Grammar, usage, and punctuation (grade 7) · lesson

Clauses and phrases

💡 A clause has a subject and a verb, and only an independent clause can stand alone.

A clause has a subject and a verb. An independent clause is a full thought: "The dog barked." A dependent clause is not: "when the dog barked." It starts with a word like when, because, if, or although.

A phrase is a group of words without a subject and verb, like "on the shelf." A phrase can describe a noun, like an adjective, or tell where or when, like an adverb.

To count independent clauses, find each subject and verb pair that could stand alone as a sentence.

🧠 Let's work it out

"After lunch ended, Sam read, and Kim drew."

"After lunch ended" has a subject and verb but can't stand alone. It is dependent.
"Sam read" and "Kim drew" can each stand alone. That makes two independent clauses.

What do you think comes next?

independent clause: a subject and verb that can stand alone as a sentence
dependent clause: a subject and verb that can't stand alone
phrase: a group of words without a subject and verb

🔗 Khan Academy: Grammar: sentences, clauses, and phrases (grade 7) · Khan Academy ↗

Simple, compound, and complex

💡 The kind of sentence depends on how many independent and dependent clauses it has.

A simple sentence has one independent clause. A compound sentence joins two independent clauses with a word like and, but, or so.

A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. A compound-complex sentence has two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.

Choose the joining word by meaning. "And" adds. "But" or "yet" shows a contrast. "So" shows a result.

🧠 Let's work it out

"Although it was cold, we swam, and we laughed."

"Although it was cold" is dependent.
"We swam" and "we laughed" are independent.
Two independent plus one dependent is compound-complex.
To join "I studied hard ___ I still felt nervous," the ideas contrast, so type "but."

What do you think comes next?

compound sentence: two independent clauses joined together
complex sentence: an independent clause plus a dependent clause
conjunction: a joining word like and, but, or because

Put modifiers in the right place

💡 A describing word or phrase must sit next to the thing it describes, or the sentence says something silly.

A modifier describes something. If it is in the wrong spot, it seems to describe the wrong thing. That is a misplaced modifier.

A dangling modifier opens a sentence but describes no one in it, or the wrong person. "Running late, the bus left." The bus wasn't running late.

Small words like "only," "almost," and "nearly" change meaning based on where they sit.

🧠 Let's work it out

"Barking loudly, I saw the dog."

This says I was barking.
Move the modifier next to the dog: "I saw the dog barking loudly."
Now compare "I almost read the book" (I didn't start) with "I read almost the whole book" (I read most of it).

What do you think comes next?

modifier: a word or phrase that describes something
misplaced modifier: a modifier in the wrong spot, describing the wrong thing

Commas between adjectives

💡 Put a comma between two adjectives if you could put "and" between them instead.

Some adjectives each describe the noun on their own. These need a comma: "a dark, rainy night."

Other adjectives work as a set. These need no comma: "three old books."

Test it: put "and" between them. If it sounds right, use a comma. You can also swap their order.

🧠 Let's work it out

"A bright, sunny day."

Try "bright and sunny day."
Sounds fine, so the comma belongs.
"Two little birds." Try "two and little birds."
Sounds wrong, so no comma.

What do you think comes next?

coordinate adjectives: adjectives that each describe the noun on their own