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Sentence StructureSentence Structure

ENGLISH & LEARNING SKILLS

An Introduction to Clause Analysis

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The Mechanics of Paragraphs, Sentences &

Punctuation

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3 Elements of Sentences

1. Individual Words (Parts of Speech)• Nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns,

subordinators

2. Groups of Words• Clauses (main, dependent, relative), phrases

3. Punctuation• Commas, colons, hyphens, question marks,

full-stops

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Text 1

Freud was born in 1856. He was born in

Austria. He attended the Sperl Gymnasium.

He graduated in 1873. He turned to medicine

as a career. At the University of Vienna he

worked with Ernst von Brucke. He trained

with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert. He

was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology

in 1885. In 1938 he was forced into exile.

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Simple Sentences

He (subject) studied (verb) hard.

We (subject) went (verb) to the Skillzone.

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Problems with Simple Sentences

• BORING

• REPETITIVE

• RESTRICTIVE – BASED ON FACTS

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Uses of the Simple Sentence

• Instructions

• Reports: procedures / methods

BECAUSE:

• They are clear

• They are easy to understand

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Text 2

Freud was born in 1856 and attended the

Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873

then turned to medicine as a career, so he

went to the University of Vienna and worked

with Ernst von Brucke and trained with the

psychiatrist Theodor Maynert and was

appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in

1885, but was forced into exile in 1938.

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Compound Sentences

Simple sentences joined together by

coordinating conjunctions

and, or, but, and then.

• Simplistic

• Monotonous

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Options

• Join compound sentences using semi-colons.

Freud was an educated man; he studied medicine.

• Use no more than one or two co-ordinating conjunctions in a compound sentence.

Freud was born in 1856 and attended the Sperl Gymnasium.

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The “Complex” SolutionUse ‘COMPLEX’ SENTENCES

Compress several sentences into one.

• WEIGHTY

• CONSIDERED

• SOPHISTICATED & INTERESTING

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Text 3: Example 1

He attended the Sperl Gymnasium and

graduated in 1873, subsequently

turning to medicine as a career.

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Example 1 Examined• Clause 1 – expresses main statement

He attended the Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873

• Clause 2 – adds information

subsequently turning to medicine as a career

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Text 3: Example 2

After he began training with the

psychiatrist Theodor Maynert, Freud

was appointed lecturer in neuro-

pathology in 1885.

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• Main clause – expresses main statementFreud was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885.

• Subordinate Clause – adds information After he began training with the psychiatrist Theodor Maynert,

Example 2 Examined

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What is a Main Clause?A group of words that conveys the main idea of a sentence.

• always has a subject;

• always has a main verb.

Freud went to the University of Vienna.

He worked with Ernst von Brucke.

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Subordinate Clauses

• Also have a subject

• Also have a main verb

But• Are always INTRODUCED by a word like:

‘although’, ‘because’, ‘when’

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Note: Co-ordinate ClausesSometimes sentences have more than one clause of equal importance:

Freud attended the Sperl Gymnasium and graduated in 1873.

He was appointed lecturer in neuro-pathology in 1885, but was forced into exile in 1938.

Both parts of each sentence are of equal importance.

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Caution!

• Main clauses can stand alone as fully functioning sentences.

• Subordinate clauses depend for their sense on the main clause. They do not make sense by themselves because they are incomplete.

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Subordinate Conjunctions

although while which

since despite unless

even though subsequently

if because where

until

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Functions of Subordinate Clauses

• WHEN events happened

• WHY / REASON

• HOW

• WHAT concessions are

being made

• WHAT limits are being

set

• WHAT conditions are

being imposed

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Punctuating Complex Sentences

The comma is the stop used between main and independent clauses – it’s not always needed, but sometimes it’s crucial.

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Examples

• Freud had a daughter, who was a psychotherapist.

(He only had ONE daughter.)

• Freud had a daughter who was a psychotherapist.

(He had MORE than one daughter.)

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• All the students who were in the Great Hall at the time were discussing Freud.

(ONLY the students in the Great Hall were doing this, but there were other students.)

• All the students, who were in the Great Hall at the time, were discussing Freud.

(There were no other students apart from those in the Great Hall.)

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• However we may feel, Freud’s a scientist rather than a humanist.

(ie it doesn’t matter whether we feel he’s right or wrong.)

• However, we may feel Freud’s a scientist rather than a humanist.

(ie on the other hand.)

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Relative Clauses

Defining Relative Clauses

The gales which swept across Britain last night caused widespread damage.

The pipeline which carries the town’s water supplies has been severed.

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Relative Clauses

Non-Defining Relative Clauses

The gales, which swept across Britain last night, caused widespread damage.

The pipeline, which carries the town’s water supplies, has been severed.

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Complex Complex Sentences

Complex sentences can consist of

a main clause and several

subordinate clauses which may cut

across each other.

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Even though he was a famous psychiatrist

and loved his children, Freud got cross with

Anna because she had eaten all the cakes

which Martha had made while he had been

busy writing The Interpretation of Dreams.

Text 4

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Analysing Text 4• Freud was cross with Anna – Main Clause• Even though he was a famous psychiatrist –

Sub Cl• who loved his children – Sub Cl• because she had eaten all the cakes – Sub Cl• which Martha had made – Sub Cl

• while he had been busy writing The Interpretation of Dreams – Sub Cl

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Shifting the Emphasis

Freud, who was a famous psychiatrist and

loved his children, was busy writing The

Interpretation of Dreams while Anna was

eating all the cakes which Martha had made

for him.

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Foregrounding

Identifying the main clause in a

sentence helps you to understand a

writer’s personal view or slant on

what he or she has written.

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The Phrase

Sentences may also contain PHRASES – these are not clauses. They:

• can be a single word – ‘however’, ‘recently’;

• several words – ‘on the other hand’; ‘on a good day’ . . .

• can include verbs, but only ending with:

-ing / -ed / -en / -nt