Clause and Sentence Structure (Explanation)

Clause and Sentence Structure

Key Concepts

Types of Clauses

  • Independent Clause: A complete idea containing a subject and a verb.

  • Subordinate Clause: An incomplete idea that supports the subject or verb with additional details.

    • Adverbial Clause: Modifies or provides details about the verb of an independent clause.

    • Relative Clause: Modifies or provides details about the subject of an independent clause.

Sentence Components

  • Subject: The noun performing the action.

  • Verb: The action performed by the subject.

  • Object: The noun affected by the action.

  • Conjunction: Joins independent or subordinate clauses.

    • Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Sentence Structures

  • Simple Sentence: Contains one independent clause.

    • Example: "A lonely old man walked into the soup kitchen."

  • Compound Sentence: Contains two independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction.

    • Example: "He is a good climber, /so/ he will simply maintain his current speed."

  • Complex Sentence: Contains one independent clause and one subordinate clause with a subordinating conjunction.

    • Example: "When I opened the door (sub), /my dog ran past me into the garden. (Ind)"

  • Compound-Complex Sentence: Contains one subordinate clause and two independent clauses connected by coordinating conjunctions.

    • Example: "The Year 12 students liked pizza, /so/ they requested it for lunch every day (Ind), /until there was an outbreak of food poisoning. (Sub)"

Process for Deconstructing Sentences

  1. Identify the verb (action) in the sentence.

  2. Identify the subject (who/what performs the action).

  3. Look for conjunctions (FANBOYS and subordinating), though they may not always be present.

  4. Draw breaks between clauses using /'s.

    • Note: FANBOYS conjunctions are never included in clauses, they must be separate.