English
Sentence Structure Basics
Foundation Lesson
About this Lesson
This lesson demonstrates how to incorporate grammar instruction into literature units by having
students write sentences about the novels they are reading. The sentences in this lesson are based
on the excerpts from Witness in the “Point of View” lesson in Module One LTF® training.
Teachers may substitute another literary work in place of Witness for these activities.
This lesson is included in Module 1: Introduction to Laying the Foundation.
Objective
Students will demonstrate an understanding of various types of phrases, clauses, and sentence
structures.
Level
Grades Six through Ten
Explicitly addressed in this lesson
Code
Standard
L.1
L.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
Implicitly addressed in this lesson
Code
Standard
L.3
L.6
Apply knowledge of language to understand how
language functions in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Acquire and use accurately a range of general
academic and domain-specific words and phrases
sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and
listening at the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or expression.
Level of
Thinking
Understand
Depth of
Knowledge
I
Understand
I
Level of
Thinking
Understand
Depth of
Knowledge
II
Understand
II
T E A C H E R
Connection to Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
LTF Foundation Lessons are designed to be used across grade levels and therefore are aligned to
the CCSS Anchor Standards. Teachers should consult their own grade-level-specific Standards.
The activities in this lesson allow teachers to address the following Common Core Standards:
Copyright © 2012 Laying the Foundation®, Inc., Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.ltftraining.org.
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Teacher Overview—Sentence Structure Basics
SL.1
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of
conversations and collaborations with diverse
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly and persuasively.
Understand
II
LTF Skill Focus
The foundation for LTF English lessons is the Skill Progression Chart that identifies key skills
for each domain, beginning with grade 6 and adding more complex skills at each subsequent
grade level while reinforcing skills introduced at previous grade levels. The Skill Focus for each
individual lesson identifies the skills actually addressed in that lesson.
Remember
Understand
Close Reading
written, spoken, and visual
texts
Evaluate
Create
Composition
written, spoken, and visual
products
Style/Voice
Conscious Manipulation of
sentence Patterns
T E A C H E R
Levels of Thinking
Apply
Analyze
Grammar
purposeful use of language
for effect
Mechanics
Capitalization
Punctuation
Parts of Speech
Phrases
Absolute
Appositive
Gerund
Infinitive
Participial
Prepositional
Clauses
Dependent/Subordinate
Independent
Sentences
Structure
Complex
Compound
Compound-Complex
Simple
Connections to AP*
AP level essays require a sophisticated writing style that students acquire through independent
and guided practice with a variety of phrases, clauses, and sentence structures.
*Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board. The College
Board was not involved in the production of this material.
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ii
Teacher Overview—Sentence Structure Basics
Materials and Resources
 Copies of the student activity
 Copies of Phrase Toolbox and Clause Toolbox
 Optional—Sentence strips made from construction paper or purchased from a teacher
supply store
Assessments
The following kinds of formative assessments are embedded in this lesson:
 Guided questions
 Brief writing assignment
Teaching Suggestions
Teachers may wish to review parts of speech and the subject/predicate components of a sentence
before tackling the clause and its function in sentence structure. However, it is important that
sixth grade students begin working with independent and dependent clauses to form the four
basic sentence structures. Students will learn best and enjoy the activities in this lesson more if
they participate in the hands-on manipulation of phrases and clauses using sentence strips. It is
also helpful to have prepared sets of coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and
punctuation (commas, semicolons, periods) on word strips.
T E A C H E R
Answers
Answers for this lesson are subjective and will vary. To obtain the maximum benefit of the
lesson, ask students to go beyond the expected responses.
Copyright © 2012 Laying the Foundation®, Inc., Dallas, TX. All rights reserved. Visit us online at www.ltftraining.org.
iii
En
nglish
Sentence Structure
S
Basics
Found
dation Lessoon
A ph
hrase is a gro
oup of wordss that does not
n contain bboth a subjecct and a verb.
Colleectively, the words in a phrase
p
functiion as a singgle part of sppeech.
A cla
ause is a grou
up of words that contain
ns a subject aand a verb. A
An independ
dent clause
can stand alone as
a a sentencee, expressing
g a complete thought. A d
dependent cclause
canno
ot stand alon
ne as a senten
nce. It begin
ns with a subbordinating cconjunction or a relative
prono
oun.
Activity One
The follo
owing are ex
xamples of in
ndependent clauses (or simple senttences) that contain a
subject, a verb, and different
d
typees of phrasess. Identify thhe parts of eaach independdent clause. You
may use the Phrase Toolbox
T
to help
h you. Thee first one is done for yoou.
Johnny Reeves,
R
a Ku
u Klux Klan
n member, bu
urned a cro ss during thee night in a ssmall Vermoont
town.
Subject:
Johnny Reeeves
Verb:
V
burned
Appositive
A
ph
hrase: a Ku
K Klux Klaan member
Prepositional phrase:
during the night
Prepositional phrase: in a small Verm
mont town
a Sutter, frig
ghtened by th
he flaming cross,
c
hid to find securityy and comfoort.
Leonora
Subject:
Verb:
V
Participial ph
hrase:
In
nfinitive phrrase:
Using on
ne of the senttences abovee as a modell, write an inndependent cclause (a sim
mple sentencee)
containin
ng a subject, a verb, and at least two different phhrases.
®
Copyright © 2012 Laying the
e Foundation , In
nc., Dallas, TX. All
A rights reserve
ed. Visit us onlin
ne at www.ltftraining.org.
1
Student Activity—Sentence Structure Basics
A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined by a
semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
Activity Two
Using a comma and a coordinating conjunction, create a compound sentence by combining the
independent clause you wrote for Activity One with one of the other independent clauses
provided in that activity. Adjust the wording or use pronouns if necessary.
Combine the same two clauses again, using a semicolon to create a compound sentence.
If you consider both meaning and effect, which combination works best? Why?
A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more dependent
clauses.
A dependent clause begins with a subordinating conjunction such as because, when, if,
although or a relative pronoun such as that, which, who.
Activity Three
Create subordinate clauses by placing a different subordinating conjunction at the beginning of
each independent clause from Activity One.
Example: Because Johnny Reeves, a Ku Klux Klan member, burned a cross during the
night in a small Vermont town…
Write your subordinate clauses on the lines below.
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2
Student Activity—Sentence Structure Basics
Create a complex sentence by combining one of these subordinate clauses with one of the
independent clauses from Activity One.
Example: When Johnny Reeves, a Ku Klux Klan member, burned a cross during the
night, he seemed to be happy with his accomplishment.
Note: If the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, you should separate the two
clauses with a comma. If the dependent clause comes after the independent clause, no comma is
needed.
Now place a subordinating conjunction in front of the other independent clause to make a
dependent clause. Combine the two clauses to create a different complex sentence.
Which complex sentence seems to be better or more logical? Why?
A compound-complex sentence contains two or more independent clauses and one or more
dependent clauses.
Activity Four
The following sentence is a compound-complex sentence. Underline the dependent clause once
and each independent clause twice.
When Johnny Reeves, a Ku Klux Klan member, burned a cross during the night, he
seemed to be happy with his accomplishment, but Leonora Sutter, frightened by the
flaming cross, hid to find security and comfort.
Using the independent and dependent clauses from the previous activities, write a compound
complex sentence of your own. Underline the dependent clause once and the independent clauses
twice.
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3
Student Activity—Sentence Structure Basics
Writing Activity
Write a paragraph about___________________________ . Your paragraph should contain all of
the following sentence structures in any order you wish:
 Simple
 Compound
 Complex
 Compound-Complex
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