Category: Grammar

The way words are placed or arranged in a sentence is called word order. It is important to place these words correctly in order to express your thoughts and ideas. The word order also affects the meaning of a sentence.

In an English sentence, the basic word order is Subject + Verb + Object

Example:

When we want to tell more about the verb, we use adverbs. If more than one adverb is used, we have to follow the order of adverbs.

Structure:
Subject + Verb + Object + Adverb Of Place + Adverb Of Time
Place usually comes before Time.

The adverb of time can also be used at the beginning of a sentence.

Example:

Tips:

Place or Time should never be placed between the verb and the object.

A complex sentence is formed when an independent clause (simple sentence) is joined with one or more dependent clauses. This form of sentence is mainly used to provide more details to explain the main point. Usually, a comma is used to separate the clauses.

In most cases, subordinating conjunctions are used to link the independent clause to a dependent clause. They are placed at the beginning of a dependent clause or right after the independent clause.

Examples of subordinating conjunctions: although, like, because, even though, if, since, whenever.

The order of clauses is of no bearing when writing complex sentences. You can switch them as long as the sentence makes sense.

Structure:

Examples of Complex Sentences with more than two clauses.

Tips:

The use of a comma depends on which clause the sentence begins with.

If the complex sentence starts with a dependent clause, place a comma between it and the independent clause.
If the complex sentence starts with an independent clause, no comma is required.

Example:

Punctuating a sentence correctly may sometimes seem difficult and discretionary. But with informed choices, you can get rid of assumptions in proper punctuation of sentence.

Here are the eight punctuation patterns.

Pattern 1: Simple Sentence

Use a period to punctuate one independent clause that is consist of a subject and a verb.

Example:

Pattern 2: Compound Sentence

Use a comma after the first independent clause that is before a coordinating conjunction ( and, but, for, or, nor, yet, so ) and then followed by another independent clause.

Example:

Pattern 3: Compound Sentence

Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are not joined by coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet.

Example:

Pattern 4: Compound Sentence

Use semicolon and independent marker/conjunctive adverb with the compound sentence. Examples of independent markers: therefore, finally, consequently, moreover, thus, likewise, consequently, however, also.

Example:

Pattern 5: Complex Sentence

Start the complex sentence with a dependent marker. Examples of dependent markers: because, before, since, while, even though, although, if, unless, until, when, after, as, as if

Example:

Pattern 6: Complex Sentence

The complex sentence end with a fragment clause.

Example:

Pattern 7:

This uses an additional, non-essential clause or phrase after the independent clause. Removing the non-essential clause should not alter the context of the sentence.

These embedded phrases are used to enhance the clause but are not required to make the clause to stand alone.

Example:

Pattern 8:

This uses an additional, essential clause or phrase after the first independent clause. Removing the non-essential clause can alter the context of the sentence.

Example:

A prefix is one or more letters added before a base word to change its meaning. Prefixes have different functions. They may make the word negative (-un, in), by showing repetition (-re), or by showing support (-pro).

Prefixes are mostly used to shorten phrases. For example, if you want to say that someone is “eating too much“, you can simply say that they are “overeating“.

Here is a list of prefixes from a-z and their meaning and examples.

Tips:

When to use hyphens with prefixes:

a. Prefix with a proper noun except for the word “transatlantic“, the only word that does not follow this rule on proper nouns.

b. If the word with the prefix already exists, use a hyphen.

c. all-, ex– (former), and self–

Note:

The prefix “extra” does not need a hyphen if it means “outside of“.

A suffix is one or more letters added at the end of a base word to make a new word.

The new word formed usually becomes a different word class from the original base word. For example, with the use of a suffix, a verb can be changed to an adjective or a noun. Similarly, an adjective or a noun can be changed to an adverb by the use of a suffix.

Common Suffixes in English

Noun Suffixes

Verb Suffixes

Adverb Suffixes

Adjective Suffixes

Tips:

The spelling of the new word may be changed when adding a suffix.

a. For words with only one consonant and a short vowel sound, double the last consonant before the suffix.

b. For words ending in two consonants, the suffix is usually added as is.

c. For words ending in a consonant followed by a ‘y‘, we remove the ‘y‘ and replace it with an ‘i‘ before adding the suffix.

Noun clause is a type of subordinate clause that serves as a noun in a sentence. It is fairly easy to spot them since they usually begin with certain subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns.

A noun clause has multiple functions too. One of these functions is to act as a subject by constituting the action in a sentence. A noun clause as a subject usually comes immediately before the verb and at the beginning of a sentence.

Structure:

noun clause + verb [+ object/phrase/clause]

Tips:

a. Noun clause as a subject should not be separated from the verb with punctuation.

b. When a noun clause functions as a subject, it always takes a singular verb.

c. That–clause

A noun clause as a subject that starts with “that” is totally acceptable. However, it doesn’t sound natural. In written English, many writers opt for “The fact that”.

Noun clause is a dependent clause that functions as a noun in a sentence. These noun clauses can serve as the direct object of the verb.

Noun clause as a direct object implies that it is the direct recipient of the action of the verb. In this structure, transitive verbs are used.

Normally, noun clauses start with subordinating conjunctions such as that, how, what, whatever, when, where, whether, which, who, whoever, whom and why.

Structure:

subject + verb + noun clause

Tips:
Object noun clause is not separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.

In interrogative sentences, do not place the verb before the subject in a noun clause.

Certain phrases can be utilized to emphasise the required condition in order for something else to happen or be true. These phrases serve as clause markers that denote the beginning of a clause.

A dependent clause is often signalled by these clause markers. Commas may be placed depending on the sequence of clauses used (If starting with a dependent clause, use a comma after it).

Examples of phrasal clause markers: on the proviso that, provided that, on (the) condition that

Examples:

Common Mistakes

As mentioned above, clause markers often introduce a dependent clause.

A prepositional phrase is a part of a sentence that typically begins with a preposition and ends with the object of the preposition. It is more common to find one or more modifiers (describes the object) with the object of the preposition.

The object of a prepositional phrase can be either a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause.

Structure:

Preposition + Noun, Pronoun, Gerund, or Clause

Preposition + Modifier(s) + Noun, Pronoun, Gerund, or Clause

Example:

More common prepositional phrases with AT

More common prepositional phrases with OUT

More common prepositional phrases with IN

More common prepositional phrases with BY

More common prepositional phrases with ON

A sentence or an independent clause contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. It is a complete sentence in itself but may appear together with another independent clause. When two independent clauses are linked together, it is called a compound sentence. A comma or a semicolon can be used to connect the independent clauses in a compound sentence.

Joining Independent Clauses

Comma (,)

Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to join two independent clauses. Place the comma after the first independent clause and use an appropriate coordinating conjunction afterward.

Examples:

Semicolon (;)

Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are closely related. No connecting word is necessary in this method. 

Examples:

Use a semicolon with any of these conjunctive adverbs (adverbs that join independent clauses): however, moreover, therefore, consequently, otherwise, nevertheless, thus, etc. 

Examples: