Mission 3- Sentence Structure Flashcards
What are the components of a clause?
For a clause you need a subject and a finite verb (ie a verb that indicates when the action occurred). Without these components you have a phrase.
What makes up an independent clause?
An independent clause has a subject and finite verb, and it can stand alone as a sentence. It’s finite verb is called the main verb of the sentence.
What makes dependent clauses different?
They cannot stand alone as sentences. These clauses have specific purposes; usually to enhance or modify sentences.
What are the 3 types of dependent clauses
- Subordinate clauses 2. Relative clauses 3. Noun Clauses
What are subordinating conjunctions and how do they affect a sentence?
These will make an independent clause dependent if added to the start of a sentence.
For instance: IF John went to the airport v John went to the airport.
What are these words examples of:
After, before, until, once, while, because, if, unless, though even though, as much, just as?
These are examples of subordinating conjunctions.
Subordinate clause= ____+____+____
Subordinating conjunction + subject +finite verb
What is a sentence, how does the resulting classification of a sentence matter?
A sentence is a collection of words that contains at least one independent clause. This matters because ICs have a subject and a finite verb. So a sentence must also have these components.
If a GMAT answer choice does not incorporate a subject and a main verb, then…
It is not a correct answer
What are simple sentences?
These are independent clauses followed by a period. They are the simplest collection of words that can make up an English sentence.
How can two independent clauses go together in a sentence?
Two independent clauses can go together in a sentence when they are separated by a comma and a coordinating conjunction. When this happens, you have a compound sentence.
OR
They can be joined by a semicolon
List the coordinating conjunctions:
For And Nor But Or Yet So
Compound sentence= _______ +__+___+_______
Independent clause+comma+coordinating conjunction+ another independent clause
When can a semicolon correctly be used in a sentence?
When it is preceded and followed by an independent clause.
A colon must be preceded by a(n):
Independent clause. What follows the colon need not be an independent clause, although it can be. Both these sentences work:
- I like strawberries: their taste, smell and texture.
- Here is a simple rule for being happy: find gratitude in your life.
A colon cannot be used when:
The sentence preceding it is incomple/cannot stand alone.
EG: My morning routine included: pushups and situps
What are complex sentences made up of? When do you need commas in complex sentences?
Complex sentences include one independent clause and one subordinate clause.
You only need the comma in these cases when the subordinate clause comes before the independent clause, for ex:
Because I love the ocean, I left home and went to the beach.
That, which, who, whom, whose, where, when are examples of:
Relative pronouns and therefore relative clauses, which are the second type of dependent clauses.
In relative clauses, the relative pronoun can be the _____ of the clause
The relative pronoun the SUBJECT of the relative clause. In the sentence
“The man who lives next to me plays the guitar”. Who (relative pronoun) is the subject of the relative clause. It cannot be dropped.
The baboon that Irving was feeding was aggressive.
vs
The baboon Irving was feeding was aggressive.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE
In the second sentence, the relative pronoun got dropped. This is only possible when the relative pronoun is not the subject of the relative clause. Irving is now the subject.
“The books that the librarian brought down to the office.”
What can you change in this sentence, and still have it be correct?
–> The books the librarian brought down…
The relative pronoun “that” is not the subject of the relative clause so it can be dropped.
When there are relative clauses in a sentences, you need to ensure that there is also a ____ ______
Main verb. Relative clauses need independent clauses joined to them (eg a main verb). The verbs within relative clauses are not main verbs and thus you risk only having a sentence fragment.
The GMAT often uses relative clauses to produce _______ ________?
Sentence fragments. Take the below for instance:
“Max Plank, who is considered one of the most important figures in modern physics.”
Has no main verb/no independent clause.
“That holiday leave had been cancelled depressed many at the company”
What is this an example of?
A noun clause.
Many noun clauses begin with:
Noun clauses can fulfill the role of what in a sentence?
They can be the subject of the sentence.
“WHERE WE MET is none of your business”
Where we met- the noun clause is also the subject.
I knew dinner would be served soon vs I knew that dinner would be served soon
What is the difference?
The noun clause- that dinner would be served soon, serves as the direct object and so the word “that” can be dropped.
How do you distinguish between noun clauses and relative clauses?
Relative clauses follow nouns and modify that noun.
–> The elephants that live in the area generally avoid humans.
Noun clauses act as nouns.
–> That George had won the election surprised nobody
When three or more items appear in a series, you need two things:
A comma and a coordinating conjunction.
I like planes: their engines, cabins, and overall feel.
