This presentation is the last of three presentations about sentence structure. It deals with complex sentences, define clauses, time subordinators, and types of sentence errors i.e. run-on and comma splice.

1. SENTENCES STRUCTURE (3)
The Complex Sentence
Main Source:
First Steps in AcademicWriting (Level 2)
Second Edition
By: Ann Hogue
Pearson Longman
Abdulaziz Assanosi
azizsanosi@gmail.com

2. Previously-Studied Types of
Sentences
The Simple Sentence
A combination of subject-verb.
I read the book.
The Compound Sentence
Two simple sentences connected by a comma and a
subordinating conjunction like and, but, or and so.
My father studied medicine, but my mother studied
education.

3. clauses
To learn about complex sentences you should
understand what clauses are.
A clause is a group of words that contains a
subject and a verb.
So every sentence is a clause .
But not every clause is a sentence !! Why?
Consider the meaningfulness condition of
sentence.

4. Types of clauses
There are two types of clauses:
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
DEPENDENTCLAUSEINDEPENDENTCLAUSE
After he slept.He slept
Before I left the room.I left the room.
Because my father is a doctorMy father is a doctor.
When it rained.It rained
Until we went home.We went home.

5. How to identify clauses
Independent clauses have complete
meaning, they can stand alone, they have no
subordinators.
Dependent clauses have no complete
meaning, they need another clause to
complete their meaning, they start with
subordinator.
Now practice by writing (IC) or (DC) before
clauses, page 79.

6. Time Subordinators
Mainly, Adverb subordinators define dependent
clauses. Here are some time subordinators.
Time
subordinators
After
As soon
as
Before
Since
Until
When
Whenever
While

7. Complex Sentences
A complex sentence has one independent
clause and one (or more) dependent clause/s.
I feel a bad headache whenever I talk much.
Whenever she passes a test, she makes a party.
While she was cooking, her baby slept.
He was studying while we were out.
BE ATTENTION OF COMMA USAGE.

8. TO ANLAYZE COMPLEX SENTENCES
You should consider the following:
The independent clause.
The dependent clause.
The time subordinator.
Comma usage
Practice on page 80

9. Sentence Errors
We have learnt about the sentence errors
(RUN-ONS) and (COMMA SPLICE).
There is a another kind of errors called
(FRAGMENT)
Before the teacher comes.
As soon as they arrived.
Its dependent clause, to fix the error
complete the sentence with a suitable
independent clause.

10. Summary of the three types of
sentences.
A simple
sentence
•Has one independent clause.
•You like cookies.
A
compound
sentence
•Has two ICs joined by a comma and a Coordinating Conj.
•You like cookies, but I like donuts.
A complex
sentence
•Has one IC and one (or more) DC. Subordinator and a comma
•Because you like cookies, I will buy you some.

11. PRACTICE
Identify the different types
of sentences in page (83).
Don’t forget to determine
dependent and
independent clauses as
shown in the question.
AbdulAziz Assanosi