WRITING / sentence structure

Sentence Structure

What is sentence structure?

Sentence structure is the way a sentence is constructed, grammatically. There are two types of clauses that create a sentence: independent and dependent. An independent (main) clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent (subordinate) clause is an incomplete thought that cannot stand alone as a sentence. 

There are generally four types of sentence structure; 1) Simplesentence expresses a single thought and must contain a subject and a verb. 2) Compound: sentence consists of two simple sentences that are connected with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). 3) Complexsentence is an independent clause connected to one or more dependent clauses using a subordinating conjunction (despite, although) or a relative pronoun (who, which). 4) Compound Complexsentence has two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.

Common Sentence Errors

There are a number of common sentence structure errors. These are 1) Fragments: an incomplete sentence. 2) Run-on sentences: a sentence that runs into another with no punctuation. 3) Comma splice: a comma is incorrectly used to connect two sentences.

Sentence Structure Lesson 1

Aim: To support students in their understanding and practice of the four types of sentence structures: simple, compound, complex and complex-compound.

Time: 60 minutes & homework task

sentence structure

 

 Sentence Structure 1: Simple, compound, complex & complex compound

This lesson is to support students in their understanding and practice of the four types of sentence structures: simple, compound, complex and complex-compound. It includes noticing, guided and freer practice. (see worksheet exampleTime: 60mins.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1]. / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

 
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Sentence Structure Lesson 2

Aim: This lesson helps to improve students’ sentence structure through identifying and rewriting  fragment, run-on and comma splice sentences.

Time: 60 minutes & homework task

sentence structure 2 Aeuk

 Sentence Structure 2: Fragment, run-on & comma splice sentences

This lesson helps improve students’ sentence structure through identifying & rewriting fragment, run-on & comma splice sentences. It includes noticing, guided & freer practice. (see worksheet exampleTime: 60mins.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1]./ TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Sentence Structure Lesson 3

Aim: This lesson helps to improve students’ understanding and practice of complex sentence structure.

Time: 90 minutes & homework task.

complex sentence structure

 

 Sentence Structure 3: Complex sentence structure (STEM) 

This lesson is to support students in their understanding and practice of complex sentence structure. The worksheets focus on three structures: adverbial, adjective and noun clauses and contain key explanations and sentence and paragraph-level practice within a STEM context (see worksheet example) Time: 90mins.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Relative Clauses

Aim: To support students in their understanding and use of defining and non-defining relative clauses

Time: 60 minutes plus homework task.

defining relative clauses AEUK
non-defining relative clauses

 Relative clauses: Defining & non-defining clauses [new 2020]

This lesson supports students in their understanding & use of defining & non-defining relative clauses.The lesson includes four tasks of guided practice & two tasks of freer practice (see worksheet exampleTime: 60mins.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1]. TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Cause & effect language

Aim: To support students in their understanding and use of cause & effect language.

Time: 60 minutes plus homework task.

cause and effect language

  Cause & effect

This lesson helps improve students’ awareness of cause & effect language. It includes a language review section, lots of guided practice & a paragraph writing exercise. (see worksheet exampleTime: 60mins.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Compare & contrast

Aim: To support students in their understanding and use of compare & contrast language.

Time: 60 minutes plus homework task.

compare and contrast Aeuk
compare and contrast adverbs AEUK
compare and contrast language AEUK

Compare & contrast

This lesson helps improve students’ awareness of compare & contrast language. It includes a language review section, lots of guided practice & a paragraph writing exercise. (see worksheet exampleTime: 60mins.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1]. / TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Academic Hedging Lesson 

Aim: To support students in their understanding and use of hedging (cautious/tentative) language.

Time: 60 minutes plus homework task.

hedging language verbs & adverbs
hedging language probability

 

 Hedging: Cautious / tentative language

This lesson supports students in their understanding & use of cautious / tentative language.The lesson includes six tasks of guided practice & two tasks of freer practice (see worksheet exampleTime: 60mins & homework.  Level ***** [B1/B2/C1]. TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

 

Cohesion

Aim: To support students in their understanding and use of cohesive devices in a text

Time: 60 minutes 

cohesive devices

 

Cohesion & Coherence

This worksheet helps to consolidate what  ‘cohesion’ is with a focus on pronouns, word forms and summary nouns. It also includes a coherence sheet on key connections and two practice activities (example). [webpage]. Level: ***** [B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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Parallelism 

Aim: To support students in their understanding and use of parallelism in writing.

Time: 30 minutes 

parallel structures

 

Parallelism Worksheet: 8 exercises

This worksheet provides an explanation of the key concepts of ‘parallelism’ and provides an error correction exercise to practise the key concepts. An awareness of this writing element really helps establish unity and readability in sentence structure. See Example worksheet. Level: ***** [B1/B2/C1] TEACHER MEMBERSHIP / INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP

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