Writers’ Workshop:Sentence Variety

English 7

WRITING COMPOUND SENTENCES

What is a compound sentence?

Contains TWO or more independent clauses...

Combined with a comma (,) and a coordinating conjunction

OR .... just a semicolon (;)

Independent Clauses?????

A sentence that can stand on its own! (A complete thought!)

LIKE.....

Students write creative stories.

Seventh graders use descriptive language.

Coordinating conjunctions?????

For But

And Or

Nor Yet So

Conjunctions are joining words. They join two clauses together to make two separate sentences into one big one.

COMBINE THEM!!

Compound sentence using a comma with a coordinating conjunction:

Students write creative stories, and seventh graders use very descriptive language.

COMBINE THEM – Choice #2!!

Compound sentence using a semicolon:

Students write creative stories; seventh graders use very descriptive language.

PRACTICE:

SUBJECT is the WHOVERB is WHAT they are doing

Some students ate in the cafeteria, but others went outside in the sunshine.

Some students ate in the cafeteria, but others went outside in the sunshine.

SIMPLE ORCOMPOUND?

COMPLEX SENTENCES

What is a complex sentence?

Contains one independent clause and at least one subordinate

clause...A subordinate clause is a FRAGMENT – it cannot stand

alone in a sentence.

Subordinate Clauses?????

A phrase that cannot stand on its own!

(An incomplete thought or fragment)

Begins with words like - who, whose, whom, which, that, after, as, because, if, since, before, when

… because I like to read

… since we had to work on our project

Building a Complex Sentence

Separate the subordinate clause from the independent clause with a comma.

Because I like to read, I downloaded library books onto my Kindle.

Compound or Complex?

If I wash the dishes, will you cook dinner?If I wash the dishes, will you cook dinner? (COMPLEX)Text me tonight, and we’ll make plans for the weekend.Text me tonight, and we’ll make plans for the weekend. (COMPOUND)