Sentence Structure and development

Root Words, Prefixes, and SuffixesThe WordWords are broken into partsPrefixes are at the beginning of wordsSuffixes are at the end of wordsA root is a set of letters that have meaning. It is the most basic formA root can be at the front, middle or end of a word.

Combining syllablesWordMeaningFormTo ShapePortTo CarryRuptTo Break or BurstPrefixRe (Again)Re-Form means to shape againDe (Out)De-Port means to carry outInter (in the middle)Inter-rupt means to break in the middleSentence Structure and developmentThe Parts of SpeechOne way to begin studying basic sentence structures is to consider the traditionalparts of speech(also calledword classes): nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections

the parts of speech come in many varieties and may show up just about anywhere in a sentence.

To know for sure what part of speech a word is, we have to look not only at the word itself but also at its meaning, position, and use in a sentence.What is it?The basic parts of a sentence are the subject, theverb, and (often, but not always) theobject. This is the noun or pronoun that comes after the preposition

The subject is usually anoun--a word that names a person, place, or thing. The verb (orpredicate) usually follows the subject and identifies an action or a state of being. An object receives the action and usually follows the verb.ExplanationParts of a sentenceVerbsBy Mrs. Caro

VERBSA verb shows action.Theres no doubt!It tells what the subject does,Like sing and shout!Action verbs are fun to do!Now its time to name a few!So clap your hands and join our rhyme!Say those verbs in record time!Wiggle, Jiggle, Turn aroundRaise your arms and stomp the ground!Shake your finger and wink your eye!Wave those action verbs GOODBYE!Present verbsAn action verb that describes an action that is happening now is called a present tense verb.

The bird flies through the sky.Flies is a present tense verb because it is happening right now.coughedswallowedawakeranridesangThese are Action Verbs:clapPresent tense verbsMany present tense verbs end with s, but some end with es, or ies.sleepssplashescriesPast VerbsVerbs which tell about actions which happened some time ago are past tense verbs.

The dog wanted a bone.Wanted is a past tense verb because the action has already happened.Past tense verbsMany past tense verbs end with ed, but some end with d, or ied.clappedplayedtriedFuture VerbsVerbs which tell about actions which are going to happen are future tense verbs. We will awaken at six a.m.Will awaken is a future tense verb because the action has not yet happened.

Future tense verbsFuture tense verbs use special words to talk about things that will happen: will, going to, shall, aim to, etc.going to startshall emailwill enjoyHelping VerbsA helping verb works with a main verb to help you understand what action is taking place. Elmer was using the computer.

23 Helping Verbsmaymightmust

bebeingbeenamareiswaswere

(main) dodoesdid

(main) shouldcouldwouldhavehadhas

(main) willcanshallHelping VerbsOther things to keep in mind: Not every sentence will have a helping verb with the main verb. When you see an "ing" verb such as "running", be on the lookout for a helping verb also. Helping VerbsSometimes there is another word which separates the helping verb from the main verb. One common example is "not", as in: The boy couldn't find his socks. The helping verb is could and the main verb is find. To find the verb:Locate the subjectThen ask yourself, What is it doing?

The dog barked. Who? barked

dogWhat did the dog do?

The verb is barked, its what the dog is doing.

The big lion roared loudly. Who? roared

LionWhat did the lion do? Lets Practice:

The verb is roared, its what the lion is doing.

The lighthouse shines brightly. What? shines

lighthouseWhat does the lighthouse do? The verb is shines, its what the lighthouse does.

Lets Practice:

The snowman waves his hat to us. Who? waves

SnowmanWhat did the snowman do? Lets Practice:The verb is waves, its what the snowman is doing.

Alexander takes his bath. Who? takesAlexanderWhat does Alexander do? Lets Practice:The verb is takes, its what Alexander is doing.

Sally dances in the recital. Who? dances

SallyWhat does Sally do? Lets Practice:The verb is dances, its what Sally is doing.

Mrs. Smith arrives late. Who? arrives

Mrs. SmithWhat did Mrs. Smith do? Lets Practice:The verb is arrives, its what Mrs. Smith does.

Stars shine brightly at night. What? shine

starsWhat did the stars do? Lets Practice:The verb is shine, its what the stars are doing.

Time flies when youre having fun. What? flies

timeWhat does time do? Lets Practice:The verb is flies, its what time is doing.

Tommy plays baseball every year. Who? plays

TommyWhat does Tommy do? Lets Practice:The verb is plays, its what Tommy does.

Jacob beats on his drum all day. Who? beats

JacobWhat does Jacob do? Lets Practice:The verb is beats, its what Jacob is doing.

The bumble bee buzzes near the flower. What? buzzes

beeWhat does the bee do? Lets Practice:The verb is buzzes, its what the bee is doing.

*Asimple sentenceis a sentence with just oneindependent clause(also called a main clause)*Acompound sentencecontains at least two independent clauses* Acomplex sentencecontains an independent clause and at least onedependent clause:*Acompound-complex sentencecontains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause:Four Basic Sentence StructuresLets Practice: Read Mr. Fox

A common way to connect related words, phrases, and even entireclausesis to coordinatethem--that is, connect them with a basiccoordinating conjunctionsuch as "and" or "but."

CoordinationCombining sentencesIndependent clauses can be connected in a variety of ways:1. By a comma and little conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, and sometimes so).2. By a semicolon, by itself.3. By a semicolon accompanied by a conjunctive adverb (such as however, moreover, nevertheless, as a result, consequently, etc.).4. And, of course, independent clauses are often not connected by punctuation at all but are separated by a period.

To show that one idea in a sentence is more important than another, we rely on subordination--that is, treating one word group as less important.My brothers carCommaWhich he bought two years agoCommaHas already needed repairsAlways put a comma before the word WHICH. The adjective clause develops, but is not required.Never put a comma before the word THAT-this indicates the information is NEEDEDAdjective ClausesSubordinate Conjunctionsafteralthoughasbecausebeforeeven thoughif, even ifin order thatonceprovided thatsinceso [that implied], so thatthanthatthoughunlesswhen, wheneverwhere, wherever, whereaswhetherwhileCombining sentences Use a comma if you subordinate the first of the two clauses.Even though cat hair clung to Shellys pant legs during her interview, she still got the job.

The second clause has less emphasis because its thought is incomplete.Appositives PhrasesAnappositiveis a word or group of words that identifies or renames another word in a sentence--most often a noun that immediately precedes it.Appositive constructions offer concise ways of describing or defining a person, place, or thing.ALWAYS put a COMMA around the phrase. Shelly , WHO IS A NURSE, likes catsAdverb ClausesHere is the description of the table. You may change or delete this text as you wish. This table is compatible with PowerPoint 97 to 2007.

Like an adjective clause, anadverb clauseis always dependent on (or subordinate to) anindependent clause

an adverb clause usually modifies a verb, though it can also modify an adjective, an adverb, or even the rest of the sentence in which it appears.40PunctuationSemi-ColonUse semicolons to join independent clausesUse a semicolon only if the clauses are closely related.

Examples:Happiness isn't something you experience;it's something you remember.We lavish on animals the love we are afraid to show to people. They might not return it;or worse, they might.Semi-ColonsUse semicolons with conjunctive adverbs or introductory expressionsWhen I eat alone, I leave a mess; however, whats worse is when everyone laughs at me.The movie was awesome; in fact, it was so funny I criedColonsAcolonmeans "that is to say" or "here's what I mean." Colons and semicolons should never be used interchangeably.Use a colon to introduce a series of items. Do not capitalize the first item after the colon (unless it's a proper noun).I need an assistant who can do the following: input data, write reports, and complete tax forms.Avoid using a colon before a list when it directly follows a verb or prepositionWrong: I've seen the greats, including: Barrymore, Guinness, and Streep.Right: I've seen the greats, including Barrymore, Guinness, and Streep..HyphensHyphens' main purpose is to glue words together (-)

Hyphenate two or more words when they come before a noun they modify and act as a single idea. This is called acompound adjective.an off-campus apartmentWhen writing out new, original, or unusual compound nouns, writers should hyphenate whenever doing so avoids confusion.I changed my diet and became a no-meater.HyphensHyphens' main purpose is to glue words together (-)

An often overlooked rule for hyphens: The adverbveryand adverbs ending in-lyare not hyphenated.Incorrect:the finely-tuned watch (describes adjective)Correct: Correct:the friendly-looking dog (describes verb)Hyphenate all spelled-out fractions.more than two-thirds of registered votersHyphens are often used to tell the ages of people and things. We have a two-year-old childHyphenate prefixes when they come before proper nouns or proper adjectivesTrans-American flightMid-June is when the party isHyphenate all words beginning with the prefixesself-, ex-(i.e.,former), andall-. Suffixes are not usually hyphenated. Some exceptions:-style, -elect, -free, -based.

HyphensDASHESSometimes you have some information which needs to be added to a sentence, and that little bit of information is EXTEMELY important and youll want the reader to pay attention to that informationYou are the friendmy only friendwho offered to help me.indicate added emphasis, an interruption, or an abrupt change of thoughtI wish you wouldoh, never mind.Writing clear, concise sentencesActive VoiceVerbs Shows action or state of beingActive or passiveConnects subject and predicateMost important word in the sentenceExamples:Pour, laugh (Active)Am, is, are, was, were, will be, have been, will have been (Passive)

51Active vs. PassiveActive voice is when you are focusing on the person who is doing an actionThe ninja attacked the adorable baby.Passive voice is when youre focusing on the thing that was done.The adorable baby was attacked by the ninja.In passive voice, the subject is usually not present. If it is, it is at the end of a prepositional phrase.The bag was picked up by John53In active voice, the subject of the sentence is present BEFORE the verb.John picked up the bagActive vs. PassiveWhy avoid them?Usually needs helping verbs (am/were/etc.), prepositions like by or ofIf there is a helping verb, to determine if it is passive, look at the end of the verb phraseIf it ends in past tense or participle, it is passive voiceShe is going home.She was unhappy with her brother.Can be more confusingMy car was driven to Dallas. (By who? Some car thief?)Five FBI agents entered the room, and the terrorist was plastered against the wall. (Was he there already and they found him? Did the agents put him there?)

Adjectives and AdverbsA common way of expanding the basic sentence is withmodifiers--words that add to the meanings of other words. The simplest modifiers areadjectivesandadverbs. Adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Like adjectives and adverbs,prepositional phrasesadd meaning to the nouns and verbs in sentences. A prepositional phrase has two basic parts: aprepositionplus a noun or apronounthat serves as theobject of the preposition.Prepositional PhrasesPhrasesWordinessOmit the filler phrases "it is," "there is," and "there are" at the beginning of sentences; these often delay the sentence's true subject and verbIt is expensive to upgrade computer systemsUpgrading computer systems is expensiveOmit "this" from the beginning of a sentence by joining it to the preceding sentence with a commaChlorofluorocarbons have been banned from aerosols. This has lessened the ozone layer's depletionChlorofluorocarbons have been banned from aerosols, lessening the ozone layer's depletionWordiness continuedOmit "which" or "that" altogether when possible.Because the fluid, which was brown and poisonous, was dumped into the river, the company that was negligent had to shut down

Because the brown, poisonous fluid was dumped into the river, the negligent company had to shut down.Replaceprepositional phraseswith one-word modifiers when possibleThe President of the Student Senate was in charge of the lobbying against the merger at the Minnesota Congress.

The Student Senate President oversaw lobbying the Minnesota Congress against the merger

Wordiness continuedUse a colon after a statement preceding a sentence of explanation, and leave out the beginning of the next sentence

The theater has three main technical areas. These areas are costumes, scenery, and lighting

The theater has three main technical areas: costumes, scenery, and lighting.

Avoid the overuse of qualifiers.`Qualified words can often be replaced by a single, more potent word

Sue is extremely angry could be shortened to Sue is furious.

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