MODIFIERS AND SENTENCE TYPES:COMPOUND SENTENCES

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JournalisticWriting MCM310

LECTURE 13

MODIFIERS AND SENTENCE TYPES

Modifiersare the parts that modify, or describe the kernel (kernel means the basic clause). Thesewords

can be thought of as decorations because they elaborate on

the essential parts of the clause.

Types of Modifiers:

1. Adjectives

2. Adverbs

3. Appositives

4. Prepositional phrases

ADJECTIVEMODIFIERS: They modify the meaning of a noun or pronoun by providing information to

give it a more specificmeaning

Forexample, all the bold wordsare adjectives

1. This is an aggressiveteam. / The team is aggressive.

2. She has a terrificattitude. / Her attitude is terrific.

3. It is a beautiful sculpture. / The sculpture is beautiful.

Do this Exercise: Identify the adjectives.

1. I was struck by the dramaticcontrast between her sunburnarms and pale white face.

(Solution:dramatic, sunburn, pale, whiteare adjectives.)

Nowyou do it yourself.

2. The tallest man in the groupserved old-fashioned blackberry pie to the ladies.

3. Hot buttered popcorn wassold from a rickety redwagon.

4. A roll of sticky, twisted transparenttape sat on the dustywindowsill.

5. The discussion group took up the subject of damaged relationships andpossible ways to healthem.

6. The fizzled fireworks sent the disappointed crowd home before 10'oclock.

ADVREBMODIFIERS: They modify verbs or give moremeanings to verbs. They canappear almost

anywhere in a sentence. All the boldtypes are adverb modifiers.

1. The sucked their thumbsloudly. Adverb of manner)

2. I tiptoed quietlyinto the corridor. (adverb of manner)

3. Eventually we learned the truth. (adverb of time)

4. The doctor laterspoke to the press. (adverb of time)

5. She spends too much time there. (adverb of place)

6. The secretary delivered the packageherein the early evening. (adverb of place)

7. She neversmokes in public. (adverb of frequency)

APPOSITIVEMODIFIERS: Theyare noun phrases thatfollow and describe othernouns. All the bold

typesare appositive adverbs.

JournalisticWriting MCM310

1. George Washington, thefirst president of theUnited States, loved peanut soup.

2. Andrew Johnson, a skilled tailor, mademost of his ownclothes.

3. The child, intelligent and strong, took after her parents.

4. The woman, cautiously at first, planted the seeds under a thin layer of reddish dirt.

PREPOSITIONALMODIFIERS: They are direction or relationship words. All the boldtypes are

prepositional modifiers.

1. The boy dialed 911 in a panic.

2. The man wrote hisnovel at a seaside hotel.

3. My mother graduated fromthe law school in May.

SENTENCETYPES: Sentencesare classified as

1. SIMPLE

2. COMPOUND

3. COMPLEX

4. COMPPOUND-COMPLEX

SIMPLE:one independent clause only.

E.g.Without music, life would be a mistake.

1. Bob went to the store.

2. Bob and Sue went to the store.

3. Bob and Sue went to the store on the corner near the center of town to buy groceries and to get some

drinksfor the party.

(This last sentence is quite a long one but is still a simple sentence, as there is only one clause. (S + V))

COMPOUNDSENTENCES: two or more independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunction:"and,"

"but,""or," "so," "yet," and"for."

E.g.one arrow is easily broken,butyoucan't break a bundle of ten.

Two independent clauses joined by and.

More examples:

Bob went to the store, and Sue went to the office.

Conjunction

The negotiations were successful, so the diplomats returned to their homes.

Conjunction

We can go to party, or we can go to the dance.

Conjunction

The negotiations ended successfully; therefore, the fighting stopped.

Conjunction

JournalisticWriting MCM310

COMPLEXSENTENCES: one independent with one or more subordinate clauses joined by a subordinator.

E.g.If youscatter thorns, don't go barefoot.

One subordinating clause is beginning with a subordinator `if' and joinedwith one independent clause.

Because

the problem proved difficult, they decided to from a committee.

Subordinator

sentence

The proposal [that] we wrote wasaccepted.

Subordinator

Theissue, whichwe thought we had solved, cameback to haunt us.

Subordinator

Importantsubordinators to make complex sentences:

Time:when, while, since, before, after, until,once

Place:where,wherever

Cause:because,since, as, now that, inasmuch as

Condition:if,unless, on conditionthat

Contrast/Concession: although, even though, despite, in spite of

Adversative:while, where, whereas

Other: that, which, who, whoever, whom, what, why, how....

COMPPOUND-COMPLEX:at least two independent clausesand at least one subordinating clause. e.g. Tell

me whatyoueat, and I willtell you whatyouare.

The proposal thatwe wrote was accepted,and we started the project.

Subordinator

Conjunction

SENTENCEPURPOSE:

DECLARATIVE:to make statements.

IMPERATIVE:to issue requests or commands.

INTEROGATIVE:to ask questions.

EXCLAMATORY:to make exclamations.

See if you can tell the sentencepurpose in the followings:

Loveyour neighbor.

I want to wash the flag, not burn it!

Theecho always has the lastword.

Aresecond thoughts alwayswisest?

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