinating
  conjunction

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Complex Sentence
Since my boyfriend and I wanted to have fun,
we went to San Juan yesterday.
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Complex Sentence
Since we wanted to have fun,
Part that cannot stand alone
Subordinating Conjunction
Subject
Predicate
we went to San Juan yesterday.
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Compound-Complex Sentence

• This type of sentence has more than one part
  that can stand alone, and at least one that
  cannot
• Notice how the different conjunctions link the
  different parts of this sentence

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Compound-Complex Sentence
Since we wanted to have fun,
my boyfriend and I went to San Juan yesterday,
and we danced all night.
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Compound-Complex Sentence
Subordinating Conjunction
Since we wanted to have fun,
Part that cannot stand alone
my boyfriend and I went to San Juan,
Predicate
Subject
Coordinating Conjunction
and we danced all night.
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For More Information

• Index English Grammar and Composition
• http//www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index2.
• Tons of Fun with Grammar
• http//www.seasite.niu.edu/flin/103_handouts/sent
  ences_and_phrases.htm
• Grammar Book Table of Contents
• http//www.grammarbook.com/exercises/grammar/
• cnt_gram.html

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Thank You

• Center for Language Development Across the
  Disciplines
• Prepared by Thalia N. Nazario-Santiago
• Coordinator for the Center for Languages
  and Cultures
• April-June 2003
• Revised by Patricia Kidd
• August 2004
• Revised by Prof. Delia Serrano
• January 2005