Jim Roth’s Website

Sentencing Help--short Form

(THE LISTS and PRACTICE Links)

For those who want the long form

· A clause: a group of words that contains a subject and verb

· A dependent clause: by itself expresses an incomplete thought—sounds unfinished—leaves the reader hanging. Often begins with a word from Group A.

· An independent clause: by itself, expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

Þ Simple sentence = one independent clause

Þ Complex sentence = one independent clause and one dependent clause, either order

Þ Compound sentence = two independent clauses joined with a comma and “fanboys” (Group B) or a semicolon by itself.

WORD GROUPS

Group A: DEPENDENT Words that can create dependent clauses:

after if, even if when, whenever

although, though in order that where, wherever

as since whether

because that, so that which, whichever

before unless while

even though until who, whoever

how what, whatever whose

Group B: The FANBOYS (coordinating conjunctions—join two independent clauses together:

for and nor but or yet so

Group C: TRANSITIONAL words—words that can add some class to the beginning of an independent clause:

however furthermore

nevertheless therefore

on the other hand thus

instead consequently

meanwhile