UNIT 2

SENTENCES, CLAUSES AND PHRASES

SENTENCE

This part contains definitions of Sentence, of simple, compound, and complex sentences
with many simple examples. The purpose of these examples is to help the ESL/EFL
learner to identify sentence basics including identification of sentences in the exercise
given that follow. After that, it will be possible to analyze more complex sentences
varieties.

 SIMPLE SENTENCE

A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and
it expresses a complete thought. In the following simple sentences, subjects and verbs are
underlined.

1) We drove from Connecticut to Tennessee in one day.

2) Some students like to study in the mornings
3) Budi and Ali play football every afternoon.
4) Alicia goes to the library and studies everyday

The four examples above are all simple sentences. Note that sentence 3) contains a
compound subject, and sentence 4)contains a compound verb. Simple sentences,
therefore, contain a subject and verb and express a complete thought, but they can also
contain a compound subjects or verbs.

 COMPOUND SENTENCE

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The

coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. (Helpful hint: The first letter
of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS.) Except for very short sentences, coordinators
are always preceded by a comma. In the following compound sentences, subjects and
verbs are underlined, and the coordinators and the commas that precede them are in
italic ones.

1) I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English.

2) Alejandro played football, so Maria went shopping.
3) Alejandro played football, for Maria went shopping.
4) Some of the campers went into the woods to find dry tree branches for
cooking, and the others built the tents.
5) I had nothing to do last night, so I went out to see a movie by myself.
6) Neither my parents nor I heard of my cousin’s accident.

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The above six sentences are compound sentences. Each sentence contains two
independent clauses, and they are joined by a coordinator with a comma preceding it.
Note how the conscious use of coordinators can change the relationship between the
clauses. Sentences 2) and 3), for example, are identical except for the coordinators. In
sentence 2), which action occurred first? Obviously, "Alejandro played football" first, and
as a consequence, "Maria went shopping. In sentence 3), "Maria went shopping" first. In
sentence 2), "Alejandro played football" because, possibly, he didn't have anything else to
do, for or because "Maria went shopping."

 COMPLEX SENTENCE

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses.
A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or
when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which. In the following complex
sentences, subjects and verbs are underlined, and the subordinators and their commas
(when (when required) are in italic.

1) When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the last page.
2) The teacher returned the homework after she noticed the error.
3) The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.
4) After they finished studying, Juan and Maria went to the movies.
5) Juan and Maria went to the movies after they finished studying.

When a complex sentence begins with a subordinator such as sentences 1) and 4), a
comma is required at the end of the dependent clause. When the independent clause
begins the sentence with subordinators in the middle as in sentences 2), 3), and 5), no
comma is required. If a comma is placed before the subordinators in sentences 2), 3), and
5), it is wrong.

Note that sentences 4) and 5) are the same except sentence 4) begins with the dependent
clause which is followed by a comma, and sentence E begins with the independent clause
which contains no comma. The comma after the dependent clause in sentence 4) is
required, and experienced listeners of English will often hear a slight pause there. In
sentence 5), however, there will be no pause when the independent clause begins the
sentence.

 COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES

A Compound-complex sentence has two or more independent clauses and at least one
dependent clause.

1) After it was all over, my dad claimed he knew we were planning something,
but we think he was really surprised.
2) Bruno took the desktop computer that he uses at work, and Pauline sits on
the beach with her laptop computer, which she connects to the internet
with a cellular phone.

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Exercise 1: Directions: Identify the following sentences as simple, compound, or
complex based on your reading of the material about simple, compound,
and complex sentences.

1. The teacher walked into the classroom, greeted the students, and took
attendance. ___
2. Juan played football while Juanita went shopping. ____
3. Juan played football, yet Juanita went shopping. _____
4. Although Mexico has the better football team, it lost. ____
5. The island was filled with many trails winding through the thick underbrush, a
small lake, and dangerous wild pigs. _____
6. Naoki passed the test because he studied hard and understood the material. ____
7. I was studying English when my friend came. ______
8. The island was filled with many trails winding through the thick underbrush, a
small lake, and dangerous wild pigs. _____

9. Besides we have to study grammar, we also must know how to speak fluently. ___
10. My parents went to Puncak for their vacation; my brother and I went to Bali for
ours. _

Exercise 2: select the option that best describes that sentence

1.Pauline and Bruno have a big argument every summer over where they should spend
their summer vacation.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

2. Pauline loves to go to the beach and spend her days sunbathing.

A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

3. Bruno, on the other hand, likes the view that he gets from the log cabin up in the
mountains, and he enjoys hiking in the forest.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

4. Pauline says there is nothing relaxing about chopping wood, swatting mosquitoes, and
cooking over a woodstove.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence

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D. Compound-Complex Sentence

5. Bruno dislikes sitting on the beach; he always gets a nasty sunburn.

A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

6. Bruno tends to get bored sitting on the beach, watching the waves, getting sand in his
swimsuit, and reading detective novels for a week.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

7. This year, after a lengthy, noisy debate, they decided to take separate vacations.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

8. Bruno went to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and Pauline went to Cape Cod.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

9. Although they are 250 miles apart, they keep in constant contact on the internet.
A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

10. We were exhausted, but we arrived in time for my father's birthday party.

A. Simple Sentence
B. Compound Sentence
C. Complex Sentence
D. Compound-Complex Sentence

Clause

“A clause is a group of related words containing a subject and a predicate”

For example, he laughed.

A clause refers to a group of related words (within a sentence or itself as an independent

sentence) which has both subject and predicate.

Example
I will meet him in office.

The part of above sentence “I will meet him” is a clause because it has a subject(I) and a
predicate(will meet him). On the other hand, the rest part of above sentence “in office”
lacks both subject and predicate(verb) such group of word is called phrase.

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A clause may stand as a simple sentence or may join another clause to make a sentence.
Therefore, a sentence consists of one, two or more clauses.

Examples.

• He is sleeping. (one clause)

• The kids were laughing at the joker. (one clause)
• The teacher asked a question, but no one answered. (two clauses)
• I am happy, because I won a prize. (two clauses)
• I like Mathematics, but my brother likes Biology,
because he wants to become a doctor. (three clauses)

Clauses are divided into main clause (also called independent clause) and subordinate
clause (also called dependent clauses)

Types of Clauses

There are two major types of clauses main (or independent) clause and subordinate (or
dependant) clause.

Main Clause and Subordinate Clause – Comparison

 He is buying a shirt which looks very nice.

The above sentence has two clauses “He is buying a shirt” and “which looks very nice”.
The clause “He is buying a shirt” expresses a complete thought and can alone stand as a
sentence. Such a clause is called main or independent clause.

While the clause “which looks very nice” does not express a complete thought and can’t
stand as a sentence. It depends on another clause (main clause) to express complete idea.
Such a clause is called subordinate or dependent clause.

Main or Independent Clause

“Main (or independent) clause is a clause that expresses a complete thought and can stand
as a sentence.

Examples
I met the boy who had helped me.
She is wearing a shirt which looks nice.
The teacher asked a question but no one answered.
He takes medicine because he suffers from fever.
He became angry and smashed the vase into peaces.

In the above sentences each underlined part shows main clause. It expresses complete
though and can stand as a sentence that is why a main or an independent clause is
normally referred as a simple sentence.

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Subordinate or dependent Clause

Subordinate (or independent) clause is a clause which does not express complete thought
and depends on another clause (main clause) to express complete thought. Subordinate
clause does not express complete idea and can’t stand as a sentence. A sentence having a
subordinate clause must have a main clause.

Example
He likes Chinese rice which tastes good.

The clause “which tastes good” in above sentence is a subordinate clause because it does
not express complete thought and can’t stand as a sentence. It depends on main clause
(he likes Chinese rise) to express complete thought.

Examples.
I met the boy who had helped me.
I bought a table that costs $ 100.
He takes medicine because he suffers from fever.
The teacher asked a question but no one answered.

Subordinate (or dependent) clauses are further divided into tree types,
1. Noun Phrase, 2. Adjective Phrase, 3. Adverb Phrase

Types of Subordinate Clause

A subordinate (dependent) clause may function as a noun, an adjective or an adverb in

sentence. On the basis of their function in a sentence, subordinate clauses can be divided
in to following types.

1. Noun Clause
2. Adjective Clause.
3. Adverb Clause

Noun Clause

“A dependent clause that functions as a noun in a sentence is called noun clause.”

A noun clause performs same function like a noun in a sentence.

Example
What he did made a problem for his family.

In above sentence the clause “what he did” functions as a noun, hence it is a noun clause.
A noun clause works as a noun that acts as a subject, object, or predicate in a sentence. A
noun clause starts with words “that, what, whatever, who, whom, whoever, whomever”.

Examples
Whatever you learn will help you in future.
What you said made me laugh.
He knows that he will pass the test.
Now I realize what he would have thought.
(noun clause as a subject)
(noun clause as a subject)
(noun clause as an object)
(noun clause as an object)

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Adjective Clause

“A dependent clause that functions as an adjective in a sentence is called adjective

clause.”
An adjective clause works like adjective in a sentence. The function of an adjective is to
modify (describe) a noun or a pronoun. Similarly a noun clause modifies a noun or a
pronoun.

Example
He wears a shirt which looks nice.

The clause “which looks nice” in above sentence is an adjective clause because it modifies
noun “shirt” in the sentence.
An adjective clause always precedes the noun it modifies.

Examples.
I met the boy who had helped me.
An apple that smells bad is rotten.
The book which I like is helpful in preparation for test.
The house where I live consists of four rooms.
The person who was shouting needed help.

Adjective clause begins with relative pronoun (that, who, whom, whose, which, or
whose) and is also relative clause.

Adjective (relative) clauses can be restrictive clause or nonrestrictive clause

Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses

Adjective (relative) clauses can be restrictive clause or nonrestrictive clause.

A restrictive clause limits the meaning of preceding noun or pronoun. A nonrestrictive
clause tells us something about preceding noun or pronoun but does not limit the meaning
of preceding noun or pronoun.

Example

•The student in the class who studied a lot passed the test. (restrictive clause)

•The student in the class, who had attended all the lectures, passed the
test. (nonrestrictive clause)

In the first sentence the clause “who studied a lot” restrict information to preceding
noun(student), it means that there is only one student in the class who studied a lot,
hence it is a restrictive clause.

In the second sentence the clause “who had attended all the lectures” gives us
information about preceding noun but does not limit this information to the preceding
noun. It means there can be several other students in the class who had attended all the
lectures.

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A comma is always used before a restrictive clause in a sentence and also after
nonrestrictive clause if it is within a main clause. “That” is usually used to introduce a
restrictive clause while “which” is used to introduce a nonrestrictive clause.

Example
The table that costs $ 100 is made of steel. (restrictive clause)
The table, which costs $ 100, is made of steel. (nonrestrictive clause)

Adverb Clause

“A dependent clause that functions as an adverb in a sentence is called adverb clause”

An adverb clause like an adverb modifies a verb, adjective clause or other adverb clause
in a sentence. It modifies(describes) the situation in main clause in terms of “time,
frequency (how often), cause and effect, contrast, condition, intensity (to what
extent).”

The subordinating conjunctions used for adverb clauses are as follows.

Time: when, whenever, since, until, before, after, while, as, by the time, as soon as
Cause and effect: because, since, now that, as long as, so, so that,
Contrast: although, even, whereas, while, though
Condition: if, unless, only if, whether or not, even if, providing or provided that, in case

Examples.
Don’t go before he comes.
He takes medicine because he is ill.
Although he tried a lot, he couldn’t climb up the tree.
Unless you study for the test, you can’t pass it.
I will go to the school unless it rains.
You are safe as long as you drive carefully.
You can achieve anything provided that you struggle for it.

Exercise 3: Read the sentence then decide the underlined one whether it is
dependent or independent one.

1. John did his homework before he went to bed.

2. I don't like Mondays.
3. If you help me, I will help you!
4. I need a new calculator.
5. She is very fit because she goes running every day.
6. Can you tell me why you said that?
7. Because the test was so difficult, none of the students got a very good grade.
8. When I lived in Tokyo, I played tennis every day.
9. I usually do my homework while my mother is cooking dinner.
10. I know why she wasn't in school yesterday.

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 11. I was doing a math test when the fire alarm rang yesterday.
12. Although she was only in grade 8, she was the best basketball player in the school.
13. We decided to have a picnic although the weather wasn't very good.
14. Before you go home today, you need to go to the office and pay for the school trip.
15. After John did his homework, he went to bed.
16. I will be very surprised if I make the school soccer team.
17. Because it had snowed all night, I had terrible problems getting to school.
18. Since it had started to rain, we decided not to play tennis.
19. Although she studied hard for her ESL vocabulary test, she got a bad grade.
20. When you arrive in school every day, you must go to your locker to get your things
ready for class.
21. You must call me as soon as you get home.
22. While my sister was doing her homework, I practised on the piano.
23. Do you know the student who won the tennis tournament?
24. Since I came to Germany I have not once played tennis.
25. You are not going to pass the test unless you start working much harder.
26. I don't know yet whether I can come to your party.
27. You must wait here until I get back.
28. He did his homework and went to bed.
29. As you have come late to class three times this week, you are in detention after
school on Friday.
30. A simple sentence is an independent clause.

Exercise 4:

Exercise 1: Change the questions to a noun clause.

1. What time is it?

I would like to know ………………………….

2. Why don’t they like go dancing?

……………………………… is a mystery.

3. Who left the door open?

He doesn’t saw who ………………………..

4. Who is the lady in the black dress?

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 I wonder to know ………………………………

5. Whose car is this?

Does he know ………………………………

6. What time did the flight arrive?

She would like to know ………………………………….

7. How much doses the T-shirt cost?

Tom didn’t ask how much the T-shirt cost.

8. Which one is the capital of India?

…………………………………., was the question that the teacher made.

9. When is mother’s day?

Melissa doesn’t remember ………………………………….

10. Why she couldn’t take the bus on time?/why couldn’t she take

Her mother can understand …………………………………………….

Exercise 5:

Adjective Clauses…
Exercise two: choose the correct adjective clause.

1. After a month, we finally got to New Zeeland, where my dad ……..

2. My friend Claudia, whose car is light blue, is nineteen years old.

3. My mom would like to sky in Alaska in which is cold must part of the year.

4. She has two cats whose names are kitty, and Chococat.

5. Vladimir thanked the men whom he saw at the party yesterday.

6. I have a house which is in a new condo.

7. My brother, who lives in Mexico, is coming for Christmas.

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 8. Three kids who were hurting a dog was crying.

9. There are many kind of roses, which are expensive than sunflowers, that I
like.

10. The hotel at the family reunion where is taking place is gorgeous.

Exercise 6: See if you can determine the function of the hilighted dependent clause in each of
the following passages. Remember that a noun clause answers questions like "who(m)?" or
"what?"; an adjective clause answers questions like "which (one)?"; and an adverb clause
answers questions like "when?", "where?", "why?", "with what goal/result?", and "under
what conditions?".

Some people buy expensive cars simply because they can.

1. Many people hope that Canada can resolve its economic problems.
2. The bankers need to know what they should do.
3. Which one is the person who stole your car?
4. Wherever there is a large American city, there will be poverty.
5. The books which the professor assigned were very expensive.
6. Canada might give up its marketing boards if the European Community gives up its
grain subsidies.
7. That is the place where Wolfe's and Montcalm's armies fought.
8. Unless the crown can make a better case, the accused murderer will not be
convicted.
9. It is important to ask whether the wedding is formal or semi-formal.

Exercise 7:
dentify the underlined words as either an adjective dependent clause or and adverb dependent
clause.

1. 1. If we lose the ball game, the party will be cancelled.

A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
1 comment
2. 2. I was late to the meeting yesterday because I couldn't find my keys.
A. Adjective Clause

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B. Adverb Clause
3. 3. After we remodeled our house, we moved to Hawaii.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
4. 4. Mary heard a frightening noise that would scare the bravest of people.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
5. 5. The route which I take to school everyday is very scenic.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
6. 6. Those who are willing to serve others will be rewarded.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
7. 7. Although the ozone levels are high, they are still not dangerous.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
1 comment
8. 8. I will get a reward since I passed my test today.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
3 comments
9. 9. The mayor is the person to whom you should write the letter.
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause
10. 10. When I make a 100 on this test, Mrs. Weaver will jump for joy!
A. Adjective Clause
B. Adverb Clause

Phrase

“A phrase is defined as a group of related words that lacks both subject and verb.”

A phrase is a part of a sentence. It is a group of words (within a sentence) that does not
contain both subject and verb, and does not express a complete idea.

Example.
He is standing near a wall.

The part of above sentence “near a wall” is a phrase because it does not contain subject
and verb, and does not express a complete idea.

A phrase does not include both subject and verb at a same time and does not make a
complete sense, hence a phrase cannot stand as a sentence on its own.

If a group of words include both subject and verb then it becomes a clause, so the
difference in a clause and a phrase is that a clause contains subject and verb but a phrase
does not contain subject and verb.

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Here are some examples of phrases.

He is laughing at a joker.
She is making tea for the guests.
I saw a girl with blue eyes.
He always behaves in a strange way.
The boy in the red shirt is my cousin.
The boy, with a book in his hand, won a prize.

A sentence may consist of one or more phrases.

For example, The boy in the red shirt behaves in a strange way.

A phrase functions as a noun, adverb, or adjective in a sentence, therefore a phrase is also

defined as “a group of words (lacking subject and verb), that functions as a single part of
speech, in a sentence.”

Examples
He is wearing a nice read shirt.
The people at the party were dancing.
The man in the room is our teacher.
She gave me a glass full of water.
He always behaves in a strange way.
He returned in a short while.
(as a noun/object)
(as a noun/subject)
(as adjective, modifies noun man)
(as adjective, modifies noun glass)
(as adverb, modifies verb behave)
(as adverb, modifies verb return)

On the basis of their functions and constructions, phrases are divided into various types
i.e. noun phrase, verb phrase, adverb phrase, adjective phrase, appositive phrase,
infinite phrase, participle phrase and gerund phrase.

Types of Phrases

A phrase is a group of related words (within a sentence) without both subject and verb.
For example, He is laughing at the joker.

A phrase functions as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective or preposition in a sentence. The

function of a phrase depends on its construction (words it contains). On the basis of their
functions and constructions, phrases are divided into various types i.e. noun phrase, verb
phrase, adverb phrase, adjective phrase, appositive phrase, infinite phrase,
participle phrase and gerund phrase.

Noun Phrase

A noun phrase consists of a noun and other related words (usually modifiers and
determiners) which modify the noun. It functions like a noun in a sentence.

A noun phrase consists of a noun as the head word and other words (usually modifiers and
determiners) which come after or before the noun. The whole phrase works as a noun in a
sentence.
Noun Phrase = noun + modifiers (the modifiers can be after or before noun)

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Examples.
He is wearing a nice red shirt. (as noun/object)
She brought a glass full of water. (as noun/object)
The boy with brown hair is laughing. (as noun/subject)
A man on the roof was shouting. (as noun/subject)

A sentence can also contain more noun phrases.

For example. The girl with blue eyes bought a beautiful chair.

Prepositional phrase.

A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, object of preposition(noun or

pronoun) and may also consist of other modifiers.
e.g. on a table, near a wall, in the room, at the door, under a tree

A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and mostly ends with a noun or pronoun.
Whatever prepositional phrase ends with is called object of preposition. A prepositional
phrase functions as an adjective or adverb in a sentence.

Examples.
A boy on the roof is singing a song. (As adjective)
The man in the room is our teacher. (As adjective)
She is shouting in a loud voice. (As adverb)
He always behaves in a good manner. (As adverb)

Adjective Phrase.

An adjective phrase is a group of words that functions like an adjective in a sentence. It

consists of adjectives, modifier and any word that modifies a noun or pronoun.
An adjective phrase functions like an adjective to modify (or tell about) a noun or a
pronoun in a sentence.

Examples.
He is wearing a nice red shirt. (modifies shirt)
The girl with brown hair is singing a song. (modifies girl)
He gave me a glass full of water. (modifies glass)
A boy from America won the race. (modifies boy)

Prepositional phrases and participle phrases also function as adjectives so we can also call
them adjective phrases when they function as adjective. In the above sentence “The girl
with brown hair is singing a song”, the phrase “with brown hair” is a prepositional phrase
but it functions as an adjective.

Adverb Phrase

An adverb phrase is a group of words that functions as an adverb in a sentence. It consists

of adverbs or other words (preposition, noun, verb, modifiers) that make a group with

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works like an adverb in a sentence.
An adverb phrase functions like an adverb to modify a verb, an adjective or another
adverb.

Examples
He always behaves in a good manner. (modifies verb behave)
They were shouting in a loud voice. (modifies verb shout)
She always drives with care. (modifies verb drive)
He sat in a corner of the room. (modifies verb sit)
He returned in a short while. (modifies verb return)

A prepositional phrase can also act as an adverb phrase. For example in above sentence
“He always behaves in a good manner”, the phrase “in a good manner” is a prepositional
phrase but it acts as adverb phrase here.

Verb Phrase

A verb phrase is a combination of main verb and its auxiliaries (helping verbs) in a
sentence.

Examples.
He is eating an apple.
She has finished her work.
You should study for the exam.
She has been sleeping for two hours.

According to generative grammar, a verb phrase can consist of main verb, its auxiliaries,
its complements and other modifiers. Hence it can refer to the whole predicate of a
sentence.
Example. You should study for the exam.

Infinitive Phrase

An infinitive phrase consist of an infinitive(to + simple form of verb) and modifiers or other
words associated to the infinitive. An infinitive phrase always functions as an adjective,
adverb or a noun in a sentence.

Examples.
He likes to read books.
To earn money is a desire of everyone.
He shouted to inform people about fire.
He made a plan to buy a car.
(As noun/object)
(As noun/subject)
(As adverb, modifies verb shout)
(As adjective, modifies noun plan)

Gerund Phrase

A gerund phrase consists of a gerund(verb + ing) and modifiers or other words associated
with the gerund. A gerund phrase acts as a noun in a sentence.

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Examples
I like writing good essays. (As noun/object)
She started thinking about the problem. (As noun/object)
Sleeping late in night is not a good habit. (As noun/subject)
Weeping of a baby woke him up. (As noun/subject)

Participle Phrase

A participle phrase consists of a present participle (verb + ing), a past participle

(verb ending in -ed or other form in case of irregular verbs) and modifiers or other
associate words. A participle phrase is separated by commas. It always acts as an
adjective in a sentence.

Examples
The kids, making a noise, need food. (modifies kids)
I received a letter, mentioning about my exam. (modifies letter)
The table, made of steel, is too expensive. (modifies table)
We saw a car, damaged in an accident. (modifies car)

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