Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
7.19.B
write complex sentences and differentiate between main and subordinate clauses; and
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
7.19.C
use a variety of complete sentences (e.g., simple, compound, complex) that include properly placed modifiers, correctly identified antecedents, parallel structures, and consistent tenses.
Arkansas Academic Standards:
7.L.6.S
Use modifiers effectively:
Proper adjectives
Predicate adjectives
Georgia Math and ELA Standards:
7.L.GC.1.52
Mechanics: Use semicolons, with or without a conjunctive adverb, to form compound and compound-complex sentences. (Continue)
Georgia Math and ELA Standards:
7.L.GC.1.53
Grammar, Mechanics Use parts of speech and their associated phrases or clauses to perform indicated sentence functions (e.g., subject, direct object, predicate nominative, modifier). (Continue)
Georgia Math and ELA Standards:
7.L.GC.2.b
Use a variety of simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to condense and combine ideas, maintaining consistent verb tense throughout the text. (C)
7th Grade Writing - Sentence Structure Lesson
Structurally, there are three common types of sentences: simple, compound, and complex.
A simple sentence is made up of at least one subject and one verb. It is a complete thought and can stand alone on its own. This is also known as an independent clause.
Example:
Example:
A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses joined together. There are three ways independent clauses can be joined in a compound sentence.
Example:
Tracy could hear thunder rumbling in the background, butthere wasn't any rain just yet.
Example:
Thunder rumbled threateningly in the background;rain had yet to fall, though.
Example:
The sky looked to be relatively clear; however,Tracy could hear a rumble of thunder in the distance.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses. A dependent clause begins with a subordinating conjunction and cannot stand alone on its own.
Example:
Example:
Example:
Using a variety of sentence types in your writing will add complexity and rhythm to your work! It will also help prevent your writing from being too repetitive.
Modifiers
Modifiers are words, phrases, and clauses that help to describe other words, such as nouns and verbs, in a sentence.
When modifiers are misplaced, they are separated from the word that they describe. This can then cause confusion over the meaning of the sentence.
Example:
In the current sentence, readers might assume that ripped is describing the student instead of the notebook.
To clarify the meaning, move the modifier closer to the word that it should be describing:
The student's ripped notebook was quickly tossed in the trash in favor of a new one.
Example:
In the current sentence, it sounds like the pigs are wearing the raincoat and not Lisa.
To clarify the meaning of the sentence, move the modifying phrase closer to the word that it is describing:
In the morning, Lisa, wearing her raincoat, went to feed the pigs.
Example:
In the current sentence, it sounds like the girl's head is too big instead of the sunhat.
To clarify the meaning of the sentence, move the modifying clause closer to the word that it is describing:
The little girl wore a wide-brimmed sunhat, which was much too big, on her head.
Dangling modifiers occur when the word being described is not included in the sentence. This can also cause confusion about the meaning of a sentence.
Example:
In the current sentence, it is unknown who was stressed by exams. As it is, the ice cream was apparently stressed by exams.
The sentence should be rewritten to clarify its meaning:
Stressed by final exams, the college student consumed ice cream in large quantities.
PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence.
An antecedent is a word that comes before a pronoun and that the pronoun stands for.
Pronouns and their antecedents should agree in number.
Example:
Example:
Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if a singular or plural pronoun should be used to match the antecedent.
Example:
Either the fire dancers or the young singer will get her results from the judges next.
Neither the young singer nor the fire dancers have received their results from the judges yet.
Example:
The committee will present its findings on the community's water pollution problem at the next town hall.
The committee will sign their names on the document before submitting it for review.
If this is confusing, adding the word "members" after the collective noun can make it easier to understand:
The committee members will sign their names on the document before submitting it for review.
Pronouns and their antecedents should agree in person.
Example:
Example:
Example:
What should be done if the gender of the antecedent is unknown?
Example:
The new doctor is from Harvard, and he or she will be the one taking over your training.
Example:
The new doctors are from Harvard, and they will be in charge of the new program.
When writing, it is important to keep verb tensesconsistent in sentences or throughout a paragraph.
Example:
The verb tenses are not consistent in this sentence!
finished = past tense
tidies = present tense
ate = past tense
Here are two ways the sentence can be corrected:
Wyatt finishes his math homework, tidies his bedroom, and eats spaghetti with his brother for dinner.
Wyatt finished his math homework, tidied his bedroom, and ate spaghetti with his brother for dinner.
EXCEPTION: if there is a change in the time frame from one action to another, then the verb tenses should change, too.
Example:
The verb tenses change from the first clause to the second because the time frame of each action is different.
For today's breakfast, I am eating the cake
am eating = present progressive
The action is currently ongoing in the present.
that I made the night before
made = past tense
Making the cake had to take place before it could be eaten for breakfast, so this action occurred in the past.
Writing sentences in parallel structure or with parallelism means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas are of equal importance. This can be used with words, phrases, and clauses.
Example:
PARALLEL
My older sister likes running, swimming, and baking
My older sister likes to run, swim, and bake.
Example:
PARALLEL
The play's director told all of the actors that they had done a great job at the final rehearsal, that he was proud of them, and that they should rest up for opening night tomorrow.
7th Grade Writing - Sentence Structure Lesson