Read more about adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses. Nobody knows you're a dog when you're on the internet.When you're on the internet, nobody knows you're a dog.I had a wind-up Evil Knievel motorbike when I was six.When I was six, I had a wind-up Evil Knievel motorbike.When such a clause appears at the back, it is usually not offset with a comma. When the subordinate clause is at the front and acts like an adverb – typically stating a time (e.g., When I was six), a place (e.g., Where I live), or a condition (e.g., If I were you) – then it is a common practice to offset it with a comma. (1) Deciding whether to use a comma with the subordinate clause in a complex sentence.Ī complex sentence comprises an independent clause (shaded) and at least one subordinate clause. More specifically, it assists with the following two common decisions:
Sentence fragment definition example how to#
Understanding the four sentence structures assists with deciding how to punctuate sentences. (Reason 2) Punctuate your sentences correctly.
Using three dots creates a pause for effect, and it looks informal.) (You can smooth the jolt of a period by merging your two sentences into one with three dots (or ellipses).
My friend is a procrastinator.he's afraid of Saturday the 14th. A dash looks quite stark, and it looks a little informal.) (You can smooth the jolt of a period by merging your two sentences into one with a dash. I like a woman with a head on her shoulders – I hate necks. (You can smooth the jolt of a period by merging your two sentences into one with a semicolon.) Don't play hide and seek no one would look for you. The jolt of a period can be smoothed with other punctuation (but not a comma). The run-on sentence usually occurs because writers feel a period (full stop) is too much of speed bump between their closely related sentences. The criteria for what constitutes a sentence are satisfied twice in each example. Remember that a sentence contains a subject and a verb and gives a complete thought. These should both be two sentences (or rewritten to punctuate them correctly). Love is so short, forgetting is so long. I love the mountains, they remind me of home. Typically, this error is caused by writing a sentence, putting a comma, and then writing another sentence. There are four great reasons to understand sentence structures and the types of the sentence.īy far the most common mistake made by people with otherwise sound writing skills is the run-on sentence. When a dog bites a man, that is not news because it happens so often, but if a man bites a dog, that is news. (Playwright William Shakespeare)Ī compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war. (Cartoonist Peter Steiner)Ī compound sentence has at least two independent clauses. When you're on the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog. Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggie" until you can find a rock. (Screenwriter Cindy Chupack)Ī complex sentence has an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Below are the four types of sentence structure (with their independent clauses shaded):Ī simple sentence has just one independent clause. A sentence must contain at least one independent clause. When a sentence is a single clause, it is called a simple sentence (and the clause is called an independent clause). 
The shortest sentence without an implied subject or verb is "I am" or "I go."Ī sentence can consist of a single clause or several clauses. (This is the shortest sentence in English.) In an imperative sentence (an order) or an interrogative sentence (a question), the subject or verb is often implied. In academia, it's exactly the opposite! (Politician Robert Reich)
Who knew that dog saliva can mend a broken heart? (Author Jennifer Neal)Īn exclamatory sentence expresses excitement or emotion. (Philosopher Henry David Thoreau, 1817-1862)Īn interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark. When a dog runs at you, whistle for him. It ends with an exclamation mark or a period (full stop). 
(Remember that a statement which contains an indirect question (like this example) is not a question.)Īn imperative sentence is a command or a polite request. I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.He has every attribute of a dog except loyalty.There are four types of sentence:Ī declarative sentence states a fact and ends with a period (full stop). Why Understanding Sentences Is ImportantĪ sentence can convey a statement, a question, an exclamation, or a command.
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