Chapter Outline

Compound Sentences

• A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.
• A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb.
• An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.
• Coordinating conjunctions (like and, but, yet, so, or, nor, and for) join elements of equal rank. The conjunction must show the correct relationship between the two clauses and should be preceded by a comma.

Run-on Sentences

• A run-on sentence contains too many thoughts or strings together too many clauses without conjunctions.
• To fix a run-on, break it up into two or more sentences or add a comma and a conjunction.

Commas with "and"

• Use a comma before and if it connects two independent clauses.
• Use a comma before and in a series of three or more compound elements.
• DO NOT use a comma with and if it connects only two compound elements.

Complex Sentences

• A complex sentence contains a dependent clause connected to an independent clause by a subordinating conjunction.
• An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, but a dependent clause cannot.
• The conjunction must show the correct relationship between the two clauses:
  
  
  • Time relationship: before, while, as soon as
  • Cause and effect or purpose: because, since, so that
  • Condition: if, unless, whether
  • Contrast: although, whereas
  • Similarity: as if
  • Place: wherever
  
  
• If the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, place a comma before the independent clause.
• If the independent clause comes before the dependent clause, do not use a comma.

Dependent Clauses in a Paragraph

• Sentence fragments are often dependent clauses standing alone.
• In a paragraph you can fix such a fragment by connecting it to an independent clause.
• Any clause that begins with a subordinating conjunction must be attached to an independent clause.

Comma Splices

• A comma splice is an error in which two clauses are incorrectly joined by a comma without a conjunction.
• Make sure the linking word you use is really a conjunction. For example, the word however is not a conjunction.

Rewriting Sentences

Here are guidelines for writing sentences with more than one clause:

• They can be less choppy and more interesting than short, one-clause sentences.
• They must contain a conjunction (either coordinating or subordinating) to join the two clauses.
• Never use a comma by itself to join two clauses (but do use it after a dependent clause that precedes an independent clause).
• The meaning of the conjunction used must accurately represent the relationship between the clauses.

Sentence Construction on the GED Test

In one type of question on Part I of the Language Arts, Writing Test, you must change the pattern of a sentence or combine two sentences while keeping the meaning of the original.

Sequence of Tenses

When there are two clauses in a sentence, the tense of each verb must work logically (in sequence) with the tense of the other verb.

Effective Revisions

Some items on the GED Test require you to choose an effective revision of a sentence that doesn't have a specific error in grammar or usage but is too wordy. Here are some guidelines for tightening up wordy sentences:

• Change verbs from passive to active. With an active verb, the subject is doing the acting. With a passive verb, the subject is acted upon.
• Look for repeated words or phrases and try to combine ideas.
• Remember that run-on sentences are too wordy.