Independent Clause / the Simple Sentence
- Nouns: person, place, thing
- Verbs: show action
- Subject: noun or pronoun that performs the action
- Object: noun or pronoun that receives the action
- Includes a subject (noun/pronoun) + verb
- Examples: I write. She coughs. They run. The lamp shines.
- Often, though, we need to include the object (a noun, too) after the verb=
- Examples: I write poetry. They run laps.
Before we look at the graphic, let's see how modifiers can create skillfully complex sentences out of basic information:
1. The famous Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, "Style and Structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.”
1. The famous Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, "Style and Structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.”
- Simple sentence: Vladimir Nabokov...said, "...."
- "The famous Russian novelist" = adjectival phrase with no commas! Why? (Look at #5's explanation on this link for some reasoning, too.)
2. Since he is known for Lolita, a novel about a creepy old man obsessed with a little girl, a reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself.
- Simple sentence: A reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself.
- "Since he is known for Lolita," = dependent clause that added context to subject
- ", a novel about a creepy old man obsessed with a little girl," = dependent clause that adds meaning to the noun that comes right before it, Lolita.
- This entire phrase/clause is not necessary for a reader to understand the simple sentence, which is why commas are used to "put up a fence around it." We can take out the entire clause and the sentence will still be grammatically clear:
- Since he is known for Lolita, a reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself.
The Role of the Comma (Rules for Writers, 292-314)
- How do we look at dependent clauses and adjectives and adverbs?
- Modifiers of basic meaning/thought of the sentence
- Different types of context that add to the basic thought/sentence
- What is a comma for? Our two most general ways to look at it:
- Show where dependent clauses add "extra" information/context to the independent clause!
- Separate lists/clusters of adjectives or adverbs. Here is a great link on Buzzfeed that shows just how much a comma is needed for clear meaning when making a list!
- the only time a comma is used to attach two independent clauses (sentences):
- use a comma, then a conjunction (for | and | nor | but | or | yet | so). This called a coordinating conjunction...
- , + conjunction
- ex.: We went to the store, but we did not buy anything.
- or, we can sometimes use a comma with a short sentence that is attached to a longer sentence, where the one sentence is operating as a dependent clause/"extra voice"
- ex.:
- We loved going to the chocolate factory, I can tell you that much.
- My brother is like the fox, he is the ultimate trickster. (I would still use a semi-colon here just to be grammatically safe.)
Common Words that indicate dependent clauses:
Transition words: also, indeed, either, neither, first, second, next, last, finally, although, however, for example, for instance, since, ...and more!
Prepositions: on, at, above, around, during, of, from, with, ... and more!
-ing verbs: Beginning, Running, Talking,
infinitives (to + verbs): To begin, To go, To add, To argue,
Let's Go Through Concepts of the Comma As Writers In The Process:
1. I stepped in a pile of horse poop Jill. (What is "horse poop Jill"? The comma needs to come after the word 'poop' because 'Jill' is a dependent clause; her name gives the reader context to who is being told the statement.)
...and now for a string of complex modification:
2. Since I was seventeen I have lived alone. (Why no comma? Again, here is a great link for us to review.)
3. Since I was seventeen, I have lived alone and supported myself. (What changes? The simple sentence became more complex, so that dependent clause now modifies to acts.)
4. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone.
5. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods.
6. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods and supported myself.
7. Since I was seventeen, I have lived alone in the woods, afraid of the world, and supported myself.
8. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore and supported myself.
9. Since I as seventeen, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore, Maryland, and supported myself.
10. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore, Maryland, and supported myself on twigs and berries.
Let's Go Through Concepts of the Comma As Writers In The Process:
1. I stepped in a pile of horse poop Jill. (What is "horse poop Jill"? The comma needs to come after the word 'poop' because 'Jill' is a dependent clause; her name gives the reader context to who is being told the statement.)
...and now for a string of complex modification:
2. Since I was seventeen I have lived alone. (Why no comma? Again, here is a great link for us to review.)
3. Since I was seventeen, I have lived alone and supported myself. (What changes? The simple sentence became more complex, so that dependent clause now modifies to acts.)
4. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone.
5. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods.
6. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods and supported myself.
7. Since I was seventeen, I have lived alone in the woods, afraid of the world, and supported myself.
8. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore and supported myself.
9. Since I as seventeen, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore, Maryland, and supported myself.
10. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore, Maryland, and supported myself on twigs and berries.
