1

Reading On The Move

All About Phrases

Phrase and clause are the most important elements of English grammar. Phrase
and clause cover everything a sentence has. Clauses are the center of sentences and
phrases strengthen the sentences to become meaningful. If the clauses are the pillars of
a building, the phrases are the bricks. A phrase usually is always present within a
clause, but a phrase cannot have a clause in it.
A phrase is a group of two or more words that does not have the subject and
verb combination and does not form a predicate. It can contain a noun or a verb, but
does not have a subject or predicate. Essentially, a phrase provides some sort of
additional information or provides more context to the sentences you write. A phrase can
never stand alone as a sentence; however, a phrase can nestle itself inside clauses that
are either complete sentences on their own or ones that are dependent on the rest of the
sentence. When a phrase is within a clause, it functions as a part of speech. Below are a
few examples of a phrase:
Example :
1. The dance was held at the reception hall. (“At the reception hall” is a prepositional
phrase. It does not have a subject or predicate, and it cannot stand alone as a
sentence.)
Example 2 revisited: While she is dancing, the audience cannot tear its eyes off her.
In Example 2 revisited, “off her” is a prepositional phrase that is nestled within the
independent clause identified earlier. It does not contain a subject/predicate, nor can it
stand alone as a sentence.

Understanding the difference It is vital to understand the main differences between

clauses and phrases to ensure your writing is clear in both construction and context. If
you are unsure whether a group of words is a clause or phrase, break down the words
into the parts of speech to help you decide. If there is a subject and a verb with a
predicate, it is a clause. If there is a noun but no verb or a verb but no noun and does
 2

not have a predicate, it is a phrase. Always keep in mind that sometimes phrases are
built into clauses.

Phrases :
A. Noun Phrase
Noun Phrase is between noun phrases (pronoun or number) and one or more modifier (c
/ determiner, adjective, participle).
1. Example :
· My book
· The next page
· Someone special
2. Sentence phrase :
· Are you waiting someone special ?

B. Adjective phrase
Adjective phrase is a phrase that consists of an adjective and a modifier, determiner,
and / or intensifier.

1. Example :
· Angry with you
· Very beautiful
2. Sentence phrase:
· Never have I been angry with you

C. Adverb phrase
Adverb phrase an adverb phrase consisting of the qualifier (c / too, very, so) or in the
form of prepositional phrase or infinitive phrase.

1. Example :
· Very good
· During the hurricane
2. Sentence phrase :
· The people couldn’t do anything during the hurricane
 3

D. Prepositional phrase
Prepositional pharase is a combination of the preposition with the object and functions
as an adverb.

1. Example :
· At school
· Because of rain
· Between you and me
2. Sentences phrase :
· There is distance between you and me

E. Infinitive phrase
Infinitive phrase a combination of the infinitive and the object, which serves as a noun,
adjective, or adverb.

1. Example :
· To run through teh rain
· To call him
· To hear the news
2. Sentence phrase
· The best time to call him is at night

F. Gerund phrase
Gerund phrase consists of the gerund and the modifier and / or noun (s), pronouns (s),
or noun phrase, where the functioning as a noun.

1. Example :
· His singing
· Getting the best score
· Giving bribes to win the election
2. Sentence phrase :
· He should feel ashamed for giving bribes to win the election
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G. Principal phrase
Participial phrase is a combination of the participle (present or past participle) with
modifier and / or complement.
Its function as a verb [along the auxiliary form of progressive, perfect (continuous), and
passive voice] or adjective.

1. Examlpe :
· Playing basketball
· Being parked there
· Working in my room

2. Sentence phrase
· Working in my room, I didn’t let someone else to disturb

H. Appositive phrase
Appositive phrase such as noun phrase, gerund phrase, or infinitive phrase that
describes a noun or pronoun serves another.

1. Example :
· A foremost scientist
· The best-selling car in indonesia
· Sailing across the ocean
2. Sentence phrase :
· His hobby, sailing across teh ocean, takes a lot of time

I. Absolute phrase
Absolute is a combination of a noun phrase / pronoun and participle with or without
modifier. Its function is to explain the independent clause separated by commas.

1. Example :
· His hands tugging on his mother’s shirttail
2. Sentence phrase :
· His hands tugging on his mother’s shirttail, the little boy asked his mother to buy a
toy.
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Here Are Some Examples of Phrases

Here are some examples of phrases in a well-known quote by Shirley Temple:
 I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a
department store, and he asked for my autograph. (Shirley Temple)
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the direct object of the verb stopped. This
phrase is a gerund phrase.)

 I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a

department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the subject of the adverbial clause when my
mother took me to see him in a department store.)
 I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a
department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the object of the preposition for.)

 I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a

department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like an adverb. It tells us where the activity took place. It is
an adverb of place.)

The Hierarchy of Word Units

The hierarchy of word units is:
 Word (e.g., Shark)
(A word is the smallest meaningful unit.)

 Phrase (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark)

(A phrase is a single piece of information made up of more than one word. It
will not contain a subject and a verb.)
 Clause (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived...)
(A clause is a single piece of information made up of more than one word
which contains a subject and a verb.)

 Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived.)

(A sentence conveys a complete idea. It must contain at least one clause.
Note: A clause that stands alone as a sentence is known as an independent
clause.)
 Complex Sentence (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived, the crew
stopped fishing.)
(A complex sentence is an independent clause supported by at least one other
clause.)

 Compound Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived, and the crew
stopped fishing.)
(A compound sentence is a sentence made up of at least two independent
clauses.)
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Reading On The Move

All About Clauses
Clauses
A clause is a group of related words that, unlike a phrase, contains a subject and a verb.
A clause can either be independent (main) or dependent (subordinate).

 Independent Clause: a complete thought containing a subject and a verb.One

"independent clause" is a complete sentence.
Ex. John finished the final exam.
 Dependent Clause: A dependent clause also contains a subject and a verb but
is not a complete thought, so it cannot stand alone.Thus, it is "dependent" on
another clause to make a complete sentence

Ex. When we went to the lecture, we saw our good friends.

"When we went to the lecture" is a dependent clause. By itself, it does not make a
complete thought. It is dependent upon the independent clause "we saw our good
friends" to make a complete thought.

Here are a few things to remember about dependent clauses:

1) A dependent clause is introduced by a relative pronoun (such as who, that, which), a

subordinate conjunction (such as if, although, because), or a connective adverb (such
as, why, whenever, before).

Ex. She was the one who knew the truth.

Ex. Father said he would help me with my homeworkif he had time.
Ex. I understood why my teacher assigned the paper.

2) A clause can function in a sentence in several ways:

As a noun: (as the subject)
Ex. That he quit is disappointing.

As an adverb:
Ex. It was late when I got home.

As an adjective:
Ex. The room intended to be used for formal entertaining became the kids' playroom.

3) The dependent clause may appear before or after the independent clause. Note that
when the dependent clause is first, a comma is needed between the two clauses. When
the independent clause is first, no comma is necessary. Consider the following
examples.
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Dependent clause/independent clause:

Ex. Because I was tired, I didn't do well on the test.

Independent clause/dependent clause:

Ex. I didn't do well on the test because I was tired.

There are several kinds of dependent clauses:

 Dependent Adjective Clause: a dependent clause that functions as an

adjective, meaning it describes a noun or a pronoun.

Ex. Luke wrote an essay that challenged the professor's ideas.

(The dependent clause describes the noun "essay.")

Ex. I went to the lecture yesterday, which was very informative.

(The dependent clause describes the noun "lecture.")

 Dependent Adverbial Clause: a dependent clause that functions as an adverb,

meaning it describes when, where, how, or to whatextent.

Ex. Annette will get here as soon as she can.

(The dependent clause tells when Annette will "get here.")

Ex. We camped where there were no other campers.

(The dependent clause tells where we "'camped.")

 Dependent Noun clause: a dependent clause that functions as a noun does,

that is, as a subject, a direct object, a subject complement, or object of the
preposition. In general, noun clauses begin with relative pronouns (that, which,
what, who, whom, whose, whatever, whomever, whichever) or with when, where,
whether, why, or how.

Ex. He wanted to do whatever he could to please his parents.

(The dependent clause functions as the direct object of the verb "do.")

Ex. Whether or not he would go to college was an easy decision.

(The dependent clause functions as the subject.)

*Note: Information taken from The Everyday Writer by Andrea Lundsford and Robert
Connors
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CLAUSES

1. Independent Clause: a group of words containing a subject and a verb,

expressing a complete thought.
 I went to the store.
 Did you buy a candy bar?

2. Dependent Clause: a group of words containing a subject and a verb, not

expressing a complete thought, beginning with a tip off word.
 Adverb Clause: dependent clause that acts like an adverb, containing a
subordinating conjunction.
(1) Before John ate dinner, he went to the store.
(2) John ate dinner after he went to the store.
 Adjective (relative) Clause: dependent clause that acts like an adjective,
beginning with a relative pronoun.
(1) Nonrestrictive clause: John, who was eating dinner, didn’t bother
answering his cell phone.
(2) Restrictive clause: The player who is up at bat already hit two homeruns
today.
 Noun Clause: dependent clause that acts like a noun, beginning with a noun
clause marker
(1) John didn’t know what he was going to do.
(2) Whether Fred can win the match is completely up to him.

Common tip off words (words that begin dependent clauses)

After Even before Provided (that)
Whenever
Although Even if Since
Where
As Even though So that
Wherever
As if How That
Whether
As long as If Till
Which
As though Inasmuch Though
While
As soon as In order that Unless
Who
Before Just as Until
Whoever
Because Just after What
Whom
Even Just before Whatever
Whose
Evan after Lest When
Why
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Exercise 1 - For each of the following sentences, identify the underlined word group by
writing above it IND for independent clause a SUB for subordinate clause.

SUB
Example 1. The friend who is visiting this weekend is melody.

1. When Jeremy called last night, I was not at home.

2. I know the woman who owns that store.
3. John is the boy who is on the swim team.
4. It is hot today; please water the garden.
5. If he finishes his report on time, he can go to the beach Saturday.
6. This is the poem that I memorized last year.
7. The student whom I recommend for class president is Lindsey.
8. I can’t concentrate when you play the trumpet with your door open.
9. Although these colors are beautiful, I don’t like the painting.
10. The man whom you met is the president of the group.
11. The girls who painted that mural live in my neighborhood.
12. When you reach the end of the hallway, turn right.
13. Please fold these clothes before they become wrinkled.
14. After we wrapped the presents, we hurried to the post office.
15. We didn’t go to her party because we went camping that weekend.
16. The trees that my great-grandfather planted still shade the farmhouse.
17. Whenever you dust the shelves, I sneeze.
18. My aunt stays at our house when she comes to the city for business meetings.
19. The CD that you borrowed last week is due at the library today.
20. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and take the chicken out of the refrigerator.

Exercise 2 - On the lines provided, add independent clauses to the following

subordinate clauses to express complete thoughts. Make sure each sentence begins
with a capital letter and has end punctuation.

Example 2 – after we left the pizza parlor __We went to a movie after we left the pizza
parlor.

1. when I graduate from high school

____________________________________________________________
2. whose sweater was lost
_____________________________________________________________________
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3. which is a good book

______________________________________________________________________
4. until Mark moved to Chicago
________________________________________________________________
5. after the game was over
_____________________________________________________________________
6. that caused the accident
_____________________________________________________________________
7. since I met you in art class ______
____________________________________________________________
8. until I call you on Friday
____________________________________________________________________
9. whom I assist as a student aide during my free period
______________________________________________
10. because I didn’t think before I spoke
_________________________________________________________

Exercise 3 - Main and subordinate clauses: write each boldfaced clause and label it M
for main and S for subordinate. Then identify each subordinate clause as adjective
(ADJ), adverb(ADV), or noun (N).

1. To Kill a Mockingbird is a powerful book that was made into a wonderful

movie.
2. When I go away next year, I will travel to Spain.
3. What I dislike about Winter is snow.
4. Only Sheila knows what Dan said to her.
5. Vanessa studied the Revolutionary war in her history class; however, she liked
learning about the Civil War even more.
6. When Paul doesn’t know how to spell a word, he looks it up in the dictionary
and tries to remember it for the future.
7. Al had refereed the game that had attracted the biggest crowd of the season.
8. The movie that we rented reminded me of Star Wars.
9. Because Athena has band practice after school, she is hungry when she gets
home.
10. When I first saw you , you were wearing jeans.
11. Kathy will fix the salad because her salad dressing is excellent
12. When you are in Boston, you should try clam chowder.
13. Did you know that the best recipe for chicken salad includes grapes?
14. After it stayed above freezing for a few days , my snowman melted into a
puddle.
15. Fred’s hat , which I picked out, looks good with that jacket.
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16. Gary likes neither coffee nor tea, but his uncle likes them both.
17. Bubbles, because they entertain everyone, are a great party favor.
18. If I have to write any more, I may not be able to use me hand tomorrow.
19. Yes that woman is who you think she is.
20. Those TV game shows that everyone watches can be exciting.

Exercise 4 – Underline the subordinate clause from each sentence. Then identify each
subordinate clause as adjective (ADJ), adverb (ADV), or noun (N).

1. Whoever wins the game will be the champion.

2. Before he stepped up to the plate, Sammy Soasa checked with his third base coach.
3. Sue reluctantly ate what was on her plate.
4. My mom, who has published two novels, hasn’t written a book in a couple of years.
5. Next week we play the team that is in first place.
6. Ily eats a banana whenever she wants a snack.
7. Because Nick likes to swim, he joined a gym.
8. The winner was the dog that had the red collar.
9. The key to the puzzle is what the eye does not see.
10. Rick needed a glue stick and a pair of scissors before he could start his project.

11. Ancient Egyptians designed houses that were meant to be cool.

12. The architect who is my brother designed my home.

13. Before a proper foundation is designed, a soil test is done.

14. People who like tiny dogs have a choice of about fifteen kinds.

15. Whoever likes Shetland Sheepdogs will be happy with their choice.

16. Many people go to Chicago because there is always plenty to do.

17. Whenever I see an airplane, I want to travel.

18. Another question may be what the major issues are.

19. The skyline was spectacular as the sun set.

20. One group is made up of dogs that are bred as bird dogs.
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Exercise 5 – Write about them most embarrassing moment of your life. Please make
sure that you write about 10 sentences. Two of the ten sentences need to include an
adjective clause, two a noun clause, and two an adverb clause. Make sure you
underline the adjective clauses in red, the noun clauses in blue, and the adverb clauses
in green.

Example 5 – After I had finished my in class essay, I thought I’d be smart and text my
friend Emily. Unfortunately, Emily, who is not the brightest, had forgotten to turn her cell
phone on vibrate. When the teacher confiscated the cell phone, she happened to see
that the message was from me. Busted! Emily turned red, started stuttering and did not
know what to do or what to say. Needless to say, the teacher, whom we admire,
embarrassed us in front of the cute, new guy in class, confiscated out phones, and sent
them to the security office. Since it was Friday, we did not get our phones back until the
following Tuesday. Bummer! From now on I will do whatever is required of me: act with
CLASS.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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Reading On The Move

All About Sentences

A sentence is a group of words that form a complete thought. All sentences

have subjects and predicates.

All complete sentences have at least two parts, a subject and a predicate. The
subject tells who or what the sentence is about. The predicate tells what the subject
does, did, or is doing. Predicates are made up of verbs. A complete sentence has a
subject and a predicate, is punctuated correctly, and expresses a complete thought.

Example: People talk.

People tells who or what the sentence is about. This is the subject of the
sentence. What do people do? Talk is the part of the sentence that tells
what the subject does. This is called the predicate.
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Here is another example: Dynamite explodes.

Dynamite tells who or what the sentence is about. This is the subject of
the sentence. What does dynamite do? Explodes is the part of the
sentence that tells what the subject does. This is called the predicate.

Create sentences by adding a subject (from the word bank below) to the
predicate. Use subjects that make sense and use each one only once.

Lions Students Water Dogs Volcanoes

Trash Farmers Plants Rain Teachers

1. grow.
2. bark.
3. erupt.
4. evaporates.
5. study.
6. roar.
7. teach.
8. plant.
9. stinks.
10. falls.
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Draw a line from each subject to an appropriate predicate to create a sentence.

Write each sentence on the lines provided. The first one is done for you.

Owls bloom
Roses bite
Mosquitoes hoot
Children tick
Birds swim
Fish play
Clocks meow
Trains oink
Cats whistle
Pigs fly

11. Owls hoot

12.
13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.
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Separate the subject and predicate with a slash ( / ). Then draw one
line under the subject of each sentence and two lines under the predicate. The
subject and predicate can be, and usually are, more than one word.

Example: Joanne and Linda went shopping at the mall.

Joanne and Linda / went shopping at the mall.

21. The bus is waiting for us at the corner bus stop.

22. The band is playing one of my favorite songs.
23. His mother made pies from the strawberries she picked.
24. A small, rippling brook runs past the apple orchard.
25. The berries from the bucket spilled out on Eduardo’s feet.
26. My brother is wearing his new blue shirt.
27. My family went to Disney World last summer.
28. I like my new job.
29. My neighbors came over for dinner.
30. The leaves on the maple trees are starting to turn brown.

A compound sentence is made of two single, simple, sentences joined

together by a conjunction.

A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses, any of

which can stand alone as a simple sentence. You can join these simple sentences with a
conjunction such as and, but, or, because, however, therefore, etc..

Example: I enjoy swimming in the lake. My brother likes to row his boat on the
lake.
Both of these sentences make sense on their own. They are independent
clauses. These two simple sentences can be joined using a conjunction
to form the following compound sentence:

I enjoy swimming in the lake, and my brother likes to row his boat on the lake.
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You can also join independent clauses with a semicolon or with a
semicolon and a word such as also, however, or therefore. A semicolon creates
a stronger pause than a comma but not the complete stop of a period. One use
for a semicolon is to join independent clauses, making compound sentences, like
the examples below. The semicolon takes the place of a comma or period. The
word that follows the semicolon should not be capitalized unless it is a proper
noun.

Example: The tree fell; the house was not damaged.

The tree fell; however, the house was not damaged.
To spot a compound sentence, look for a word such as and or but. Look
at each of the clauses. If each one makes sense on its own, you’re
reading a compound sentence.

Combine the two simple sentences to form a compound sentence. Use the
punctuation and the conjunction given in parenthesis.

31. We think a tomato is a vegetable. It is really a fruit. ( , but )

32. Svea bought new tennis shoes. The shoes hurt her feet. ( , but )

33. Paul wants to be an accountant. He might become a math teacher. ( , or )

34. Jill is very happy. She is always smiling. ( ; )

35. Did you pack your own lunch? Did you buy the school’s hot lunch? ( , or )
 6

When writing complete sentences, the subject and the verb must work
together. Singular subjects take singular verbs. Plural subjects take plural
verbs. This is called subject-verb agreement. If someone said to you, “Birds
flies,” what would you think? You might think he/she was talking about two flying
animals, and you might expect him/her to say, “Birds, butterflies, and ladybugs...”
You might also think that he/she was talking about birds flying and assume that
he/she had used the wrong verb. In either case, you would be confused.

Subjects and verbs agree when they are both either singular or plural. A
singular subject names one person, place, or thing; a plural subject names more
than one person, place or thing.

Example: The dog misses her. (both subject, dog, and verb, misses, are
singular)
The dogs miss her. (both the subject, dogs, and verb, miss,
are plural)

A few simple rules can make subject-verb agreements easy to understand. A

compound subject connected by and takes a plural verb.

Example: Mark and Katie sing lullabies to Jane. (the compound subject,
Mark and Katie, takes the plural verb sing.)
 7

Sometimes phrases come between the subject and verb. This can make
keeping track of subject-verb agreement difficult. The trick is to ignore the
phrase(s) and think of only the subject and verb.

Example: Mark and Katie, who are new parents, sing lullabies to Jane. (When
you ignore the phrase, who are new parents, you have Mark and
Katie sing lullabies to Jane)

Circle the correct subject that completes each sentence.

36. The (horse, horses) runs through the field.

37. The (window, windows) were open.
38. The (flower, flowers) are blooming.
39. The (rug, rugs) need cleaning.
40. The (girl, girls) who try out for Miss America, are beautiful.
41. The young (man, men) wants a better job.
42. (They, He) tries to keep the bushes trimmed.
43. The (bakery, bakeries) opens at 5 a.m.
44. The (bike, bikes) has a loud squeak.
45. The (branch, branches) on the tree are bare.
46. The (pizza, pizzas) were delivered on time.
47. The (boy, boys) dives off the cliff.
48. The (noise, noises) scare me.
49. The (water, waters) overflow the banks of the river.
50. My (foot, feet) hurts.
 8

Circle the verb that completes each sentence.

51. The monkey (steals, steal) the bananas.

52. The solution (is, are) obvious.
53. Joe (loves, love) liver and onions.
54. Karen and Lydia (keeps, keep) pictures of their famous friend where
everyone can see them.
55. Our cat, who likes to prowl around at night, (sleeps, sleep) most of the day.
56. The car (needs, need) new brakes.
57. The cats and dogs (is, are) making a terrible racket.
58. Chris and I (plans, plan) to start a business together.
59. The mailman, who has been bitten by a dog before, (checks, check) the
yard before delivering the neighbor’s mail.
60. He (drives, drive) a Ford.
61. The water (drips, drip) under the sink.
62. The faucet (leaks, leak).
63. The children (knows, know) all the names of the players.
64. Mallory and Noah (works, work) for the city.
 9

A complete sentence always has a subject and a predicate (part of a

sentence that says something about the subject), is punctuated correctly, and
expresses a complete thought.

A very common sentence error is a fragment. A sentence fragment does

not express a complete thought. It is a group of words that begin with a capital
letter, ends with the correct punctuation, but lacks either a subject or a predicate.

Sentence fragments do not make sense. They express only part of an

idea; the thought is not completed. To correct a sentence fragment, either supply
the words that would complete the thought, or join the partially completed thought
to the sentence from which it has been separated.

A fragment may only tell who.

Example:
Sentence fragment: The lady in the red dress. (what is she doing?) Corrected
fragment: The lady in the red dress is collecting money for the tickets.

A fragment may only tell what happened.

Example:
Sentence fragment: Is collecting money for the tickets. (who is collecting
money?)
Corrected fragment: The lady in the red dress is collecting money for the
tickets.
 10

A fragment may not contain a subject.

Example:
Sentence fragment: Ate pie last night. (who ate pie last night?)
Corrected fragment: My sister, Beth, ate pie last night.

Add to the fragmented sentences to make them express a complete thought.

65. The huge dog next door .

66. will look nice on

you.

67. Alexis and Caleb .

68. The new shopping center .

69. The last vacation you took .

70. came yesterday.

Another common error, besides sentence fragments, is running sentences

together without punctuation. When this is done, the sentence rambles. Nothing
is clearly expressed. You must be able to recognize when one sentence ends
and the next one begins.

A run-on sentence strings together two or more sentences without using

a linking word or punctuation to connect them.

In some sentences, one thought “runs on” into another thought. These
are called run-on sentences. A comma is sometimes placed where a period
should be. A run-on sentence can be fixed in one of three ways. You can
separate them into two or more sentences, you can add punctuation, or you can
use a linking word such as and, but, or, or because (conjunction).
 11

Example:

Run-on: Javier raises baby hamsters, he keeps them in the basement.

Corrected run-on by making it into two simple sentences:

Javier raises baby hamsters. He keeps them in the basement.

Corrected run-on sentence by adding punctuation:

Javier raises baby hamsters; he keeps them in the basement.

Corrected run-on sentence by using a linking word:

Javier raises baby hamsters, and he keeps them in the basement.

Correct the following run-on sentences by first making them two simple
sentences and then forming a compound sentence, either by adding punctuation
or by adding a conjunction.

71. The shiny, red motorcycle darted into the alley, it skidded on the loose
gravel by the entrance.
Sentence1:
Sentence 2:
Compound sentence:

72. I bought a new DVD player at the store today, it was on sale for half price.
Sentence1:
Sentence 2:
Compound sentence:
 12

Sentences have different purposes. We need the different kinds of

sentences to be able to say what we want to say—from asking questions to
making demands. We need to identify the purpose of each sentence to know
what the sentence is telling us.

You will now learn how to identify sentences by their purpose. There are
four kinds of sentences. Each kind of sentence has a different purpose. One
kind of sentence tells someone something. One kind asks a question. One kind
commands someone to do something. And one kind shows a strong feeling.

The four kinds of sentences are called declarative, interrogative,

imperative, and exclamatory sentences.

A declarative sentence states a fact and ends with a period (.).

Example: Our business is doing well.

No direct question was asked, no command or request was given, and
there were no strong feelings shown. The sentence simply states a fact,
therefore the sentence is a declarative sentence.

An interrogative sentence asks a direct question, and is followed by a question

mark (?). To interrogate means “to question.” Asking a question is the second purpose
of sentences. An interrogative sentence asks a question.

Example: Why doesn’t Jose ride the bus to school?

There was no command or request given, no strong feelings were
expressed, and no real facts were stated. The sentence asked a direct
question, therefore it is an interrogative sentence.
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An imperative sentence gives a command or request. It usually ends with a

period (.). The subject is understood, and the subject is you. Understood means you are
to do the action. Making a request is the third purpose of sentences. Imperative
sentences demand action.

Example: Take this flower.

The sentence does not state a fact and it does not ask a direct question.
Therefore, the sentence is an imperative sentence.

Strong commands end with an exclamation point:

Example: Stop that!

Mild commands end with a period:

Example: Please stop that.

An exclamatory sentence shows strong feelings, and ends with an

exclamation point (!). You know exclamatory sentences when you hear them.
Exclamatory sentences show urgency. Expressing strong feelings is the fourth
purpose of sentences.

Example: I am so happy that I won first place!

The sentence does not just state a fact, it does not ask a direct question,
and there were no commands given or requests asked. The sentence
shows strong feelings, therefore it is an exclamatory sentence.
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Read the sentences below and write which kind (declarative, interrogative,
imperative, or exclamatory) of sentence it is on the line provided. There are two
of each.

73. Where are my new blue jeans?

74. My sister and I are going shopping tomorrow.
75. Watch out, the ladder is slipping!
76. Give me the paper when you are finished.
77. Is that my movie in your DVD player?
78. My favorite color is fire engine red.
79. Please buy a gallon of milk at the store.
80. I just won two hundred fifty dollars!

Answer Key
1. Plants 11. Owls hoot.
2. Dogs 12. Roses bloom.
3. Volcanoes 13. Mosquitoes bite.
4. Water 14. Children play.
5. Students 15. Birds fly.
6. Lions 16. Fish swim.
7. Teachers 17. Clocks tick.
8. Farmers 18. Trains whistle.
9. Trash 19. Cats meow.
10. Rain 20. Pigs oink.

21. The bus / is waiting for us at the corner bus stop.

22. The band / is playing one of my favorite songs.
23. His mother / made pies from the strawberries she picked.
24. A small, rippling brook / runs past the apple orchard.
25. The berries from the bucket / spilled out on Eduardo’s feet.
26. My brother / is wearing his new blue shirt.
27. My family / went to Disney World last summer.
28. I like / my new job.
29. My neighbors / came over for dinner.
30. The leaves on the maple trees / are starting to turn brown.
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31. We think a tomato is a vegetable, but it is really a fruit.

32. Svea bought new tennis shoes, but the shoes hurt her feet.
33. Paul wants to be an accountant, or he might become a math teacher.
34. Jill is very happy; she is always smiling.
35. Did you pack your own lunch, or did you buy the school’s hot lunch?
36. horse 46. pizzas 56. needs
37. windows 47. boy 57. are
38. flowers 48. noises 58. plan
39. rugs 49. waters 59. checks
40. girls 50. foot 60. drives
41. man 51. steals 61. drips
42. He 52. is 62. leaks
43. bakery 53. loves 63. know
44. bike 54. keep 64. work
45. branches 55. sleeps

For 65-70, you should have completed each sentence as complete sentences,
with a subject or predicate. Here are some samples:

65. The huge dog next door barks loudly.

66. That hat will look nice on you.
67. Alexis and Caleb are friends.
68. The new shopping center opens today.
69. The last vacation you took was ten years ago.
70. Your package came yesterday.

71.
Sentence 1: The shiny, red motorcycle darted into the alley.
Sentence 2: It skidded on the loose gravel by the entrance.
Compound sentence: The shiny, red motorcycle darted into the alley, and it
skidded on the loose gravel by the entrance.

72.
Sentence 1: I bought a new DVD player.
Sentence 2: It was on sale for half price.
Compound sentence: I bought a new DVD player at the story today because it
was on sale for half price.

73. Interrogative
74. Declarative
75. Exclamatory
76. Imperative
77. Interrogative
78. Declarative
79. Imperative
80. Exclamatory

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