NAME CLASS DATE

GRAMMAR

for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE page 186

Simple Sentences
7a. A simple sentence contains one independent clause and no subordinate clauses.
S V
EXAMPLE Along the edge of the porch, we planted some colorful flowers.
A simple sentence may have a compound subject, a compound verb, or both.
S S V V
EXAMPLE Katya and I dug four inches into the rich soil and sowed twelve grape hyacinth bulbs.

EXERCISE A In each of the following sentences, draw one line under each subject and two lines under
each verb.

Example 1. The monkeys and apes will stay here or move on.
1. Sally and Anne both take music lessons weekly.

2. I climbed that oak tree and swam in the creek.

3. Steve helped Roseanne with the puzzle and then washed the dishes.
4. The parrot said “Cat for sale” and flapped its wings.

5. All of a sudden, Dale and Amy burst into the room and grabbed the water jug.
6. In April the company will increase its profits.
7. Kim and Ted will go to Africa with Jade and photograph wildlife.

8. Both the painting and the sketch show the meadow in the morning.
9. This one and that one will be sold at the auction tomorrow.
10. After all of the hurry and bustle, a week or two at the beach sounded wonderful.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

EXERCISE B On each of the lines below, write your own simple sentence. Then, circle each subject and
each verb.
The sun rose and warmed the hillside.
Example 1.
11. Mark and Jane played football together.

12. My friends and I like to hang out in long weekend vacations

13.
14.
15.

114 ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE Second Course

 NAME CLASS DATE

GRAMMAR
for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE pages 188–189

Compound Sentences
7b. A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and no subordinate clauses.
The clauses of a compound sentence may be joined by
● a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet)
● a semicolon
● a semicolon, a conjunctive adverb, and a comma
S V S V
EXAMPLES Luisa Ortega is in my English class, and we have become good friends this year.
S V S
Recently, the Ortegas invited me to a campground for the weekend; I eagerly
V
accepted the invitation.
S V S V
The family brought along a large tent; however, they did not use it for sleeping.

EXERCISE Underline the independent clauses in each of the following sentences. Then, write S above
each subject and V above each verb.
S V S V
Example 1. The Ortegas put their sleeping bags out under the stars, but I preferred the tent.
1. I fear all kinds of wild creatures, but the family very kindly did not tease me about my

apprehensions.
2. The family’s black Labrador retriever evidently shared my fears, for he joined me in the tent.
3. In the middle of the night, I awoke to a strange sound; I immediately became frightened.

4. I was alone in the tent, for the dog had left.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

5. Suddenly, the dog bounded into the tent, and within seconds the tent collapsed on top of us
both!

6. The noise awoke the others, and I felt embarrassed!

7. Luisa crawled out of her sleeping bag, and together we pitched the tent again.
8. Then, Luisa returned to her sleeping bag, and I lay down on my cot in the tent.

9. Later that night, it rained, so the Ortegas ran to the tent.

10. I, along with the dog, remained dry; however, the Ortegas, in their scramble to the tent, were
drenched!

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 115

 NAME CLASS DATE
GRAMMAR

for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE pages 186–188

Simple Sentence or Compound Sentence?

7a. A simple sentence contains one independent clause and no subordinate clauses.
7b. A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and no subordinate clauses.
Do not confuse a compound sentence with a simple sentence that contains a compound subject, a
compound verb, or both.
S S V
SIMPLE SENTENCE Coach Mendes and her team lost the first game of the double-header but
V
won the second. [one independent clause with a compound subject
and a compound verb]
S V S V
COMPOUND SENTENCE Sammi can play several instruments, but the banjo is her favorite. [two
independent clauses]

EXERCISE In each of the following sentences, draw one line under each subject and two lines under each
verb.Then, on the line provided, identify the sentence by writing S for simple or Cd for compound.

Example S 1. David Attenborough has studied many unusual creatures and has written

about their unique habitats and behaviors.

S 1. I hurried over to Michael’s house and met Rafiq on the way.
S 2. The lightning struck the radio towers on the hill several times but did not

damage them.

CD 3. The blinking light grew dim, and then it flashed several times.
CD 4. The gulls circle the fishing boat; they are hoping for a quick meal.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

S 5. The purple lantana and the red salvia look pretty and attract both bees and
butterflies.
CD
6. After school I feed the rabbits, and Kris looks after the guinea pigs.
S 7. In the evening the Korean restaurant opens and welcomes crowds of hungry diners.
S 8. Patty and Carla are throwing Hilton a surprise party in their big backyard sometime
next weekend.

CD 9. The crab scuttled quickly into the water, for it saw a heron nearby.
CD 10. I left, but Marcy stayed.

116 ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE Second Course

 NAME CLASS DATE

GRAMMAR
for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE page 191

Complex Sentences
7c. A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.
S V S V
EXAMPLE Even though it was a gray, rainy day, Pilar looked forward to her walk in the
park.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE Pilar looked forward to her walk in the park
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE Even though it was a gray, rainy day

EXERCISE In each of the following sentences, draw one line under the independent clause and two lines
under each subordinate clause. Then, write S above each subject and V above each verb.
S V S V
Example 1. At the park, Pilar fed the ducks and swans, which quickly swam toward her.
1. Pilar looked for tiny fish and snails where the pond was shallow.

2. As she watched the fish and snails, she thought about a career in marine biology.
3. Her career plans had been all that she could think about since the Science Club took a field
trip to a well-known oceanographic center.

4. Because the center was on a quiet shoreline, the scientists could study hundreds of forms of
marine life.
5. Some students who had gone to the center last year had snorkeled around the tide pools.

6. Pilar became interested in Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which is a well-known oceano-

graphic institute in San Diego, California.
7. Because her school computer had Internet access, Pilar could learn more about Scripps and
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

marine biology.
8. First, she learned about research ships and their equipment when she looked at the Scripps
Web site.

9. After she read an interview with a marine biologist, Pilar felt confident that marine biology
was the career for her.
10. From the interview she learned that a marine biologist should have a good education, care

about the environment, and enjoy travel.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 117

 NAME CLASS DATE
GRAMMAR

for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE pages 188–191

Compound Sentence or Complex Sentence?

7b. A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and no subordinate clauses.
S V S V
EXAMPLE Today, no humans live on the island, but it is still home to a wide variety
of birds.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES Today, no humans live on the island
it is still home to a wide variety of birds

7c. A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.
S V S V
EXAMPLE Although no humans live on the island today, it is still home to a wide
variety of birds.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE it is still home to a wide variety of birds
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE Although no humans live on the island today

EXERCISE In each of the following sentences, draw one line under each subject and two lines under
each verb. Then, on the line provided, identify the sentence by writing Cd for compound or Cx for
complex.

Example Cx 1. Louisiana and Mississippi, which are two Southern states, border the Gulf of

Mexico.
cd 1. Iowa is not near any oceans, but the Mississippi River makes up its eastern border.
cx 2. On the west coast, California borders Mexico, and Washington borders Canada.

cx 3. Hawaii is the only state that does not lie on the North American mainland.

cd 4. I learned that the northernmost state is Alaska.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

cx 5. Texas is quite big, but Alaska is bigger.

cx 6. If you visit Death Valley in California, you will be 282 feet below sea level.
7. The longest river in the United States is the Missouri River; the largest lake in the
cd
United States is Lake Michigan.
cx 8. Michigan, which resembles a mitten, sits between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
cd 9. I looked at a map, and then I showed Dana my home state.

cx 10. Dana lived in Canada before her family moved to New York, where her mother taught

English.

118 ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE Second Course

 NAME CLASS DATE

GRAMMAR
for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE page 193

Compound-Complex Sentences
7d. A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and at least one
subordinate clause.
S V S V
EXAMPLE Matt would have broken the school record, but he stumbled when his
S V
right foot hit the last hurdle in the race.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES Matt would have broken the school record
he stumbled
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE when his right foot hit the last hurdle in the race

EXERCISE In each of the following sentences, draw one line under every independent clause and two
lines under every subordinate clause. Then, write S above each subject and V above each verb.
S V S V
Example 1. When Thora Andersen came to this country, she enjoyed her new freedom, but
S V
she also worked very hard.
1. Cece went to Chile during the winter vacation, but her older brother stayed home because he
had made plans with some friends.

2. When Mr. Tolstoi entered the United States, he knew only a few words of English, but his wife
was fluent in the language.
3. The two young men had avoided injuries because they had worn their seat belts, but the

driver of the other car was not as fortunate.

4. Vegetarians, who do not eat meat, should watch their diets; they should eat nutritionally
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

balanced meals.

5. Although both were tired, Ahnawake went to her soccer practice, and Carl went to his piano
lesson.
6. The two dogs barked at each other constantly until the sun rose; consequently, none of us got

much sleep last night.

7. You should shut the gate whenever you leave the backyard; otherwise, the dogs may get out.
8. When we went to the science museum, we attended a lecture on electricity; after the lecture,

we visited some of the exhibits.

9. As we left the library, the rain pelted down, so we rushed back inside.
10. Aunt Eudora was born in Nashville, but when she was five years old, she and her family

moved to Memphis, where she lived for the rest of her life.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics: Language Skills Practice 119

 NAME CLASS DATE
GRAMMAR

for CHAPTER 7: SENTENCE STRUCTURE pages 191–193

Complex or Compound-Complex?
7c. A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.
S V S V
EXAMPLE Although Emma is a talented singer, she did not audition for the eighth
grade’s musical play.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE she did not audition for the eighth grade’s musical play
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE Although Emma is a talented singer

7d. A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and at least one
subordinate clause.
S V S V
EXAMPLE Emma is a talented singer, but she did not audition for the eighth grade’s
S V
musical play because she needed more time for her studies.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSES Emma is a talented singer
she did not audition for the eighth grade’s musical play
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE because she needed more time for her studies

EXERCISE In each of the following sentences, draw one line under each subject and two lines under each
verb. Then, on the line provided, identify the sentence by writing Cx for complex or Cd-Cx for
compound-complex.
Cd-Cx
Example 1. I believe that my birthstone is the sapphire; Roseanne’s is the opal.
1. A gem is a mineral or other material that is used in jewelry and other ornaments.
2. Some of the gems that you see are natural; others are artificial.

3. Laney said that scientists can make sapphires, rubies, and emeralds in laboratories.

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

4. Some gems occur in igneous rock, which forms when hot, molten material cools.
5. Other gems occur in metamorphic rock, which forms under great heat and pressure;

still others occur in sedimentary rock, which typically forms when water, wind, or ice
deposits sand, gravel, and other materials.
6. I asked Mr. Catalano whether pearls are made by oysters, and he said yes.

7. When light travels through a well-cut diamond, the diamond glitters with different
colors.
8. The type of gem cut that is called the brilliant cut has fifty-eight facets.

9. Diamonds are very valuable because they are very durable and brilliant, but some
emeralds are even more valuable.
10. Perhaps the most beautiful of all pearls is La Pellegrina, which is from India.

120 ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE Second Course