This paper will tell you about these things:

  1. Four sentence types
  2. Clauses (there are two main types: independent clauses and dependent clauses)
  3. Phrases
  4. Conjunctions (there are three types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions and correlative conjunctions. However, the first two types are much more common than the third.).
  5. Compound sentences.
  6. Conjunctive adverbs.
  7. Some common ways to revise run-on sentences and comma splices.
  8. Indefinitepronouns
  9. Correlative conjunctions and number agreement

FOUR SENTENCE TYPES

  1. A simple sentence has one subject – verb PAIR
  2. A compound sentence has two independent clauses linked together by a correlative conjunction, a coordinating conjunction, or a semicolon functioning as a conjunction.
  3. A complex sentence includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. [Dependent clauses are also called subordinate clauses]. The dependent clause begins with either a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction.
  4. A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses, and at least one dependent clause.

A CLAUSE is a group of words that belong together and have a meaning, and also have BOTH a SUBJECT and a VERB. There are twomain types of clauses:
  1. Independent clauses. The word “independent” means “it can be alone”. An independent clause could be a simple sentence, if it is alone.

  1. Dependent clauses. The word “dependent” means “it cannot be alone; it needs something else”. A dependent clause could NOT be a sentence if it is alone. It needs more words.There are three basic types of dependent clauses:
  2. Adjective clauses(Adjective clauses are also called relative clauses.)
  3. Adverb clauses
  4. Noun clauses.

A PHRASE is a group of words that belong together and have a meaning, but do not have BOTH a SUBJECT and a VERB. A phrasecould have a subject, or a phrase could have a verb, but a phrase can NOT have BOTH a subject and a verb.
There are several types of phrases. We won’t study them very much this semester. However, here are some examples of phrases, just to help you understand:
  1. in the evening (preposition phrase)

  1. was born in Kentucky (verb phrase)

  1. the seven students from Tainan (noun phrase)

CONJUNCTIONSare connectors. Theyconnect words, phrases or clauses.

Coordinating conjunctions = FANBOYS

Subordinating conjunctions = WISH ABOUT

Correlative conjunctions such asEither/or, Neither/nor, Not only/but also

Here is a list of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions:

Coordinators(Coordinating conjunctions) / Subordinators
(subordinating conjunctions)
F / for / W / who, what, where, when,
why, which, whether,
while, whatever, whenever,
wherever, whichever / A / as, after, although,
as if, as though,
as long as,
as much as,
as soon as
A / and / I / if / B / before, because
N / nor / S / since, so that / O / once
B / but / H / how / U / unless, until
O / or / T / than, that, though
Y / yet
S / so
Conjunctions connect words, phrases or clauses.
The two most common types of conjunctions are coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions:
Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) connect words, phrases or clauses that are the SAME type. Here are some examples:
  1. Joy wants to eat soup and salad.
[The coordinating conjunction is “and”. It connects two nouns: “soup” and “salad”. This is NOT a compound sentence.]
  1. Joy wants to eat soup and listen to her favorite songs.
[The coordinating conjunction is “and”. It connects two verb phrases: “eat soup” and “listen to her favorite songs”. This is NOT a compound sentence.]
  1. Joy likes to eat soup, but Kayprefers to eat salad.
[The coordinating conjunction is “but”. It connects two independent clauses: “Joy wants to eat soup” and “Kay wants to eat salad”. This is a compound sentence. There is a comma before the coordinating conjunction that is between the two independent clauses (simple sentences).]
Subordinating conjunctionsconnect independent clauses to dependent clauses to form a complex sentence
* “Because” is probably the most common subordinating conjunction.
* A clause that starts with a subordinating conjunction is a DEPENDENT CLAUSE. It cannot stand alone as a sentence. For example, “Because John is a good student” is NOT A SENTENCE.
* If the dependent clause is the first half of the sentence, then you need to put a comma after that clause. If it is second, then it does not need a comma. For example:
* Susan makes good grades because she studies every day.
* Because Susan studies every day, she makes good grades.
CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBScan also connectclauses.
The purpose of a conjunctive adverb is to show a relationship between clauses. These relationships include comparing or contrasting, showing a sequence of events, or showing a cause and effect.
Semicolons (not commas) are used before conjunctive adverbs whenever they connect independent clauses.If the conjunctive adverb has more than one syllable, it needs a comma. If it only has one syllable, you usually do not need to put a comma after it. For example:
  • Lisa studied very hard for her test; nevertheless, she didn’t do well because she was nervous.
  • Lisa studied very hard for her test; hence her grade was excellent.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS
accordingly / furthermore / moreover / similarly
also / hence / namely / still
anyway / however / nevertheless / then
besides / incidentally / next / thereafter
certainly / indeed / nonetheless / therefore
consequently / instead / now / thus
finally / likewise / otherwise / undoubtedly
further / meanwhile / in fact / in the meantime
on the contrary / that is / on the other hand

Ways to revise a run-on sentence or comma splice:

  1. Rewrite the clauses as two separate sentences.
  2. Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction to form a compound sentence.
  3. Add a semicolon but no coordinating conjunction.
  4. Add a subordinating conjunction to create a complex sentence.
  5. Add a semicolon and a transitional word (conjunctive adverb). Also add a comma after the transitional word, if it has more than one syllable.
  6. Rewrite the sentence to remove one clause, but keep any new information that clause contained.
  7. Add a relative pronoun to create a new dependent clause (in this case, a relative clause).
  8. Rewrite the sentence to change a clause into a phrase.

Grammar: Some indefinite pronouns are always singular, some are always plural, and some can be either singular or plural:

Always singular / Always Plural / Either
Anyone / Everything / Both / All (of the)
Anybody / Neither / Few / Any (of the)
Each / Nobody / Many / More (of the)
Either / Nothing / Several / Most(of the)
Every / Someone / None (of the)
Everyone / Somebody / Some (of the)
Everybody / Something

Correlative conjunctions can be in sentences with a compound subject. The verb agrees with the number of the nearest subject.

  • Neither the teacher nor the studentsknow the answer.
  • Neither the students nor the teacherknows the answer.