Brief of Sentence Structures

Several things have been done and prepared during & after the flooding. As a result, I have had the one of those to present. Hope that it would be useful as the brief to be referred to. In addition to the brief of writing, I have just added the diagram below.

The Four Standard Sentence Structures

1) Simple Sentence

1)   A sentence has only one independent clause also known as the main clause.

2)   The simple sentence can have two nouns or verbs called the compound noun or verb. The compound noun or verb is not the compound sentence.

3)   Phrases, added to the main clause, can act as the adjective to modify noun or the adverb to modify verb in the simple sentence, etc.

Simple Sentence:

Another book was so interesting to the readers, given at the New Year party. (participial phrase to modify noun)

The boys and girls did their workshop to practice their knowledge. (infinitive phrase to modify verb)

The way to know him is to compare him, not with nature, but with other men. (infinitive phrase to modify noun)

2)  Compound Sentence

1)   A sentence has at least two independent clauses.

2)   It can be formed by using coordinating conjunctions preceded with commas.

3)   It can be formed by using the semicolon, with or without conjunctive adverbs.

4)   Using a colon if the second clause further explains the first clause.

5)   Using the correlative conjunctions to join the clauses.
6)   All clauses are emphasized equally.
7)   Conjunctive Adverb is used with the semicolon and the comma when it connects two clauses.

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

He couldn’t go home, for Jane went shopping.

Conjunctive Adverbs:  He went to the store; however, he did not buy anything.

Only semicolon is used: He went to the store; he did not buy anything.

Colon: My walk in the park was not so pleasant: I was chased by a dog.

Correlative Conjunctions: either..or / neither..nor/ not only..,but also/ both..and/ whether..or/  just as..,so

Just as many Americans love football, so many Canadians love ice hockey.

3) Complex Sentence

1)   A sentence has an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

2)   The dependent clause can be the adverbial clause (subordinating clause) or the adjective clause (relative clause) or the noun clause (what clause/that clause).

3)   The adverbial clause begun with the subordinating conjunction only gives the incomplete thought and needs the main clause for the completion. Punctuation as comma is necessary and before the main clause if the sentence begins with the adverbial clause.

4)   The adverbial clause with the subordinating conjunction functions as the adverb, relating to time, place, condition, reason, result, purpose, concessive and manner, for the main clause

5)   The adjective clause with the relative pronoun or the relative adverb always follows the main clause to modify noun in the main clause.

6)   No comma is before the essential relative clause while the comma is needed for the none important relative clause.

7)   The noun clause functions as a noun of the main clause, such as  what clause and the rest of question words, that clause, etc. The noun clause is used to emphasize the information in the main clause.

  

Adverbial clause:

Her goldfish died when she was young. (Time clause)

The restaurant is nice why we often come here. (reason)

There is oxygen where there are many trees. (place)

Adjective clause:

Relative pronoun: who, whom, whose, which or that.

Relative adverb: when= on which, where= at/in which, why= for which

She chose Sunday on which (when) she could celebrate her new position.

Tell me (the reason) for which (why) you were late home.

That’s the place at/in which (where) we met to have dinner last night.

4) The Compound Complex Sentence

1)   A sentence has two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

2)   Two or more independent clauses joined in the sentence makes the compound pattern.

3)   Only one independent clause and its modifying dependent clause will make the complex pattern.

4)   Item 2 & 3 will be mixed to have the pattern no four.