Proper Sentence Structuring

What is a sentence?

A set of words ordered to express a complete thought

What is a clause?

A word group containing a subject and a verb

What is an independent clause?

A clause with a subject and predicate that expresses a complete thought and can stand alone (I am studying.)

What is a dependent clause?

A clause that begins with a subordinating word and cannot stand alone (Although I feel confident...)

What are examples of subordinating words?

Although, because, since

What is a phrase?

A word group without a subject and verb pair that functions as a single part of speech (for my TEAS exam)

What is a simple sentence?

One independent clause (Charlie studies every day.)

What is a complex sentence?

One independent clause plus one or more dependent clauses

What is a compound sentence?

Two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or semicolon

What is a compound

complex sentence?

What are the coordinating conjunctions?

For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS)

What are the eight parts of speech?

Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, interjection

What is a noun?

A person, place, thing, or idea

What is a pronoun?

A word that takes the place of a noun (she, they, we)

What is a verb?

A word that describes an action or state of being

What is an adjective?

A word or phrase that describes or modifies a noun

What is an adverb?

A word or phrase that describes or modifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

What is a preposition?

A word that describes relationships between other words (before, since, according to)

What is a conjunction?

A connecting word (and, so, but)

What is an interjection?

A word or phrase that represents a short burst of emotion (Ouch! Yay!)

What is a predicate?

The part of a sentence that explains what the subject does or is like

What is a simple subject?

The main noun or pronoun of the sentence

What is a complete subject?

The simple subject plus all its modifiers (the eager, enthusiastic child)

What is a simple predicate?

The main verb of the sentence

What is a complete predicate?

The verb plus all its complements and modifiers

What is a modifier?

A word or group of words that provides description for another word (green shirt)

What is a complement?

A sentence part that gives more information about a subject or object and completes the thought (Math is fun.)

What is a direct object?

A word or group of words that receives the action of a verb

How do you find the direct object?

Ask "what?" after the verb (She kicked what? The ball.)

What is an indirect object?

The person or thing to whom or which something is done

How do you find the indirect object?

Ask "to whom?" or "for whom?" (He left me a ticket. For whom? Me.)

What is a prepositional phrase?

A preposition plus its object and modifiers; acts as a modifier (in an excited voice)

What is sentence diagramming?

A visual method of showing how sentence parts relate

What goes on the main line of a sentence diagram?

Subject, verb, and object, separated by vertical lines

Where do modifiers go in a sentence diagram?

On slanted lines below the words they modify

How is a prepositional phrase diagrammed?

The preposition extends from the word it modifies, then introduces its object and modifiers