What are adjective clauses /relative clauses? I'll teach you!

What are adjective clauses /relative clauses? I'll teach you!

Is IS always a linking verb?

SENTENCE STRUCTURE

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SENTENCE STRUCTURE

One way that we categorize sentences is by their structure. When we do that, we have four different types of sentences.

Before we tackle the topic of sentence structure, we need to make sure that you know about clauses.

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. There are two main types of clauses. 

·  Independent clauses express complete thoughts. (I love cookies.) 

·  Dependent clauses don't express complete thoughts. They must be connected to independent clauses in order to make sense. (If I love cookies)

There are only four sentence structures, and all four of them are formed from combinations of those two kinds of clauses. Wow! That's crazy.

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Here They Are

1. Simple sentences contain just one independent clause.

I kicked the ball.

Here is a sentence diagram of a simple sentence. Notice that there is just one horizontal line.

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2. Compound sentences contain two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

I kicked the ball, and it hit Tom.

Here is a sentence diagram of a compound sentence. Notice that there are now two horizontal lines and the bottom one is directly under the top one.

Bonus Tip: In order to be a compound sentence, a group of words must contain two or more independent clauses. For example, the following sentence is not a compound sentence.

Kristin and Kate walked to the park.

That sentence does contain a compound subject (Kristin, Kate), but since it only has one clause, it's not considered a compound sentence. It's a simple sentence!

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3. Complex sentences have an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.

Tom cried because the ball hit him.

In this diagram, there are two horizontal lines again, but notice that one of them is below the other and to the right. Do you see how this looks different from the compound sentence diagram?

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4. Compound-complex sentences have two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Tom cried because the ball hit him, and I immediately apologized.

In this diagram, we have three horizontal lines! Do you see how this diagram is a combination of the last two diagrams?

If you really want to understand sentence structure (and have some fun), I highly recommend learning how to diagram sentences. When you diagram sentences, you make the relationships between words visual.

THROWING A TREE- THOMAS HARDY

Throwing a Tree
― Thomas Hardy – Throwing a Tree

A Poem a Day: Winter Trees - William Carlos Williams

A Poem a Day: Winter Trees - William Carlos Williams: All the complicated details of the attiring and the disattiring are completed! A liquid moon moves gently among the long branches. Thu...

USE OF “Turn, become, get, grow, go”

USE OF “Turn, become, get, grow, go”

The words become, go, grow, turn, come and get can all be used to talk about change. They have similar meanings. There are differences too.

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate word indicating change.

1. You are ……………….. younger and younger.

a) staying
b) becoming
c) changing

2. Please ………………… ready now.

a) become
b) get
c) turn

3. It was ………………….. very dark.

a) becoming
b) getting
c) turning

4. What do you have to do to ………………….. an astronaut?

a) become
b) get

5. They ………………… married in 1986.

a) got
b) became
c) turned

6. Leaves …………………. brown in autumn.

a) turn
b) go
c) get

7. She ………………… red with embarrassment.

a) went
b) got
c) came

8. It will all ………………… right in the end.

a) go
b) come
c) get

9. Jealousy ………………… her into a monster.

a) became
b) got
c) turned

Answers

1. You are becoming younger and younger.

2. Please get ready now.

3. It was becoming / getting very dark.

4. What do you have to do to become an astronaut?

5. They got married in 1986.

6. Leaves turn / go brown in autumn.

7. She went red with embarrassment.

8. It will all come right in the end.

9. Jealousy turned her into a monster.

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate comparative or superlative form.

1. He is ………………. his father than his mother.

a) more like
b) liker
c) Either could be used here

2. He is ………………….. than stupid.

a) more lazy
b) lazier
c) Either could be used here

3. That is ……………….. of you.

a) kindest
b) most kind
c) Either could be used here

4. Could you talk …………………..?

a) quietlier
b) more quietly
c) Either could be used here

5. Can’t you drive any ………………….?

a) fast
b) faster
c) more fast

6. Susie is ……………….. than her sisters.

a) taller
b) tallest

7. Susie is the ……………………. of the four girls.

a) taller
b) tallest

8. He works ………………… than anybody else in the team.

a) hard
b) harder
c) hardest

9. We offer ………………….. expensive clothes for the fuller figure.

a) less
b) lesser

Answers

1. He is more like his father than his mother.

2. He is more lazy than stupid.

3. That is most kind of you.

4. Could you talk more quietly?

5. Can’t you drive any faster?

6. Susie is taller than her sisters.

7. Susie is the tallest of the four girls.

8. He works harder than anybody else in the team.

9. We offer less expensive clothes for the fuller figure.

DEFINITIONS – ALGORITHM & LEMMA

DEFINITIONS – ALGORITHM & LEMMA

ALGORITHM

An algorithm is a series of well defined steps which gives a procedure for solving a type of problem. The word algorithm comes from the name of the 9th century Persian mathematician al-Khwarizmi. In fact, even the word ‘algebra’ is derived from a book, he wrote, called Hisab al-jabr w’al-muqabala.

LEMMA

A lemma is a proven statement used for proving another statement.

GAP FILLS

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate verb form.

1. If you knew the answer, why …………………… you tell me?

a) don’t
b) didn’t
c) hadn’t

2. If it ……………….. Jeena why didn’t she stop and say Hi?

a) is
b) was
c) has

3. If you had listened to him, you ………………….. in trouble.

a) wouldn’t have landed
b) won’t have landed
c) won’t land

4. If I know his name, I ……………….. you.

a) will tell
b) would tell
c) had told

5. If she applied for that job, she …………………. it.

a) will get
b) would get
c) would have got

6. If she asked more politely, I ………………… her a few pounds.

a) will lend
b) would lend
c) would have lent

7. If you …………………. you will get cancer.

a) smoke
b) smoked
c) had smoked

8. If she …………………… now, we would be in trouble.

a) arrive
b) arrives
c) arrived

9. Feel free to call me if you ……………….. any help.

a) need
b) needed
c) would need

10. I ……………….. them if I had more time.

a) would visit
b) will visit
c) would have visited

Answers

1. If you knew the answer, why didn’t you tell me?

2. If it was Jeena why didn’t she stop and say Hi?

3. If you had listened to him, you wouldn’t have landed in trouble.

4. If I know his name, I will tell you.

5. If she applied for that job, she would get it.

6. If she asked more politely, I would lend her a few pounds.

7. If you smoke you will get cancer.

8. If she arrived now, we would be in trouble.

9. Feel free to call me if you need any help.

10. I would visit them if I had more time.