Lit stuff, 08-11-11

Complex Sentences from Planet Prison

LO: I can manipulate main and subordinate clauses in complex sentences for meaning, using punctuation.

IWB Examples

• ‘Her intention was to enter Earth, a place where she had never been.’

• ‘Although they had never met before, Cad thought she looked strangely familiar.’
• ‘Cad thought she looked strangely familiar, although they had never met before.’

Activity Sheet Examples

• ‘One hundred years ago, humans lost the first Great Intergalactic War.’

• ‘The terrifying Celban Law Activation Warriors, known as CLAWs, took over.’

• ‘He had been killed three years earlier, when Cad was eleven.’

• ‘If the CLAWs ever caught up with her, she would be imprisoned.’

  ‘She would be imprisoned, if the CLAWs ever caught up with her.’

Simple Sentences.

Cad saw a van. She jumped onto it’s roof. There was an open window. She slid through. Inside was a young woman. They had never met. The woman looked familiar to Cad.

Complex Sentences.

Spotting a van on the street below, Cad jumped onto it’s roof. She quickly slid down though the open window and found herself face to face with a young woman. Although they had never met before, Cad thought she looked strangely familiar.

Independent Activity (MA/HA)

LO: I can manipulate main and subordinate clauses in complex sentences for meaning, using punctuation.

Have a go at manipulating the clauses in these complex sentences.

a. Identify and underline the subordinate clause.

‘Her intention was to enter Earth, a place where she had never been.’

b. Change the subordinate clause.

‘Her intention was to enter Earth, a planet shriveled and ruined by centuries of pollution.’

c. Move the subordinate clause.

‘A planet shriveled and ruined by centuries of pollution, her intention was to enter Earth.’

d. How have you changed the meaning?

Always think carefully about where you put your comma(s)!!

1. ‘One hundred years ago, humans lost the first Great Intergalactic War.’

2. ‘The terrifying Celban Law Activation Warriors, known as CLAWs, took over.’

3. ‘Cad lived in hiding, so that the CLAWs wouldn't catch her.’

4. ‘If the CLAWs ever caught up with her, she would be imprisoned.’

Independent Activity (LA)

Can you put the main clause and the subordinate clause together to make 2 different sentences?

Don’t forget a capital letters and full stops!!

	1	2	3
1	her intention was to enter Earth	,	a place where she had never been
2	humans lost the first war	one hundred years ago	,
3	,	Cad lived in hiding	so that the CLAWs wouldn’t catch her
4	If the CLAWs ever caught her	,	she would be imprisoned

Varieties of Subordinate Clause

(Drawn from English Grammar and Teaching Strategies)

Noun Clauses

• Can be replaced by a noun phrase.

‘I shall always remember that you have helped me (your help).’

Adjectival Clauses

• Often being with who, that, which, whom. Can be replaced by an adjective describing a noun in the main clause.

‘The hat, which is a lovely blue, suits her very well.’ (‘The lovely blue hat suits her well.’)

The duck swam across the pond that is in the village.’ (The duck swam across the village pond.’)

Adverbial Clauses

• Most widely used. Do the work of an adverb. Tell us how, when, where, why. 8 x varieties.

‘I will tell you when you sit down.’ (Time)

‘Can you tell me where you bought that funky brown smoking jacket?’ (Place)

‘He will help you if you catch him on a good day.’ (Condition)

‘They went to Outer Mongolia because they heard the grass is wonderful this time of year.’ (Reason)

‘The children worked as hard as they could.’ (Manner)

‘The child was reprimanded by the Deputy Head so that he would never bully again.’ (Purpose)

‘Although he was big, he could run very fast.’ (Concession)

These boys play football as well as a group of invertebrates.’ (Comparison)