TEACHING SENTENCE TYPES SINGLE AND MULTICLAUSE SENTENCES 1

TEACHING SENTENCE TYPES SINGLE AND MULTICLAUSE SENTENCES 1

NC Glossary guidance �A sentence may consist of a single clause or it may contain several clauses held together by subordination or co-ordination. Classifying sentences as ‘simple’, ‘complex’ or ‘compound’ can be confusing, because a ‘simple’ sentence may be complicated, and a ‘complex’ one may be straightforward. The terms ‘single-clause sentence’ and ‘multi-clause sentence’ may be more helpful. 2

Single-clause (simple) sentences The detective hurried along the street. The detective hurried along the rain-swept streets, his hands deep in his pockets. With his hands deep in his pockets one cold November night, the detective from New York hurried anxiously along the half-deserted, rain-swept Most students define a simple sentence as a short sentence. streets, a troubled frown on his Using the examples, how could face. you explain that a simple sentence can be any length? How could the term ‘singleclause sentence’ help you do this? 3

Find the single clause sentences. How many are also short sentences? What effect do you think the writer wants to create through the number, length and placing of these single-clause sentences? I was just pushing the lower half of the ladder back up when I heard it. There was someone at the front door. I held my breath. It was OK. They couldn’t get in. I slid my hand into my pocket to make sure the key was still there. It wasn’t. I’d left it in the front door. I could hear it turning in the lock now. I raced back up the ladder and hauled it after me. When I reached down to pull the hatch back up, I could hear someone coming up the stairs. I quickly pulled the hatch back into place and scrabbled over to the water tank, holding my breath. 4

Single-clause sentences � Many students think that putting in ‘short snappy sentences’ will instantly improve their writing! Help them to tie choices of sentence structure to a purpose and effect, bearing in mind the type of text being written. For example, a single-clause sentence (which can be any length) can be effective for: � focusing attention on a single idea or argument: Endangered animals like the tiger or the panda need the protection of zoos. � drawing attention to an expressive choice of verb: A few rocks tumbled with him. � Creating a quick pace in a narrative or emphasising key ideas: Hogarth began to run. He ran and ran. Home. 5 The Iron Man had come back.

Co-ordination Between words: heads or tails; bread and butter; forgive and forget neither use nor ornament; not only but also Between phrases: All the king’s horses and all the king’s men; the good, the bad and the ugly; gone, but not forgotten; this way or that way Between clauses: Keep calm and carry on. Say what you mean, but don’t say it mean. To be, or not to be, that is the question. 6

This is Pip’s first meeting with Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. List all the examples of co-ordination you can see. She was dressed in rich materials – satins, and lace, and silks – all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table. Dresses, less splendid than the dress she wore, and half-packed trunks, were scattered about. She had not quite finished dressing, for she had but one shoe on – the other was on the table near her hand – her veil was but half arranged, her watch and chain were not put on, and some lace for her bosom lay with those trinkets, and with her handkerchief, and gloves, and some flowers, and a prayer-book, all confusedly heaped about the looking-glass. 7

This is Pip’s first meeting with Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. What impression is created through Dickens’ heavy use of co-ordination? She was dressed in rich materials – satins, and lace, and silks – all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table. Dresses, less splendid than the dress she wore, and half-packed trunks, were scattered about. She had not quite finished dressing, for she had but one shoe on – the other was on the table near her hand – her veil was but half arranged, her watch and chain were not put on, and some lace for her bosom lay with those trinkets, and with her handkerchief, and gloves, and some flowers, and a prayer-book, all confusedly heaped about the looking-glass. 8

Co-ordinated clauses (compound sentence) Stone led us down the garden, tugged the door open and shone his little torch into the gloom. Co-ordinated clauses using ‘and’ can be useful for showing a sequence of actions, chaining ideas and for adding information of equal importance and weight. Co-ordinated clauses using ‘but’ can be useful for balancing ideas and providing contrast: Some animals build nests, but others make dens or dig burrows. ‘Or’ signals alternatives: For protection, animals make dens or dig burrows. With that in mind, why do you think Orwell chose to use ‘and’ as a co-ordinating conjunction in the opening sentence to Nineteen Eighty Four? It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were 9

How many different ways can you join the main clauses to the subordinate clauses? Which sentences sound the scariest? Using the examples you generate, how would you explain the concept of subordination? slowly decaying the house seemed empty its windows boarded up covered with ivy smiling holding a flickering candle beckoning me to follow her a woman stood in the doorway ©Mornixuur. nl

The two finite (main) clauses are highlighted. Count how many subordinate clauses are used in this description of the bear fight. Like a wave that has been building its strength over a thousand miles of ocean, and which makes little stir in the deep water, but which when it reaches the shallows rears itself up high into the sky, terrifying the shore-dwellers, before crashing down on the land with irresistible power – so Iorek Byrnison rose up against Iofur, exploding upwards from his firm footing on the dry rock and slashing with a ferocious left hand at the exposed jaw of Iofur Raknison. It was a horrifying blow. (Northern Lights, Philip Pullman)11

What do you think is the writer’s purpose in using subordination so heavily? Like a wave that has been building its strength over a thousand miles of ocean, and which makes little stir in the deep water, but which when it reaches the shallows rears itself up high into the sky, terrifying the shore-dwellers, before crashing down on the land with irresistible power – so Iorek Byrnison rose up against Iofur, exploding upwards from his firm footing on the dry rock and slashing with a ferocious left hand at the exposed jaw of Iofur Raknison. It was a horrifying blow. (Northern Lights, Philip Pullman) 12

Subordinate clauses (complex sentence) Subordinate clauses can be effective: � for adding layers of detail: Finally, the footprints led back up to the top of the cliff, where the little boy had seen the Iron Man appear the night before, when he was fishing. � for stressing the relationship between ideas: Although zoos are unnatural, they do protect endangered species. � foregrounding information: Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. 13

Forming subordinate clauses Students can be unsure about the different ways of forming a subordinate clause. These are: � with a non-finite verb o a present participle ending in –ing: Struggling against the wind, the little boat almost hit the rocks. o a past participle, with an –ed or irregular ending: The little boat broke into pieces, dashed against the rocks. o an infinitive: We changed course to avoid the rocks. ) � with a relative pronoun, as part of a noun phrase: The little boat, which struggled against the wind, almost hit the rocks. � with a subordinating conjunction: Although the little boat was struggling against the wind, it avoided the rocks. 14

Practice! Explain how these subordinate clauses are formed: �a wave that has been building its strength �when it reaches the shallows �terrifying the shore-dwellers �before it crashes down on the land �exploding upwards 15

Sentence types and writing development � The tendency to over-use co-ordination is more typical of lower and middle ability writers. This may reflect speech patterns which are naturally more heavily co-ordinated; or it may reflect a focus upon conveying narrative action without considering the relationships between ideas that can be expressed through subordination. � Using subordination allows the relationship between clauses to be more explicit: it can represent a move from chaining ideas together (with and or but) to showing explanatory or causal links. � Using subordination results in varying the structure of the sentence, which can add to its impact on the reader. � Using subordination often invites the use of more sophisticated internal sentence punctuation. 16

The effects of overusing coordination Once upon a time there was a little girl and her name was Red Riding Hood and she lived on the edge of a forest with her mother and father. One day Red Riding Hood’s mother called her into the cottage kitchen and Red Riding Hood could smell cakes baking and her mother told her to take the cakes to her grandmother in the forest. Her grandmother was very old and she was not very well and she lived all alone in a cottage deep in the forest. Red Riding Hood’s mother finished baking the cakes and dusted them with icing sugar. So Red Riding Hood filled her basket with cakes and covered them with a red napkin and she set out on her journey. 17

The effects of using subordination Once upon a time there was a little girl, called Riding Hood, who lived on the edge of a forest with her mother and father. One day Red Riding Hood’s mother called her into the cottage kitchen, filled with the smell of baking cakes, and told her to take the cakes to her grandmother. Because she was now old and unwell, and lived all alone in a cottage deep in the forest, Red Riding Hood’s grandmother would be glad of the cakes and the company. Soon, the cakes had been baked and dusted with icing sugar. Then Red Riding Hood filled her basket with them, covered them with a red napkin, and set out on her journey. 18

Sentence combining Combining single-clause sentences in different ways can be a helpful activity for showing the range of possible choices and discussing the impact on meaning and effect, tied to a specific purpose and context. For example: � How many different ways can you combine these singleclause sentences in order to emphasise the drama of the situation? The little boat tried to reach the harbour. It struggled against the wind. The crew cried out in fear. The boat was dashed against the rocks. Which do you prefer? � Trying to reach the harbour, struggling against the wind, the crew cried out in fear as the little boat was dashed against the rocks. � As the little boat struggled against the wind, trying to reach the harbour, it was dashed against the rocks and the crew 19 cried out in fear. �