Click the link to access the first Close Reading sheet - Sentence Structure
Higher Homework - Clauses and Phrases
A clause is a group of words containing one main verb. If the group of words can stand alone and make sense, then the clause is a main clause. A sentence (usually) contains at least one main clause.
A clause that can’t stand alone and make sense, is called a subordinate clause. It depends on the main clause in order for it to make sense.
Copy these out into your jotter. Circle the main clause and underline the subordinate clause in these sentences. No word will be left out.
Here main clauses are in red, subordinate in blue.
1. I am going to the cinema tomorrow.
2. I went to sleep because I was tired.
3. After I watched the game, I had my dinner.
4. The computer rebooted as I made my tea.
5. I cried for hours and hours until my eyes were red raw.
6. If you don’t do your homework, you will not pass your exams.
7. Although he is a better player than me, I have occasionally beaten him.
Now answer/complete the following in your jotter:
1. Which style of writing can be indicated by the use of subordination? - formal
2. What is the effect of placing the subordinate clause at the beginning of a sentence? - makes it seem particularly formal
3. Write 3 sentences in your jotter:
a) 1 with only a main clause.
b)1 with a main clause followed by a subordinate clause.
c)1 where the subordinate clause comes before the main clause (remember the comma).
Label the parts of speech in these sentences (copy into your jotters.)
1. He lifted the jotter which he opened to a fresh page.
He - Pronoun lifted - verb the - definite article jotter - noun which - relative pronoun Opened - verb to - preposition a - indefinite article fresh - adjective page - noun
2. Amelia smiled sweetly at the handsome man and fluttered her eyelashes.
Amelia - Proper noun smiled - verb sweetly - adverb at - preposition the - definite article handsome - adjective man - noun and - conjunction fluttered - verb her - possessive pronoun eyelashes - plural noun
3. With the bone in his mouth, Rover ran across the road.
With - preposition the - definite article bone - noun in - preposition his - pronoun mouth - noun Rover - proper noun ran - verb across - preposition the - definite article road - noun
A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a verb. When an adjectival phrase comes before the word they describe or modify, we call this ‘pre -modification’. When they come after, we call them ‘post-modification.’ Pre-modification is less formal (as in a tabloid newspaper), whereas post-modification is more formal (as in a quality newspaper.)
Identify if pre or post modification is being used in these examples:
1. Young Celtic Star, Shaun Maloney, writes for us today. pre - tabloid
2. Three-times Miss UK Doris Little collapsed on a plane yesterday. pre - tabloid
3. Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Britain, flew into the USA. post - quality
4. Happy-go-lucky songster Freddie wrote his own material. pre - tabloid
5. Neil Gaiman, world-renowned fantasy author, is signing books in New York. post - quality
Now write two examples of your own – one using pre-modification and one using post –modification.
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