Combining Clauses

There is more to a sentence than what meets the eye. Typically when discussing grammar we tend to give and work in single sentence examples that only contain one clause. However, this is not how we speak or write.

Sentences can be simply structured and only contain a single clause making it a simple sentence.

But there is more to it.

Even in the few sentences that I written contain more than a single clause within them. Even the one used to explain what a simple sentence is. Seems odd to have a compound sentence to explain a simple sentence. Alas, that is just how the English language works.

Compound sentences are usually formed with the use of conjunctions between the separate clauses.

Honestly, the best way to remember conjunctions is through the old School House Rock Song "Conjunction Junction" that identifies conjunctions and how to apply to sentences.

When combining clauses into single sentences each conjunction has specific uses in how they bring the clauses together.

The first is and. And has a couple different functions. It's role is to link two things together, such as: 

The refrigerator keeps the milk cold and the eggs fresh.

It can also give an order of events in time:

She left work and picked up dinner.

But and yet are used when the second clause is contradicting the first one:

It was a very popular movie but he did not like it.

She washed her hair, yet it still smelled like smoke.

Or is used to present the clauses as separate options:

You can sing in the talent show or you can do magic.

These simple conjunctions bring the clauses together giving sentences more life but also making them more complex. Yet, if all we did was stick to single clause sentences communication and language would become redundant and repetitive as well as uninteresting. 

Discourse Function

Discourse function is merely a fancy way to address sentence clause types.

We use varying sentences in different ways to communicate to one another. The first and most used way is through Declarative Sentences.

Declarative sentences are used to convey information. These can be noted when we give and receive information. For example:

The light is on.

The chair is red.

The curtains need to be washed.

All the above sentences are used to communicate information in an easily understood way.

Interrogative Clauses is used when the speaker wants information from the one they are communicating to. These are forms of questions in which we seek answers. For example:

Did you cook dinner?

Is the screen broken?

Imperative sentences are sentences that we use to command or instruct. They are sentences that expect an reaction by the listener. For example:

Close the cabinets.

Read your book.

Be nice.

Exclamative sentences are used when expressing oneself or to add emphasis. For example:

That is a beautiful dress!

Stop that!

We won!

All these clauses are ways in which we communicate to one another. Each requires a speaker and a listener in order to give and receive the information being conveyed. Many of these are used everyday by native English speakers without any issues other than they may or may not be able to identify the type of clause that is being used. Hopefully, this assisted some in clearing that up.

Grammatical Voice

Voice plays an active role in grammar. Today, we will be discussing active verses passive voice.

The active voiced is the preferred voice when speaking or writing. This comes in the form of subject + verb + direct object. Essentially it is the who (or what), did what, to what. For example:

Anya is cleaning up the books.

Here we have Anya, who is the subject of the sentence. Then we ask, what is Anya doing? This identifies the verb (or the "did what"). She is cleaning up. Then we find out what the direct object is: the books.

That sentence right there is a sentence written in active voice.

If we were to write this in passive voice it would look like this:

The books are being cleaned up by Anya.

While the same information is being presented in both the sentences, the one with the active voice has a better flow and more easily understood than the passive voice.  The passive voice complicates the simplicity of the sentence. English speakers have a preference to know who or what we are speaking about first and then what they are doing. This helps us identify information quickly which is the whole point in communication.

Negation

Negation is a word that makes a simple concept seem complicated. It is simply taking phrases or sentences and giving them a negative connotation. This gives people a way to express when they are unhappy about something, or does not contain a positive or affirmative nature to it.

The easiest way to spot a negation is to notice that the word not follows the sentences verb. For example:

You may not jump on the bed.

I am not going to the ballet.

You should not scream at the dinner table.

By adding not the message is clear and easy to understand and expresses the negation without confusion.

There are times when adding not will not suffice. This can happen when we use indefinites. These words typically contain the word some. Like something, or someone. These words have to be changed to the corresponding negative form. For example:

Something would be replaced with nothing.
Someone would replace be replaced with no one.

i.e.

Something is wrong. Nothing is wrong.
Someone is hurt. No one is hurt.

These types of changes are natural to native English speakers and are easy to understand.

Prepositions

Prepositions are the words that link nouns to other words or phrases within a sentence.

Take this comic for example. The preposition in the sign is as. Since this pig used the preposition as instead of for he is in for a big surprise. 

Using correct prepositions helps to connect information together in a way to help the sentence have understanding.

Some examples of prepositions:

Above, after, against, as, by, for, in, like, off, on, past, than, under, up, with

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjective and Adverbs are words that add descriptions to nouns and verbs to bring deeper meaning to sentences.

Adjectives are used to describe nouns and pronouns. These descriptions are used to give a fuller picture of the noun being discussed. Adjectives can be used to describe, taste, smell, touch, sound, colors, time, size or shape, as well as many other descriptions. The possibilities are practically endless.

Examples of Adjectives:

Taste: bitter, sweet, tangy, sour, delicious
Smell: fragrant, sweet
Touch: smooth, cold, hot, prickly, rough
Sound: loud, soft
Color: green, orange, fuchsia, chartreuse, royal blue, rainbow
Time: Long, quick, early, late, daily, yearly
Size: Tall, large, tiny, minuscule, gigantic
Shape: Circle, square, oblong, kidney, straight


Adverbs tell how an action happened. It can describe when, where, to what extent, or to intensify the meaning of a verb.

Examples of Adverbs:

When: Now, later, yesterday, often, always
Where: Inside, upstairs, somewhere, there
Extent: Almost, very, enough, so
Intensity: Really, literally, completely, kind of, somewhat

Pronouns

Pronouns are nouns that can take the place of nouns within a noun phrase.

Pronouns are important as they are used to stand in place of nouns to keep sentences from containing repetitive words.

For example,

Sally likes to go grocery shopping because Sally likes to find new flavors of ice cream, even though Sally thinks that frozen section is too cold.

This sentence has used Sally repeatedly causing the sentence flow to be awkward. It is reminiscent of someone speaking in the third person.

Instead, using the pronoun she, the sentence will look like this:

Sally likes to go to the grocery store because she likes to find new flavors of ice cream, even though she thinks that frozen section is too cold.

This sentence flows better than it did before.

These are the different pronouns that can be used to replace nouns in sentences.

1st Person Pronouns 
I, me, my, mine myself

2nd Person Pronouns
You, your, yours, yourself

3rd Person Pronoun (male)
He, him, his, himself

3rd Person Pronoun (female)
She, her, hers, herself

3rd Person Pronoun
It, its, itself

1st Person (Plural)
We, us, our, ours, ourselves

2nd Person (Plural)
You, your, yours, yourselves

3rd Person (Plural)
They, them, their, theirs, themselves