English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.
A declarative sentence is a telling sentence. A declarative sentence makes a statement. Declarative is similar to declaration. Think about the Declaration of Independence. This historic document declares that all people are created equal. It’s called a declaration because it… Read more16. Declarative Sentences
You understand and can recognize simple, compound, and complex sentences. You know that you should use all three types of sentences to make your writing interesting. Let’s practice changing from one sentence type to another. In the exercise below, you… Read more15. Practice Writing Compound and Complex Sentences
I walk the dog. I go to school. These are two independent clauses. Right now they are of equal importance. If you join these two independent clauses using one of the FANBOYS, the two clauses will still have equal importance:… Read more9. Highlight on Writing – Order of Importance in Complex Sentences
The conjunction is a part of speech. The word conjunction means to join together. In English, conjunctions help us join thoughts together to make a sentence. The two types of conjunctions we use most often are coordinating conjunctions and subordinating… Read more8. Understanding Conjunctions
A complex sentence joins an independent clause and a subordinate clause. The subordinate clause begins with a subordinate clause word (subordinating conjunction). Some Subordinating Conjunctions: after, although, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, where, while, who A subordinate clause… Read more7. Commas in a Complex Sentence
We learned that a compound sentence is two complete thoughts joined together. A complex sentence is also two thoughts joined together, but the two thoughts are not equal. One thought is an independent clause. The other thought is a subordinate… Read more6. The Complex Sentence
A simple sentence is one complete thought. A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined together with a comma, FANBOYS or a semicolon. Section A – Read each sentence. Is the sentence simple or compound? Write S for simple. Write… Read more5. Practice Simple and Compound Sentences
We can make a compound sentence by joining two simple sentences with comma, and. Here are two simple sentences: I play volleyball. Anna plays basketball. Join these two simple sentences with a comma, and. I play volleyball, and Anna plays… Read more4. Compound Sentence – or not? When to Use a Comma
A compound sentence is two complete thoughts joined together. Usually we use a comma and one of the FANBOYS to join two simple sentences into a compound sentence. You can also join two simple sentences with a semicolon. The semicolon… Read more3. The Compound Sentence with a Semicolon
Sometimes we join two simple sentences together. We call that a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two complete thoughts joined together. Use a coordinating conjunction to join two simple sentences together. The coordinating conjunctions are called FANBOYS because each… Read more2. Compound Sentences – the FANBOYS