Lesson 289

Parts of the Sentence - Sentence Variety

Having learned about phrasesA phrase is a group of words used as a sentence part. It does not have a subject and a verb. It can be a noun, adjective, or adverb.  Source: Lesson 246 and clausesA clause is a group of words having a subject and a verb.  Source: Lesson 246, let's now use the following phrases and clauses to give variety to our writing: participial phrasesA participle is a verbal and is used as an adjective.  A participial phrase is made up of a participle and any complements (direct objects, predicate nominatives, predicate adjectives, or modifiers).  A participial phrase that comes at the beginning of the sentence is always followed by a comma and modifies the subject of the sentence.
Source: Lesson 222, adverb clausesThe adverb clause is a dependent clause that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. They usually modify the verb. Adverb clauses are introduced by subordinate conjunction including after, although, as, as if, before, because, if, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, when, where, and while.  Source: Lesson 265, adjective clausesThe adjective clause is a dependent clause that is used to modify a noun or a pronoun. It will begin with a relative pronoun (who, whose, whom, which, and that) or a subordinate conjunction (when and where). Those are the only words that can be used to introduce an adjective clause.
Source: Lesson 255, compound sentencesA compound sentence combines two or more independent clauses. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.
Source: Lesson 246, or compound verbsA sentence can have two or more verbs called a compound verb.  A compound verb is joined by either a co-ordinate conjunction or a correlative conjunction.
Source: Lesson 98.

First identify which of the above ways is used in the sentence, and then rewrite it using the three other ways identifying each of the methods used.

Example:
Having finished my lessonsparticipial phrase, I sat back 
and gloried in my effort.

You must rewrite the above sentence using an adverb clause, adjective clause, and either a compound sentence or a simple sentenceA simple sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought, and it must have a subject and a verb.
Source: Lesson 91 with compound verbs.

Rewrite of Example:
1) I finishedV my lessons, satV back, and  
gloriedV in my effort. 
= compound verbs

2) After I had finished my lessonsadverb clause, I  
sat back and gloried in  
my effort.

3) I who had finished my lessonsadjective clause sat  
back and gloried in  
my effort.

Instructions: Identify the written sentence and rewrite it three other ways.

Note - There are other ways in which to write these sentences.

1. Standing nervously in the wings of the theater, Jeanne practiced her lines quietly and waited to go on stage.

2. The detective searched carefully through the old desk as he recounted in his mind the importance of the will.

3. The small black dog which looked weak and harmless leaped suddenly at the stranger.