Clauses And Sentences

Question 1

What is a clause?

Answer 1

Group of words that has both a subject and a predicate. Every complete sentence is made up of at least one clause.

Question 2

What is an Independent clause (main clause)?

Answer 2

It makes sense by itself. It expresses a complete thought. It is a part of a sentence that can stand alone because it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Question 3

What is a dependent clause (subordinate clause)?

Answer 3

It does not make sense by itself. It does not express a complete thought. A dependant clause will make sense only when attached to an independent clause.

Question 4

What is an example of a clause?

Answer 4

“Michael bought a new computer.” (One sentence, one clause)

Question 5

How many clauses are in this sentence? “Michael bought a new computer.”

Answer 5

One clause, one sentence.

Question 6

Identify the type of clause and how many there are in the sentence. “Michael bought a new computer, but he still has the old one.”

Answer 6

Independent clause. [ Two independent clauses (coordinating conjunctions do not count as part of the clause.)]

Question 7

What will a dependant clause usually begin with?

Answer 7

Subordinating conjunction, a relative pronoun, or some other word that causes it to become dependant.

Question 8

Identify the type of clause. “Although he still has his old one.”

Answer 8

Dependant clause. “Although” is a subordinating conjunction. Without the conjunction, the clauses becomes independent.

Question 9

What will make the dependant clause, “Although he still has his old one” make sense? Include an example.

Answer 9

Combined with an independent clause, the dependant clause makes sense. Example : “Michael now has a new computer although he still has his old one.”

Question 10

Where do dependant clauses come in between an independent clause?

Answer 10

Dependant clauses can come after, before, or in the middle of the independent clause.

Question 11

What is a subordinating conjunction? Include examples.

Answer 11

Subordinating conjunctions are usually in the beginning of dependant clauses. Example : After, because, now that, till, although, etc.

Question 12

What two key elements does a sentence need have in order to be complete?

Answer 12

A subject and a verb. It must form a complete idea.

Question 13

What is typically a noun or a pronoun in a sentence?

Answer 13

A subject. And, if there’s a subject, there’s bound to be a verb because all verbs need a subject.

Question 14

What’s the object of a sentence?

Answer 14

It is the thing that’s being acted upon by the subject. Example: “Claire walks her dog.” In this complete sentence, “Claire” is the subject, “walks” is the verb, and “dog” is the object. (“Her” is simply a required pronoun in this example.)

Question 15

What are the types of sentences?

Answer 15

Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex.

Question 16

What is a simple sentence? What do they express?

Answer 16

A simple sentence contains a subject and a verb. It expresses a single complete thought that can stand on its own.

Question 17

Identify the sentence type in this text, “The baby cried for food.” Explain.

Answer 17

A simple sentence. There is a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.

Question 18

Identify the sentence type in this text, “Professor Maple’s intelligent students completed and turned in their homework.” Explain.

Answer 18

A simple sentence. A simple sentence does not necessarily have to be short. It can have adjectives. In this case, there are two verbs “completed” and “turned in.” However, the sentence expresses one complete thought and therefore is a simple sentence.

Question 19

What is a compound sentence?

Answer 19

A compound sentences has two independent clauses. Basically, a compound contains two simple sentences. These independent clauses are joined by a conjunction (for, and, norm but, or, yet, so).

Question 20

Identify the sentence type in this text, “The shoplifter had stolen clothes, so he ran once he saw the police.” Explain.

Answer 20

It is a compound sentence. Both sides of the conjunction “so” are complete sentences. “The shoplifter had stolen clothes” can stand alone and so can “he ran once he saw the police.” Therefore, this is a compound sentence.

Question 21

What is a complex sentence?

Answer 21

A complex sentence is an independent clause joined by one or more dependant clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator (as, because since, after, although, when) or relative pronouns (who, that, which).

Question 22

What does a dependant clause lack?

Answer 22

It either lacks a subject or a verb or has both a subject and a verb that does not express a complete thought.

Question 23

Identify the sentence type in this text, “After eating lunch at The Cheesecake Factory, Tim went to the gym to exercise.” Explain.

Answer 23

It is a complex sentence. The independent clause is “Tim went to the gym to exercise.” The subordinating clause before it is dependant on the main, independent clause. If one were to say “after eating lunch at The Cheesecake Factory,” it would be an incomplete thought.

Question 24

Identify the sentence type in this text, “Opinionated women are given disadvantages in societies that privilege male accomplishments.” Explain.

Answer 24

It is a complex sentence. The subject is “opinionated women” and the verb is “are given.” The first part of the sentence “opinionated women are given disadvantages in societies” is an independent clause that expresses a complete thought. The following “that privilege male accomplishments” is a relative clause that describes which types of societies.

Question 25

Identify the sentence type in this text, “ The woman who taught Art History 210 was fired for stealing school supplies.” Explain.

Answer 25

The dependant clause in this sentence is “Who taught Art History 210” because if removed, the rest of the sentence would stand as an independent clause. “Who taught Art History 210” is an adjective clause that provides necessary details about the subject, woman.

Question 26

What is a Compound-Complex sentence?

Answer 26

A compound-complex sentence has two independent clauses and at least one dependant clause.

Question 27

Identify the sentence type in this text, “ After the two soccer platers lost their game, they joined their other teammates for lunch, and they went to the movies.” Explain.

Answer 27

It is compound-complex. If we remove the dependant clause “after the two soccer players lost their game,” we have a compound sentence. The dependant clause makes this sentence compound-complex.