Practice 1 : Independent and Dependent Clauses
_________ 1. Jet lag affects most long-distance travellers
_________ 2.Which is simply the urge to sleep at inappropriate times
_________ 3. During long journeys through several time zones, the body’s inner clock is
disrupted
_________ 4. For some reasons, travel from west to east causes greater jet lag than travel from
east to west
_________ 5. Also, changes in work schedules can cause jet lag
_________ 6.When hospital nurses change from a day shift to a night shift, for example
_________ 7. Although there is no sure way to prevent jet lag
_________ 8. There are some ways to minimize it
_________ 9.Because jet lag is caused at least partially by loss of sleep, not just a change in the
time of sleep
_________ 10. The traveller should plan to arrive at his destination as late as possible
_________ 11.Upon arriving, he or she should immediately go to bed
_________ 12.Then the traveller should start to live in the new time frame immediately
Clause Connectors
Three groups of words are used to connect clauses in order to form different kinds of
sentences. They are subordinators (subordinating conjunctions), coordinators (coordinating
conjunctions), and conjunctive adverbs.
Subordinators (Subordinating Conjunctions)
after as soon as that what which wherever
although because though when while whether
as before unless whenever who
as if even though until where whom
Coordinators (Coordinating Conjunctions)
There are only seven coordinators, which you can remember by the phraseFANBOYS:
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
Conjunctive Adverbs
Following is a list of commonly used conjunctive adverbs
accordingly however moreover thus
besides indeed nevertheless for example
consequently instead nonetheless in addition
furthermore likewise otherwise in contrast
hence meanwhile therefore on the other hand
KINDS OF SENTENCES
A sentence is a group of words that you use to communicate your ideas in writing or in
speaking. Every sentence is composed of one or more clauses and expresses a complete thought.
There are basically four kinds of sentences in English: simple, compound, complex, and
compound-complex.
Simple Sentences
A simple sentence is one independent clause. Like an adult person, it can “live” alone.
I enjoy playing tennis with my friends every weekend.
I enjoy playing tennis and look forward to it every weekend.
My friends and I play tennis and go bowling every weekend.
Practice 2 : Simple Sentences
1. Write two simple sentences with one subject and one verb.
2. Write two simple sentences with one subject and two verbs
3. Write two simple sentences with two subjects and two verbs.
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence is two or more independent clauses joined together, like two adults
joined together in marriage. Each clause could stand alone. There are three ways to join
independent clauses to form a compound sentence.
With a coordinator:
Pattern: Independent Clause, + Coordinator + Independent Clause
I enjoy playing tennis, but I hate playing golf.
With a conjunctive adverb:
Pattern: Independent Clause; + Conjunctive Adverb, + Independent Clause
I enjoy playing tennis; however, I hate playing golf.
With a semicolon:
I enjoy playing tennis; I hate playing golf.
Practice 3 : Compound Sentences : Add another independent clause to the following
independent clauses to form sentences. Circle the coordinator and add punctuation.
1. Students can attend day classes and __________________________
2. Students can live in dormitories or __________________________
3. I have finished my math homework but _______________________
4. I have studied English for six years yet ________________________
5. Some people do not like to write term papers nor _________________
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one (or more) dependent clause. It is
like a mother with one or more children depending on her. In a complex sentence, one idea is
generally more important than the other one.
In the following complex sentences, the independent clause is underlined with a solid line, and
the dependent clause is in the italic.
1. Although women could own property, they could not vote.
2. Women could not vote although they could own property.
3. Men who are not married are called bachelors.
4. Last summer we rented a house in Luxembourg, which is a small country in Europe.
5. That the Earth’s temperature is rising concerns scientists.
6. Scientists believe that the Earth’s temperature is rising.
Practice 4 : Complex Sentences
STEP 1 Underline the independent clause of each sentence with a solid line.
STEP 2 Underline the dependent clause with a broken line.
STEP 3 Write SUB above the subordinator.
1. When the foreign students come to the United States, they sometimes suffer from culture
shock.
2. Because the cost of education has risen, many students are having financial problems.
3. Please tell me where the student union is.
4. Engineers, who have an aptitude for drafting and mechanics, must also be artistic and
imaginative.
5. Students should declare a major by their junior year unless they have not made up their
minds.
