MITS Unit 5 Lesson

Unit
Five

Mechanics Instruction

That Works (MITS)

Simple Warm Ups to Improve Student Writing

By Doug Stark

Unit Five

Unit 5- Compound Sentences

An independent clause is a clause containing a subject, a verb, and a
complete thought. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE by itself:

Steve excels in the classroom.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE as part of a sentence:

Because he studies regularly, Steve excels in the classroom.

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined in a compound sentence:

Steve is not a great athlete, but he excels in the classroom.

FANBOYS is an acronym representing the seven coordinating
conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). You can use a comma +
one of the FANBOYS to join two sentences together.

• I'd love to go to the dance with you, but I'm going to be in Colorado.

• Joe will be on time tomorrow, or he will be fired.

A SEMICOLON can also be used to join two sentences. You can use
the semicolon by itself, or you can use the semicolon with a transition.

The editor puts together the newsletter; the publisher distributes it.

I'd love to go to the dance with you; unfortunately, I'm going to be in
Colorado.

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Fans of the Detroit Tigers dislike the Chicago White Sox, but they hate the New
York Yankees.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Lisa will turn in her paper or she will not receive credit for the semester.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Gary manages day-to-day operations; Andrea handles marketing.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

The team is better; still, it remains in last place.

• Correct

• Incorrect

5.1

Activating Background Knowledge

An independent clause contains a ______________, a ___________, and a complete _____________.

An independent clause can stand alone as a simple sentence, or it can act as a part of a sentence.

SIMPLE SENTENCE: Steve excels in the classroom.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE as part of a sentence:
Because he studies regularly, Steve excels in the classroom.

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined in a compound sentence:
* Steve is not a great athlete, but he excels in the classroom.
* Steve is not a great athlete; however, he excels in the classroom.

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Joe is the best player on the team, but he doesn't play well under pressure.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

There sat the book; Susan grabbed it and ran.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Gary was very tired but he continued to fight.

• Correct

• Incorrect

You can create a compound sentence by joining two
independent clauses using a comma and one of the fanboys.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE, INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

Model Sentence:
The embarrassment of receiving negative feedback might force some students to aspire for better grades, yet it might cause others to shut down and drop out.

FOR
AND
NOR
BUT
OR
YET
SO

Use a semicolon to join two closely related independent clauses.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ; INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

Model Sentence:

Dress codes are either extremely vague or mind-bogglingly detailed;

they force school administrators to make ridiculous judgments on a

daily basis.

5.2

Activating Background Knowledge

An independent clause contains a ______________, a ___________, and a complete _____________.

An independent clause can stand alone as a simple sentence, or it can act as a part of a sentence.

SIMPLE SENTENCE: Steve excels in the classroom.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE as part of a sentence:
Because he studies regularly, Steve excels in the classroom.

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined in a compound sentence:
* Steve is not a great athlete, but he excels in the classroom.
* Steve is not a great athlete; however, he excels in the classroom.

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

The team was excited and the coach was confident.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Erin is an outstanding writer, but she doesn't speak well.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Moisture filled the air; the weather was about to change for the worse.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Use a semicolon and a transition to join two independent
clauses.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ; INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

Model Sentence:

The coach wanted to draft a left tackle; however, the general

manager chose a wide receiver.

Transitions

therefore
however

nevertheless

hence
thus

consequently
accordingly
unfortunately

otherwise
similarly

Multiple Choice

DIRECTIONS: Identify which of the following examples BEST expresses the idea using appropriate conventions of the English language. Be prepared to explain why the other four examples won’t work.

• The teacher had warned the students to behave for the substitute, he was angry
  when he received a bad report.

• The teacher had warned the students to behave for the substitute; thus, he was
  angry when he received a bad report.

• Because the teacher had warned the students to behave for the substitute. He was
  angry when he received a bad report.

• The teacher had warned the students to behave for the substitute he was angry
  when he received a bad report.

5.3

Activating Background Knowledge

An independent clause contains a ______________, a ___________, and a

complete _____________.

An independent clause can stand alone as a simple sentence, or it can act as a part of a sentence.

SIMPLE SENTENCE: Steve excels in the classroom.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE as part of a sentence:
Because he studies regularly, Steve excels in the classroom.

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined in a compound sentence:
* Steve is not a great athlete, but he excels in the classroom.

* Steve is not a great athlete; however, he excels in the classroom.

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

A good student does not necessarily drive well; a "book-smart" person may lack
common sense and judgment.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Joe became frustrated with his homework for Algebra II; he was on the verge of
an emotional meltdown.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Bill enjoys playing soccer yet he attends far more baseball games than soccer
matches.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Comma + fanboys (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

You can create a compound sentence by joining two independent clauses using a comma and one of the fanboys.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE ; , INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

Model Sentence:
I'm not saying that having good grades isn't important, but I do believe

this law is unfair because it incorrectly links academic ability to driving

ability.

FOR
AND
NOR
BUT
OR
YET
SO

Use a semicolon to join two closely related independent clauses.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE; INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

Model Sentence:

Maybe it's the school's fault for not having stricter rules; maybe it's the

student's fault for failing to abide by the rules that are in place.

5.4

Activating Background Knowledge

An independent clause contains a ______________, a ___________, and a complete _____________.

An independent clause can stand alone as a simple sentence, or it can act as a part of a sentence.

SIMPLE SENTENCE: Steve excels in the classroom.

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE as part of a sentence:
Because he studies regularly, Steve excels in the classroom.

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES joined in a compound sentence:
* Steve is not a great athlete, but he excels in the classroom.
* Steve is not a great athlete; however, he excels in the classroom.

DIRECTIONS: Put brackets around the independent clauses in
the following compound sentences. Complete the sample
sentence with your teacher.

SAMPLE:

1.

2.

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Cabrera's hip was sore; the manager doubted he would be able to play.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Will your wife be attending the ceremony or will you be there?

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Most sixteen year-old kids don't drive well enough to be given complete
independence behind the wheel; hence, many states have adopted
graduated licensing procedures.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Is the following sentence correct or incorrect?

Is an inexperienced driver going to know what to do or is he going to panic and swerve into the ditch?

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Choice

Identify which of the following examples BEST expresses the idea
using appropriate conventions of the English language. Be prepared to explain
why the other four examples won’t work.

• When staff members and students share a goal. They work together to attain it.

• Staff members and students share a goal, and they work together to attain it.

• Staff members and students share a goal, they work together to attain it.

• Staff members and students share a goal they work together to attain it.