Prerequisites for an Independent/Main Clause:
1. One Subject-Verb Core
2. A complete thought
A simple sentence is an Independent Clause.Ex:
Mary prepares a study schedule every Sunday evening .
However, a “subject-verb core” can contain more than one subject and/or more than one verb. There is still one subject-verb core if all the subjects in the clause relate to all the verbs.
Ex:
Mary and
Poppins prepare a study schedule every Sunday evening and
eat fundue.
So even though there are two subjects and two verbs, there is only one subject-verb core.
Prerequisites for a Compound Sentence :
1. Two or more simple sentences (main clauses) form a longer sentence by using an appropriate joining word or phrase. The new sentence is called a compound sentence.
The list below contains examples of joining words and phrases that can be used to form compound sentences, grouped under different
cateogories/ideasAddition:and, as well, furthermore, in addition
Cause and effect:for, so, as a result, consequently, therefore
Contrast:but, yet, however, instead, nevertheless, on the other hand
Time:afterwards, eventually, later, meanwhile, next, then
Examples:for example, for instance, to illustrate
Alternatives:or
There are two main ways to punctuate compound sentences, depending on which word or phrase you use to join the main clauses.
I. IC,{Co-ordinating conjunction} icIC, For ic
IC, And ic
IC, Nor ic
IC, But ic
IC, Or ic
IC, Yet ic
IC, So ic
This list is exhaustive.II.IC;{Connecting adverbs/Conjunctive adverb},icIC
;furthermore, ic
IC
;in addition, ic
IC
;instead, ic
IC
;nevertheless, ic
The above list is not exhaustive.There is no need to memorize all the words which can act as a connecting adverbs. Just get an idea of the different categories/ideas and make a proper mapping between the given words and the respective ideas.
Thus, "For instance" would fall under the category/idea of "Examples."
Similarly, "On the other hand" can be mapped to the category of "Contrast."
III.IC;icOne also join two main clauses with only a semicolon, but one must make sure that the relationship between the clauses it so clear that you do not need a joining word, for example :
Some people are born to greatness; others have greatness thrust upon them.
I would not say he is a friend; I would say he is a long-time acquaintance.
Detour :What is a clause?A group of words containing a subject and a verb. It can either be an Independent Clause(a sentence) or a dependent/subordinating clauseWhile a main clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence, a dependent clause does not express a complete thought. Note the difference between the following two constructions:
Pam tried to leave work on time. [This construction is a main clause.]
Although Pam tried to leave work on time [This construction is a dependent clause.]
Prerequisites for a Complex Sentence :
1.A Dependent/subordinate clause
2. An Independent Clause
A Complex Sentence has one dependent clause headed by a subordinating conjunction/relative pronoun joined to an independent clause.
I.The Subordinating conjunctions can again be classified as by the ideas they express:
Cause and effect:because
Contrast:although,even though
Time:after, as soon as, before, since, until, when, while
Condition:if, unless
Because a dependent clause does not express a complete thought, it must be attached to a main clause.
When joining ideas to create a complex sentence, put the idea you want to emphasize in the main clause.Angie tied to leave work on time. She was detained by a last-minute phone call.
Although Angie tried to leave work on time, she was detained by a last-minute phone call. [This sentence emphasizes the idea that Kamille was detained by a phone call.]
Disclaimer: This is a reproduction of resources from various Online sources.This post should only be treated as a gentle push for the mentioned topic.