Page 126 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade6_Flipbook

Activities 1.2, 1.5, 1.13
Lesson: Varying Sentence Structures Learning Target
• Identify and use a variety of sentence patterns to express meaning and increase audience interest.
You can vary sentence structures to express different relationships among ideas, to create a more mature style, and to increase reader or listener interest.
Sentences are made of clauses. Clauses contain subjects and verbs and may contain modifiers, objects, complements, and other sentence parts. Different kinds of sentences contain different numbers and kinds of clauses.
An independent clause contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It can stand alone as a complete sentence.
EXAMPLE: This is an independent clause.
A dependent (or subordinate) clause contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. It
cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. EXAMPLE: Because this is a dependent clause
Kinds of Sentences and Their Structures
Examples (subjects and verbs are boldface)
Simple
contains one independent clause
Isabella knows the answer.
Does the cat like your dog? (The verb includes a helping
☺verb, Does.)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is my favorite book.
Compound
contains two or more independent clauses and no dependent clauses
Isabella knows the answer, and she has already written it ☺down.
Does the cat like your dog, or do they fight?
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is my favorite book, and I love ☺the movie, too.
Complex
contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
Because she paid attention, Isabella knows the answer. Does the cat like your dog that likes cats?
As I was telling Nate, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is my ☺favorite book.
Compound– Complex
contains two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause
Because she paid attention, Isabella knows the answer, and ☺she has already written it down.
Does the cat like your dog that likes cats, or do they fight?
As I was telling Nate, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is my ☺favorite book, and I love the movie, too.
Grammar Activities • Unit 1 5
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