Some students are unfamiliar with the definitions and
rules of clauses and punctuation, the basic building blocks of
sentence structure. This problem does not show itself too much when
you write in the first person voice ("I remember once . . .") because
that is your natural idiom. However, when you attempt to write an
academic paper in college, which not only requires the third-person
voice ("The Confucian concept of ritual . . .") but also the ability
to state for an unknown third party the key points of a complicated
idea, it can become more difficult to compose smooth and
grammatical prose. This occurs because the language needed for an
academic paper isn't the natural idiom of our everyday language, and
so the phrases and sentences that we need don't come naturally to
mind. In some ways, it seems like trying to write in a foreign
language. Yet, if you take the time to learn the basic rules of
sentence structure and punctuation, then it becomes much easier to
avoid such common problems as incomplete sentences, run-on sentences,
and faulty use of commas.
Clauses are the basic building blocks of sentence structure. A
clause consists of a subject and a predicate, where the predicate is
a verb or verb phrase. A verb phrase may or may not include a direct
object and/or an indirect object.
Examples:
I was happy.
I went to the store.
She ate a cookie.
He sent me a letter.
In each of the above cases, there is at least a subject and a
verb.
Independent Clause
An "independent clause" is a clause that can stand by itself as a
complete sentence.
Examples:
Three clowns bumped noses.
A chicken crossed the road.
The market sells organic vegetables.
The weather was good today.
Dependent Clause
A "dependent clause" is a clause that cannot stand by itself as a
complete sentence even though it has a subject and a predicate.
Examples:
while I was walking
because there were so many possibilities
although we could not find him
In these examples, it is the "subordinating conjunction" or sentence
connector that subordinates the clause to another, main clause that
makes them dependent clauses: "while," "because," "although".
Written language is designed to inscribe spoken language, so the
rules of punctuation are generally designed to reproduce the natural
patterns and pauses in speech.
Two Independent Clauses
When each of two independant clauses expresses a complete idea, but
the two ideas are linked together, we often combine them into one
sentence so that the reader can easily see the relationship between
them. In that case, the two most common words used to link the
sentences are "and" and "but," which are called "coordinating
conjunctions." When we use "and" or "but" in speech, we naturally
pause between the two clauses, so that is where we place a comma.
Examples:
My friends and I went to see a movie, and we thought it was pretty
funny.
We wanted linguini, but they only had fettucini.
The mountains are nice, but the beaches are better.
Rocky Road is tasty, and it's even better with nuts and topping.
Independent Clause Followed
by a Dependent Clause
When we use a dependent clause to modify the main idea expressed by
an independent clause, we link them together, usually with the
independent clause coming first and then followed by the dependent
clause. In this case, there is no comma separating the two because we
do not pause between them in speech. What makes a clause "dependent"
is the "subordinating conjunction." Common subordinating conjunctions
include "while," "because," and "although."
Examples:
I was thinking of dinner while I was driving.
I knew I would succeed although there were obstacles.
I decided to buy a pint of ice cream instead of a double-scoop cone
because I was hungry.
Dependent Clause before an
Independent Clause
In our usual speech patterns, we sometimes place the dependent clause
before the independent clause for emphasis. In that case, we tend to
pause to let the listener know that we have changed the usual order.
So, in writing we place a comma after the dependent clause when the
order is reversed.
Examples:
Because I had so much work to do, I decided to postpone our date for
the movies.
While there were still many passes to traverse, I was determined to
get through the mountains.
Although the mountains were beautiful, the night sky was even more
breathtaking.
Two Independent Clauses
Joined by a Semicolon
Sometimes, we want to link two independent clauses together without
using "and" or "but," or any other coordinating conjunction. In this
case, we use a semicolon.
Examples:
I went to the store; I bought some fruit.
The river was wide; the bridge was narrow.
Jack brought the food; Jill brought the camping supplies.