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Lesson FourSentence Combining
Neijiang Normal University - Week Five - Brent A. Simoneaux
Review
A sentence base is the minimum required for a sentence. The most basic sentence contains a
noun phrase (NP) and a verb phrase (VP).
Sentence Bases
Sentence Base
We can also add the following optional third elements to the clause:
an object (O)
a complement (C) and/or an adverbial (AV).
We add these elements to the clause to make a more informative sentence
Sentence Expansion
Coordination means “being of equal structural rank.”
Coordination occurs when we use a coordinator (or, and, but, nor, yet, so) to connect parts of a
sentence together.
Sentence Expansion
Subordination means ‘being of lower structural rank.’
Words that are added to the bare sentence base are said to be subordinate because they are
grammatically secondary to the main elements.
Sentence Expansion
Subordination 1. Relative Clauses
2. Appositive Phrases 3. Adverbial Clauses 4. Participial Phrases 5. Absolute Phrases
Relative Clauses
Relative clauses enable the writer to embed a complete subject/predicate into a noun phrase.
Relative = relationship
Relative Clauses are introduced by either a relative pronoun (that, who, or which) or a relative adverb (where, when, why)
Appositive Phrases
An appositive phrase is a reduced sentence headed by a noun, functioning, just like a relative clause, to define or restrict the noun by adding definition-like details to it.
Appositive phrases rename nouns or noun phrases.
Adverbial Clauses
Adverbial clauses (subordinating) are clauses that modify verbs using a subordinator.
Examples of subordinating words:if, since,when, while, although, even though,
after, before as if, as long as, as soon as
Sentence Expansion 4. Participial Phrases
Participial phrases are verb phrases headed by the –ing or the –en / ––ed form of the verb which
function as adjectives.
They enable you to work concrete details into your sentences without actually increasing the number
of sentences needed.
Sentence Expansion 4. Participle Phrases
Two Types of Clauses:
Restrictive Clauses
Non-Restrictive Clauses
Restrictive Clauses
Necessary Information
Essential to sentence meaning
No commas
Non-Restrictive Clauses
Extra
Non-essential to the meaning
Does not limit of define the word it modifies
Uses commas
Examples
Restrictive: People who habitually brag about their cars often get upset over minor scratches.
Non-restrictive: Aubrey, who habitually bragged about her car, was upset about the scratch on her fender.
Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases
Example:
1. Mark stood next to Tracy.
2. Mark felt helplessly nervous.
Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases
We can combine these sentences:
Feeling helplessly nervous, Mark stood next to Tracy.
Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases
What happens when we move the participial phrase?
Mark stood next to Tracy, feeling helplessly nervous.
The focus of the sentence has shifted to the participial phrase.
Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases
It is important, however, to note that nonrestrictive participial phrases can open or close the sentence only if it modifies the subject—that is, when the subject of the participle is also the subject of the
sentence and is in regular subject position. Otherwise, the participle will “dangle.”
Sentence Expansion 4. Non-restrictive Participial Phrases
Dangling participle:
Feeling helplessly nervous, the scene was suspenseful, as if it had been taken directly out of a
movie.
Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases
An absolute phrase is a noun phrase—a noun headword with a post-noun modifier that adds
specific, concrete detail to the idea of the whole sentence.
Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases
You must remember the following about absolute phrases:
1. They can consist of just subject and a participle
2. They do not modify any particular word, but instead, they modify the entire sentence to provide more information to the reader.
Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases
Example:
Mark finally kissed Tracy, face blushing.
Legs running, Mark finally kissed Tracy.
Sentence Expansion 5. Absolute Phrases
Think of a movie camera focusing in on a specific detail in the scene.
Notice that the absolute phrase seems to be the focus of the sentence no matter where
we position it in the sentence.
Sentence Combining Activity
1. The fire raced through the abandoned warehouse. The fire leveled it in an hour.
Example:
The fire raced through the abandoned warehouse, leveling it in an hour.
Next Week:Sentence Expansion & Sentence Combining
Writing Assignment
Write and describe different characteristics you look for in a husband/wife, or boyfriend/girlfriend. You audience is me, ad since it is personal subject matter, informal style is fine.
200-300 words
Turn in your writing notebook.
Class 6
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Class 1
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Class 2
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Class 4
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Class 5
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Class 6
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