{"id":48,"date":"2021-03-02T15:26:26","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T15:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/chapter\/basicelements\/"},"modified":"2025-07-17T20:54:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T20:54:06","slug":"basicelements","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/chapter\/basicelements\/","title":{"raw":"The Basic Elements of a Sentence","rendered":"The Basic Elements of a Sentence"},"content":{"raw":"<header><\/header>\r\n<div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nBy the end of this chapter, you should be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Recognize the difference between a clause and a phrase.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Distinguish between an independent clause and a dependent clause.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Identify and explain the four sentence structures (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 1em; text-align: initial;\">Unsurprisingly, you are required to submit written assignments for this course. Your level of comfort in this area will differ from that of other students, but like all skills, writing is improved through practice. We all have strengths in writing, and we all have areas we can improve.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n<div>\r\n<div class=\"details\">\r\n<div class=\"vtbegenerated\">\r\n<div class=\"details\">\r\n<div class=\"details\">\r\n\r\nWe will start small now and focus on sentence-level issues that can harm your writing. This way, we have a common language as we discuss this topic. After that, you'll have a chance to pick a common writing issue that is relevant to you.\r\n\r\nLet's start by reviewing the basic grammatical terms you need to know for this section.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise #1: Grammar Vocabulary Self-Assessment<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nBelow, you will see some flash cards with grammatical terms. These are all terms that we will mention throughout this technical writing section. Try to predict what you think these words mean. If you can't define the word, can you come up with an example?\u00a0 If the definitions don't make sense yet, that's okay! We'll go into these things later. This assessment is just for you to test your knowledge.\r\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\r\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\"><code>[h5p id=\"8\"]<\/code><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h1>Clauses and Phrases<\/h1>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">When building anything, be it a car, a house, or even a sentence, it is essential to be familiar with the tools you are using.\u00a0 For this course, grammatical elements are the main \"tools\" used when building sentences and longer written works such as reports.\u00a0 Thus, it is critical to understand grammatical terminology to construct effective sentences. If you want to review some essential parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, articles, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc), see the <a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Parts of Speech Overview<\/strong><\/a> at the Purdue OWL website. Now, let's get into it!<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">The two essential parts of a sentence are the <strong>subject<\/strong> and the <b>verb<\/b>. The [pb_glossary id=\"188\"]subject [\/pb_glossary] refers to the topic being discussed, while the [pb_glossary id=\"190\"]verb[\/pb_glossary] conveys the action or state of being expressed in the sentence. When you combine these two elements, you get a <strong>clause<\/strong>. All [pb_glossary id=\"196\"]clauses [\/pb_glossary] must contain both a <strong>subject<\/strong> and a <strong>verb<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\nHere are two simple examples of a [pb_glossary id=\"1907\"]clause[\/pb_glossary].\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">(1) I walk.\r\n(2) I eat food.<\/div>\r\n<div>Both sentences have a <strong>subject\u00a0<\/strong>and a <strong>verb,\u00a0<\/strong>so they are <strong>clauses<\/strong>. There are two types of clauses in writing: an <strong>independent clause<\/strong>\u00a0and a <strong>dependent clause<\/strong>.<\/div>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\"><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">Some\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 1em;\">phrases<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> lack<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> a subject, a verb, or both, so they need to relate to or modify other parts of the sentence.<\/span>\u00a0Don't worry too much about [pb_glossary id=\"191\"]phrases[\/pb_glossary] though. We are going to focus on <strong>clauses <\/strong>here.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\"><strong>I<\/strong><strong>ndependent<\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">or main clauses<\/span>\u00a0can stand independently and convey an idea. Let's look at some examples.<\/p>\r\nHere is a sentence:\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">The engineers stood around the table looking at schematics for the machine.<\/div>\r\nCan you identify the [pb_glossary id=\"188\"]subject[\/pb_glossary], [pb_glossary id=\"190\"]verb[\/pb_glossary], [pb_glossary id=\"1907\"]clause[\/pb_glossary], and [pb_glossary id=\"191\"]phrase[\/pb_glossary] in that sentence? If not, that's okay.\r\n\r\nHere's a breakdown of the different parts of the sentence.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-439 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/231\/2021\/04\/SenStruc-1.jpg\" alt=\"Independent Clause: the engineers is the subject, Stood is the verb, around the table is the phrase. Phrases Looking at the schematics is a phrase for the machine is the phrase. \" width=\"1269\" height=\"202\" \/>\r\n\r\nNotice the <strong>independent clause<\/strong> [The engineers stood around the table] is a complete idea. The independent clause would work as a complete sentence if we took at the phrase. The <strong>phrase<\/strong> [looking at schematics for the machine] is not. It has a verb [looking], but not a subject, so it isn't a <strong>clause<\/strong>. It could not be a complete sentence on its own.\r\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\"><strong>Dependent<\/strong> <strong>clauses<\/strong> rely on another part of the sentence for meaning and can\u2019t stand alone.<\/p>\r\nHere's an example:\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">After they discussed different options, they decided to redesign the components.<\/div>\r\nCan you identify the different parts we have discussed so far? Below is a breakdown of the sentence.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-440 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/231\/2021\/04\/SenStruc-2.jpg\" alt=\"Dependent clause 2. After they discussed different options, After is the sub conj. They is the subject, discussed is the verb, different options is the object. Independent clause: They is the subject, decided is the verb, to re-design the components is the phrase. \" width=\"1269\" height=\"204\" \/>\r\n\r\n<strong>Sentence 2<\/strong> has one <strong>dependent clause<\/strong> and one <strong>independent clause<\/strong>, each with its subject-verb combination [\u201cthey discussed\u201d and \u201cthey decided\u201d]. The two clauses are joined by the <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"192\"]subordinate conjunction[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, \u201cafter,\u201d which makes the first clause subordinate to (or dependent upon) the second one.\r\n\r\nIdentifying the critical parts of the sentence will help you design sentences with a clear and compelling subject-verb relationship.\r\n\r\nIf you need\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">more guidance on\u00a0<strong>clauses<\/strong>, please watch one or both of the videos below. The first video is humorous<\/span>, while the second is more formal.\r\n\r\nLink to Original Video: <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/holidayclause\">https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/holidayclause<\/a>\r\n\r\nLink to Original Video: <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/indepclauses\">https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/indepclauses<\/a>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise #2: Identify the Clause<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nIn this activity, you will identify all the words in\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">a sentence's\u00a0<strong>independent\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0<strong>dependent clause<\/strong>s<\/span>. You must click on all the words in that <strong>clause<\/strong> to get the points.\r\n\r\nFor example, if you are supposed to identify an <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>[pb_glossary id=\"194\"]independent clause[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong><\/span>, and your sentence is\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I will go to work after I eat breakfast.<\/p>\r\nYou would click on \"I,\" \"will,\" \"go,\" \"to,\" and \"work.\"\r\n\r\nIf you are supposed to identify a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>[pb_glossary id=\"222\"]dependent clause[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong><\/span> for the same sentence, you would click on \"after\" \"I\" \"eat\" and \"breakfast\".\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"9\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h1 class=\"import-Normal\">Sentence Structures<\/h1>\r\nSentence structures are how we combine <strong>independent clauses<\/strong>, <strong>dependent clauses<\/strong>, and <strong>phrases<\/strong> to create complete ideas in our writing. There are four main types of sentence structures: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. In the examples above, Sentence 1 is simple, while Sentence 2 is complex.\r\n\r\nWe will go over each sentence structure now.\r\n\r\n<strong>SIMPLE SENTENCES <\/strong>have one main [pb_glossary id=\"1907\"]clause [\/pb_glossary][pb_glossary id=\"196\"]clause [\/pb_glossary] and any number of phrases. Below is the formula for a simple sentence.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: center;\">subject + verb<\/div>\r\nThe following are all examples of simple sentences:\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A simple sentence can be very effective.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>It makes one direct point.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>It is good for creating emphasis and clarity.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Too many in a row can sound repetitive and choppy.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Varied sentence structure sounds more natural.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nCan you identify the <strong>subject<\/strong>, <strong>verb<\/strong>, and <strong>phrases<\/strong> (if any) in the above sentences?\r\n\r\n<strong>COMPOUND SENTENCES<\/strong> have two or more main [pb_glossary id=\"196\"]clauses [\/pb_glossary] joined by <strong>coordinating<\/strong> <strong>conjunctions<\/strong> (CC) such as <em>and, but, for, yet, nor, or, so. <\/em>A common acronym for remembering all of the conjunctions is FANBOYS. You can also connect them using punctuation, such as a semicolon or a colon. By <strong>coordinating<\/strong> the ideas, you give them roughly equal weight and importance.\r\n\r\nPlease note that these [pb_glossary id=\"195\"]coordinating conjunctions[\/pb_glossary] are different from <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"192\"]subordinate conjunctions[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>, which show a generally unequal relationship between the clauses.\r\n\r\nBelow is the formula for a compound sentence:\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: center;\">subject + verb, \u00a0\u00a0 CC\u00a0 \u00a0 subject + verb<\/div>\r\n<div>The following sentences are all compound. The [pb_glossary id=\"195\"]coordinating conjunctions[\/pb_glossary] are all in bold:<\/div>\r\n<div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A compound sentence coordinates two ideas<strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>each\u00a0given roughly equal weight.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The two ideas are closely related<strong>, so<\/strong> you don\u2019t want to separate them with a period.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The two clauses are part of the same idea,<strong> so<\/strong>\u00a0they should be part of the same sentence.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The two clauses may express a parallel idea, <strong>and<\/strong> they might also have a parallel structure.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>You must remember to include the coordinating conjunction,<strong> or<\/strong> you may commit a comma splice.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIn formal writing, avoid beginning a sentence with a [pb_glossary id=\"195\"]coordinating conjunction[\/pb_glossary].\r\n\r\n<strong>COMPLEX SENTENCES<\/strong> express complex and usually unequal relationships between ideas. One idea is \u201c<strong>subordinated<\/strong>\u201d to the main idea by using a <strong>subordinate conjunction<\/strong> (like \"while\" or \"although\"). One idea is \u201cdependent\u201d upon the other one for logic and completeness. <strong>Complex sentences<\/strong> include one main clause and at least one dependent clause (see Example 2 above). Often, it is stylistically effective to begin your sentence with the dependent clause and place the main clause at the end for emphasis.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: center;\">subordinate conjunction + subject + verb (<em>this is the dependent clause<\/em>), subject + verb (<em>this is the independent\u00a0clause<\/em>)<\/div>\r\nThe following are all examples of complex sentences.\u00a0<strong>Subordinate conjunctions<\/strong> are in bold.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>When<\/strong> you make a complex sentence, you subordinate one idea to another.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>If <\/strong>you place the subordinate clause first, you emphasize the main clause at the end.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><span style=\"background-color: #ffff99;\"><strong>Even though many students try to use them that way<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff99;\">.<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">x<\/span><\/strong>NOTE: This last bullet is a <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/chapter\/sentence-fragments\/\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sentence fragment<\/span><\/em><\/a>, not a subordinate clause. Subordinate clauses <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cannot stand on their own<\/span>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nCheck out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grammarly.com\/blog\/subordinating-conjunctions\/\">this link<\/a> for a list of <strong>subordinate conjunctions <\/strong>if you want more examples.\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES<\/strong> have at least two [pb_glossary id=\"194\"]independent clauses [\/pb_glossary]and at least one [pb_glossary id=\"222\"]dependent clause[\/pb_glossary]. Because a <strong>compound-complex<\/strong> sentence is usually quite long, you must be careful that it makes sense; it is easy for the reader to get lost in a long sentence.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Given the complex nature of the structure, let's look at a few examples and break them down into their parts:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Alphonse doesn't like action movies because they are so loud, so he doesn't watch them.<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #1<\/span>: Alphonse doesn't like action movies.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependent Clause<\/span>: because they are so loud\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #2<\/span>: he doesn't watch them.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Although it will close, we will meet the deadline and complete the project.<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependent Clause<\/span>: Although it will be close\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #1<\/span>: I think we will meet the deadline\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #2<\/span>: We will complete the project.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">While our supervisor can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, she genuinely cares about the work and wants to see us succeed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependent Clause<\/span>: While our supervisor can be a bit of a jerk at times\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #1<\/span>: She genuinely cares about the work\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #2<\/span>: She wants to see us succeed\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">EXERCISE #3 Identifying Sentence Types<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nRead the sentences below and identify which sentence structure is being used.\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"10\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">EXERCISE #4: Combining sentences<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nBelow are two sentences separated by a line ( | ). Combine the pair of sentences to make one idea subordinate to the other. You can do this by writing them down or thinking them in your mind. When you have an answer, click on the sentences for two <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">possible<\/span> answers.\r\n\r\nNotice the impression you convey by how you subordinate one idea to another. If your combined sentence were a topic sentence for a paragraph, what idea would the reader expect that paragraph to emphasize?\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"11\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nNow that you know different sentence structures, let's focus on specific issues that can damage your writing. Below are links to other chapters, each with its particular writing focus. Since everyone's needs will <span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">differ, please focus on\u00a0<strong>one<\/strong> chapter\u00a0<\/span>you think you need the most help with. Each section will have activities for you to do to check your understanding of the content.\r\n\r\nIf you're unsure which to choose, ask yourself the questions below. If you don't know the answer, click the link to be taken to the appropriate section.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Are your sentences often too short and do not convey complete ideas? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/sentence-fragments\/\">Sentence Fragments<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do you write in long, confusing sentences and don't know how to break them up? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/run-on-sentences\/\">Run-On Sentences<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>When is it appropriate to use the passive voice? Is a nominalization a good thing? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/verb-tense\/\">Verb Tense<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Do you know how to use a semicolon or colon? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/punctuation\/\">Punctuation<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Have you ever been told that your writing needs to be trimmed down? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/eliminating-wordiness\/\">Eliminating Wordiness<\/a>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A sentence must have a subject and a verb to form a complete idea.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>A clause has both a subject and a verb. There are two types of clauses: an independent clause (which can stand alone) and a dependent clause (which can not stand alone).<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Using a variety of sentence types and using these types strategically to convey your ideas will strengthen your style.\u00a0 Keep the following in mind:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Simple sentences<\/strong> are great for emphasis.\u00a0 They make great topic sentences.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Compound sentences<\/strong> balance ideas; they are great for conveying the equal importance of related ideas.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>When used effectively, <strong>complex sentences<\/strong>\u00a0show complicated relationships between ideas by subordinating one idea to another.<\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Compound-complex sentences<\/strong> can add complexity to your writing, but you need to ensure that the writing doesn't lose the reader.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Ultimately, using a combination of these structures will make your writing stronger.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<h2 class=\"textbox__title\">References<\/h2>\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nPurdue Writing Lab. (n.d.). <em>Parts of speech overview<\/em>.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html\"><span class=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html\">https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html<\/span><\/a>\r\n<h2>Attributions<\/h2>\r\nThis chapter is adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting\/chapter\/appendixe-sentencestructure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\"Technical Writing Essentials\"<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a>Suzan Last (on<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/\">BCcampus<\/a>). It is licensed under the <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\" rel=\"license\">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<header><\/header>\n<div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recognize the difference between a clause and a phrase.<\/li>\n<li>Distinguish between an independent clause and a dependent clause.<\/li>\n<li>Identify and explain the four sentence structures (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1em; text-align: initial;\">Unsurprisingly, you are required to submit written assignments for this course. Your level of comfort in this area will differ from that of other students, but like all skills, writing is improved through practice. We all have strengths in writing, and we all have areas we can improve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"details\">\n<div class=\"vtbegenerated\">\n<div class=\"details\">\n<div class=\"details\">\n<p>We will start small now and focus on sentence-level issues that can harm your writing. This way, we have a common language as we discuss this topic. After that, you&#8217;ll have a chance to pick a common writing issue that is relevant to you.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s start by reviewing the basic grammatical terms you need to know for this section.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise #1: Grammar Vocabulary Self-Assessment<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Below, you will see some flash cards with grammatical terms. These are all terms that we will mention throughout this technical writing section. Try to predict what you think these words mean. If you can&#8217;t define the word, can you come up with an example?\u00a0 If the definitions don&#8217;t make sense yet, that&#8217;s okay! We&#8217;ll go into these things later. This assessment is just for you to test your knowledge.<\/p>\n<div class=\"postbox h5p-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"h5p-action-bar-settings h5p-panel\"><code><\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-8\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-8\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"8\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Grammar Vocabulary Pre-Assessment\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/code><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Clauses and Phrases<\/h1>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">When building anything, be it a car, a house, or even a sentence, it is essential to be familiar with the tools you are using.\u00a0 For this course, grammatical elements are the main &#8220;tools&#8221; used when building sentences and longer written works such as reports.\u00a0 Thus, it is critical to understand grammatical terminology to construct effective sentences. If you want to review some essential parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, articles, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, etc), see the <a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Parts of Speech Overview<\/strong><\/a> at the Purdue OWL website. Now, let&#8217;s get into it!<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\">The two essential parts of a sentence are the <strong>subject<\/strong> and the <b>verb<\/b>. The <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_188\">subject <\/a> refers to the topic being discussed, while the <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_190\">verb<\/a> conveys the action or state of being expressed in the sentence. When you combine these two elements, you get a <strong>clause<\/strong>. All <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_196\">clauses <\/a> must contain both a <strong>subject<\/strong> and a <strong>verb<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Here are two simple examples of a <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_1907\">clause<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">(1) I walk.<br \/>\n(2) I eat food.<\/div>\n<div>Both sentences have a <strong>subject\u00a0<\/strong>and a <strong>verb,\u00a0<\/strong>so they are <strong>clauses<\/strong>. There are two types of clauses in writing: an <strong>independent clause<\/strong>\u00a0and a <strong>dependent clause<\/strong>.<\/div>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\"><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">Some\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 1em;\">phrases<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> lack<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> a subject, a verb, or both, so they need to relate to or modify other parts of the sentence.<\/span>\u00a0Don&#8217;t worry too much about <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_191\">phrases<\/a> though. We are going to focus on <strong>clauses <\/strong>here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\"><strong>I<\/strong><strong>ndependent<\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">or main clauses<\/span>\u00a0can stand independently and convey an idea. Let&#8217;s look at some examples.<\/p>\n<p>Here is a sentence:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">The engineers stood around the table looking at schematics for the machine.<\/div>\n<p>Can you identify the <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_188\">subject<\/a>, <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_190\">verb<\/a>, <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_1907\">clause<\/a>, and <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_191\">phrase<\/a> in that sentence? If not, that&#8217;s okay.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a breakdown of the different parts of the sentence.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-439 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/231\/2021\/04\/SenStruc-1.jpg\" alt=\"Independent Clause: the engineers is the subject, Stood is the verb, around the table is the phrase. Phrases Looking at the schematics is a phrase for the machine is the phrase.\" width=\"1269\" height=\"202\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Notice the <strong>independent clause<\/strong> [The engineers stood around the table] is a complete idea. The independent clause would work as a complete sentence if we took at the phrase. The <strong>phrase<\/strong> [looking at schematics for the machine] is not. It has a verb [looking], but not a subject, so it isn&#8217;t a <strong>clause<\/strong>. It could not be a complete sentence on its own.<\/p>\n<p class=\"import-BodyText\"><strong>Dependent<\/strong> <strong>clauses<\/strong> rely on another part of the sentence for meaning and can\u2019t stand alone.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox\">After they discussed different options, they decided to redesign the components.<\/div>\n<p>Can you identify the different parts we have discussed so far? Below is a breakdown of the sentence.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-440 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppsccom2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/231\/2021\/04\/SenStruc-2.jpg\" alt=\"Dependent clause 2. After they discussed different options, After is the sub conj. They is the subject, discussed is the verb, different options is the object. Independent clause: They is the subject, decided is the verb, to re-design the components is the phrase.\" width=\"1269\" height=\"204\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sentence 2<\/strong> has one <strong>dependent clause<\/strong> and one <strong>independent clause<\/strong>, each with its subject-verb combination [\u201cthey discussed\u201d and \u201cthey decided\u201d]. The two clauses are joined by the <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_192\">subordinate conjunction<\/a><\/strong>, \u201cafter,\u201d which makes the first clause subordinate to (or dependent upon) the second one.<\/p>\n<p>Identifying the critical parts of the sentence will help you design sentences with a clear and compelling subject-verb relationship.<\/p>\n<p>If you need\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">more guidance on\u00a0<strong>clauses<\/strong>, please watch one or both of the videos below. The first video is humorous<\/span>, while the second is more formal.<\/p>\n<p>Link to Original Video: <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/holidayclause\">https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/holidayclause<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Link to Original Video: <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/indepclauses\">https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/indepclauses<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercise #2: Identify the Clause<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>In this activity, you will identify all the words in\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">a sentence&#8217;s\u00a0<strong>independent\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0<strong>dependent clause<\/strong>s<\/span>. You must click on all the words in that <strong>clause<\/strong> to get the points.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you are supposed to identify an <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_194\">independent clause<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, and your sentence is<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I will go to work after I eat breakfast.<\/p>\n<p>You would click on &#8220;I,&#8221; &#8220;will,&#8221; &#8220;go,&#8221; &#8220;to,&#8221; and &#8220;work.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>If you are supposed to identify a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_222\">dependent clause<\/a><\/strong><\/span> for the same sentence, you would click on &#8220;after&#8221; &#8220;I&#8221; &#8220;eat&#8221; and &#8220;breakfast&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-9\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-9\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"9\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Parts of a Sentence\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h1 class=\"import-Normal\">Sentence Structures<\/h1>\n<p>Sentence structures are how we combine <strong>independent clauses<\/strong>, <strong>dependent clauses<\/strong>, and <strong>phrases<\/strong> to create complete ideas in our writing. There are four main types of sentence structures: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. In the examples above, Sentence 1 is simple, while Sentence 2 is complex.<\/p>\n<p>We will go over each sentence structure now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SIMPLE SENTENCES <\/strong>have one main <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_1907\">clause <\/a><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_196\">clause <\/a> and any number of phrases. Below is the formula for a simple sentence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: center;\">subject + verb<\/div>\n<p>The following are all examples of simple sentences:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>A simple sentence can be very effective.<\/li>\n<li>It makes one direct point.<\/li>\n<li>It is good for creating emphasis and clarity.<\/li>\n<li>Too many in a row can sound repetitive and choppy.<\/li>\n<li>Varied sentence structure sounds more natural.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Can you identify the <strong>subject<\/strong>, <strong>verb<\/strong>, and <strong>phrases<\/strong> (if any) in the above sentences?<\/p>\n<p><strong>COMPOUND SENTENCES<\/strong> have two or more main <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_196\">clauses <\/a> joined by <strong>coordinating<\/strong> <strong>conjunctions<\/strong> (CC) such as <em>and, but, for, yet, nor, or, so. <\/em>A common acronym for remembering all of the conjunctions is FANBOYS. You can also connect them using punctuation, such as a semicolon or a colon. By <strong>coordinating<\/strong> the ideas, you give them roughly equal weight and importance.<\/p>\n<p>Please note that these <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_195\">coordinating conjunctions<\/a> are different from <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_192\">subordinate conjunctions<\/a><\/strong>, which show a generally unequal relationship between the clauses.<\/p>\n<p>Below is the formula for a compound sentence:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: center;\">subject + verb, \u00a0\u00a0 CC\u00a0 \u00a0 subject + verb<\/div>\n<div>The following sentences are all compound. The <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_195\">coordinating conjunctions<\/a> are all in bold:<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>A compound sentence coordinates two ideas<strong>,\u00a0<\/strong>each\u00a0given roughly equal weight.<\/li>\n<li>The two ideas are closely related<strong>, so<\/strong> you don\u2019t want to separate them with a period.<\/li>\n<li>The two clauses are part of the same idea,<strong> so<\/strong>\u00a0they should be part of the same sentence.<\/li>\n<li>The two clauses may express a parallel idea, <strong>and<\/strong> they might also have a parallel structure.<\/li>\n<li>You must remember to include the coordinating conjunction,<strong> or<\/strong> you may commit a comma splice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In formal writing, avoid beginning a sentence with a <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_195\">coordinating conjunction<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>COMPLEX SENTENCES<\/strong> express complex and usually unequal relationships between ideas. One idea is \u201c<strong>subordinated<\/strong>\u201d to the main idea by using a <strong>subordinate conjunction<\/strong> (like &#8220;while&#8221; or &#8220;although&#8221;). One idea is \u201cdependent\u201d upon the other one for logic and completeness. <strong>Complex sentences<\/strong> include one main clause and at least one dependent clause (see Example 2 above). Often, it is stylistically effective to begin your sentence with the dependent clause and place the main clause at the end for emphasis.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: center;\">subordinate conjunction + subject + verb (<em>this is the dependent clause<\/em>), subject + verb (<em>this is the independent\u00a0clause<\/em>)<\/div>\n<p>The following are all examples of complex sentences.\u00a0<strong>Subordinate conjunctions<\/strong> are in bold.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>When<\/strong> you make a complex sentence, you subordinate one idea to another.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If <\/strong>you place the subordinate clause first, you emphasize the main clause at the end.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"background-color: #ffff99;\"><strong>Even though many students try to use them that way<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"background-color: #ffff99;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">x<\/span><\/strong>NOTE: This last bullet is a <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/chapter\/sentence-fragments\/\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sentence fragment<\/span><\/em><\/a>, not a subordinate clause. Subordinate clauses <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cannot stand on their own<\/span>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grammarly.com\/blog\/subordinating-conjunctions\/\">this link<\/a> for a list of <strong>subordinate conjunctions <\/strong>if you want more examples.<\/p>\n<p class=\"textbox__title\"><strong>COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES<\/strong> have at least two <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_194\">independent clauses <\/a>and at least one <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_48_222\">dependent clause<\/a>. Because a <strong>compound-complex<\/strong> sentence is usually quite long, you must be careful that it makes sense; it is easy for the reader to get lost in a long sentence.<\/p>\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Given the complex nature of the structure, let&#8217;s look at a few examples and break them down into their parts:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Alphonse doesn&#8217;t like action movies because they are so loud, so he doesn&#8217;t watch them.<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #1<\/span>: Alphonse doesn&#8217;t like action movies.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependent Clause<\/span>: because they are so loud<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #2<\/span>: he doesn&#8217;t watch them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\" style=\"text-align: left;\">Although it will close, we will meet the deadline and complete the project.<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependent Clause<\/span>: Although it will be close<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #1<\/span>: I think we will meet the deadline<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #2<\/span>: We will complete the project.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">While our supervisor can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, she genuinely cares about the work and wants to see us succeed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Dependent Clause<\/span>: While our supervisor can be a bit of a jerk at times<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #1<\/span>: She genuinely cares about the work<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Independent Clause #2<\/span>: She wants to see us succeed<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">EXERCISE #3 Identifying Sentence Types<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Read the sentences below and identify which sentence structure is being used.<\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-10\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-10\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"10\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Identifying Sentence Types\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">EXERCISE #4: Combining sentences<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Below are two sentences separated by a line ( | ). Combine the pair of sentences to make one idea subordinate to the other. You can do this by writing them down or thinking them in your mind. When you have an answer, click on the sentences for two <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">possible<\/span> answers.<\/p>\n<p>Notice the impression you convey by how you subordinate one idea to another. If your combined sentence were a topic sentence for a paragraph, what idea would the reader expect that paragraph to emphasize?<\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-11\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-11\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"11\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Combining Sentences\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now that you know different sentence structures, let&#8217;s focus on specific issues that can damage your writing. Below are links to other chapters, each with its particular writing focus. Since everyone&#8217;s needs will <span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">differ, please focus on\u00a0<strong>one<\/strong> chapter\u00a0<\/span>you think you need the most help with. Each section will have activities for you to do to check your understanding of the content.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re unsure which to choose, ask yourself the questions below. If you don&#8217;t know the answer, click the link to be taken to the appropriate section.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Are your sentences often too short and do not convey complete ideas? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/sentence-fragments\/\">Sentence Fragments<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Do you write in long, confusing sentences and don&#8217;t know how to break them up? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/run-on-sentences\/\">Run-On Sentences<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>When is it appropriate to use the passive voice? Is a nominalization a good thing? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/verb-tense\/\">Verb Tense<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Do you know how to use a semicolon or colon? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/punctuation\/\">Punctuation<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Have you ever been told that your writing needs to be trimmed down? (<a href=\"https:\/\/openpress.usask.ca\/rcm300\/chapter\/eliminating-wordiness\/\">Eliminating Wordiness<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>A sentence must have a subject and a verb to form a complete idea.<\/li>\n<li>A clause has both a subject and a verb. There are two types of clauses: an independent clause (which can stand alone) and a dependent clause (which can not stand alone).<\/li>\n<li>Using a variety of sentence types and using these types strategically to convey your ideas will strengthen your style.\u00a0 Keep the following in mind:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Simple sentences<\/strong> are great for emphasis.\u00a0 They make great topic sentences.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Compound sentences<\/strong> balance ideas; they are great for conveying the equal importance of related ideas.<\/li>\n<li>When used effectively, <strong>complex sentences<\/strong>\u00a0show complicated relationships between ideas by subordinating one idea to another.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Compound-complex sentences<\/strong> can add complexity to your writing, but you need to ensure that the writing doesn&#8217;t lose the reader.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Ultimately, using a combination of these structures will make your writing stronger.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<h2 class=\"textbox__title\">References<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Purdue Writing Lab. (n.d.). <em>Parts of speech overview<\/em>.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html\"><span class=\"https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html\">https:\/\/owl.purdue.edu\/owl\/general_writing\/mechanics\/parts_of_speech_overview.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Attributions<\/h2>\n<p>This chapter is adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/technicalwriting\/chapter\/appendixe-sentencestructure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;Technical Writing Essentials&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0<a>Suzan Last (on<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/\">BCcampus<\/a>). It is licensed under the <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\" rel=\"license\">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"glossary\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\" id=\"definition\">definition<\/span><template id=\"term_48_188\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_188\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>the topic being discussed in a clause or sentence<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_190\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_190\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a word that conveys the action or state of being in a sentence<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_196\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_196\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>when a subject and verb are combined in a sentence. There are two types: independent clause and dependent clause.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_1907\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_1907\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Chapter Preview<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>What is a Group?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_191\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_191\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a group of words that are missing a subject, a verb, or both<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_192\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_192\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a word that connects a dependent clause to an independent clause. It shows a cause-and-effect relationship or a shift in time and place between the two clauses<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_194\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_194\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a clause that can stand on it's own because it conveys a complete idea.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_222\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_222\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a clause that relies on another part of the sentence for meaning because it cannot stand on it's own<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_48_195\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_48_195\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a word that joins two clauses. These include words like and, but, for, yet, nor, or, so<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><\/div>","protected":false},"author":101,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-48","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":43,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/48","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/48\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2794,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/48\/revisions\/2794"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/43"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/48\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=48"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=48"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=48"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}