Sentence Writing Tutorial Week 6- adverb clauses, noun clauses

 

Hello everyone.

This is the intermediate/advanced sentence writing tutorial, week 6 of 8.

We will get started at 4:45.

 

You can see all of the class notes on my blog: haleyshec.blogspot.com

Write it down so you will have it: haleyshec.blogspot.com

You can check my blog any time- today, tomorrow or five years from now.

My email is ahaley@vsb.bc.ca

 

 

Agenda:

·      Finish up adverb clauses

·      Noun clauses

 

Next week

·      Adjective clauses **Last type of clause

 

Final week

·      Sentence combining examples

·      Review

·      Wrap-up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Words used in adverb clauses

Focus on these most useful ones:

after/before

since

until

when/while

if

even if

unless

though/although/even though

so ... that

because

 

These are very powerful terms that can change the way you express your thoughts and ideas clearly in English. If you learn these, you will be able to express 99.9% of your ideas.

Often I tell students that should become familiar with authentic, real English. This is real English that we use all day, every day.

 

SIDE NOTE: I have a small editing business on the side. I edit papers for UBC and SFU students, mostly nursing students who are getting their masters degrees. When I edit a paper for a university, I use SIMPLE, COMPOUND and COMPLEX sentences.

The stuff we are learning here will get you through school, business, and life in English.

 

 

 

Review:

 

after

After I finish work, I have to pick up my son at school.

I have to pick up my son at school after I finish work.

adverb clause, main clause

main clause adverb clause

 

 

**Source of confusion- difference between compound and complex sentences, specifically transitional terms and adverbial conjunctions (adverb clause words)

 

* Compound sentence – transitional term

It snowed last night; therefore, the roads were slick this morning.

* Complex sentence – adverbial conjunction (adverb clause words)

The roads were slick this morning because it snowed last night.

 

These are different kinds of sentences. They may look similar, but they are not. Definitely you will get them confused sometimes.

 

 

Very simple advice to you and to me:

If you want to learn piano, play piano a little bit every day. In a year, you’ll be good.

If you want to learn piano to write sentence styles in English, play

piano practice the sentence styles a little bit every day. In a year, you’ll be good.

I practice guitar every day. Over a year or so, I can see the improvement.

You will be amazed how much you can accomplish in a year with daily practice.

 

When your English is getting better, you will feel great! However, you have to do the work.

*even if

opposite of ‘if’

if – maybe yes, maybe no

Jun won’t go snowboarding if it rains tomorrow. Will Jun go snowboarding? YES/NO

 

even if

Jun will go snowboarding even if it rains tomorrow. Will Jun go snowboarding? YES rain or no rain

 

I will buy a new watch if I have the money.

I will buy a new watch even if I don’t have the money.

 

 

* so that – for the reason, in order to do something

I am saving money so that I can buy a new watch.

I am saving money because I want to buy a new watch.

Mei is finishing her Biology 12 and English 12 at South Hill so that she can take the Certified Dental Assisting program at VCC.

 

 

* so...that    ... ellipsis, three dots

...... Not English

 

so ADJECTIVE that

so tall that- Sarah’s brother is so tall that he has to have special pants made.

so cold that- It was so cold last week that I didn’t go outside.

                     Last week, it was so cold that I didn’t go outside.

so cute that- The little puppy was so cute that I wanted to take it home.

so difficult that – Algebra is so difficult for me that I had to get a tutor.

 

 

unless- opposite of ‘if’

Jun will go snowboarding if the weather is good.

Jun will go snowboarding unless the weather is bad.

Let’s go grab a coffee if you’re free.

Let’s go grab a coffee unless you’re busy.

Let’s kick the soccer ball around unless you’re too tired.

Let’s kick the soccer ball around if you’re not too tired.

 

Your choice. Use both.

 

Review of sentence styles:

Simple        SV   SSV   SVV   SSVV Imperative   Interrogative

Compound          SV, SOBA SV.   SV; SV.   SV; TRANS, SV.

Complex    -adverb clauses

                     -noun clauses

                     -adjective clauses

 

Absolute basic skills that you must have down cold.

The only way to get better is to practice- steady, everyday, consistent

The hard work will pay off.

 

Grammerly – checks grammar and spelling

                     -gives suggestions about grammar

                     -gives suggests about phrasing, word choice

grammery.com – free option

 

*The best best #1 way to improve sentence writing is to practice the sentence styles and, very importantly, read in English.

Does not have to difficult book.

Read the news- cbc.ca

Read books for teenagers. Young Adult books.

Read magazines. -food, cooking, sports, computers, gaming, travel, music, science, psychology

 

Fiction for adults. Pick a genre that you like. genre: romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, action

 

Read something! Set a goal.

My goal is to read about 50 pages a day. One book a week.

50 books a year.

 

Go to the library. Find something.

VPL Book Club- https://www.vpl.ca/program/book-clubs-adults

My personal rule: I give a book 50 pages. If I like it, I finish it. Don’t give up too early.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noun Clauses

 

Noun clauses are used with verbs that have to do with the brain, thinking or cognition: think, feel, believe, know, understand, forget, remember

 

Also verbs about speaking: say, yell, whisper, shout,

 

Noun clauses most often begin with these words: that, what, why, how

 

A.   think, feel, believe, know, understand, forget, remember, realize, etc.

B.    that, what, why, how

 

Choose an A word and put it with a B word.

Mix and match A+B.

 

Examples of complex sentences with noun clauses:

 

*think + that

Joanne thinks that her son is very tall for his age. noun clause

I think that it will rain today.

Jun doesn’t think that Marta is telling the truth.

I think that you forgot your key.

I don’t think that I should stay out too late tonight.

I don’t think that you should go to the party.

Mei’s sister thinks that Mei should get a Covid test.

DIFFERENT STYLE: I think that studying English will give me new opportunities. gerund

 

*realize + that

I realize that I gave you the wrong answer.

I realized that he cheated me.

I got to school and realized that I forgot my phone at home.

I realize that you don’t like school, but you have to do your best.

 

**You can omit ‘that’ if you wish. It’s pefectly ok to leave it in.

Joe thinks the boots are nice.

Joe thinks that the boots are nice.

 

*find out

I found out that my daughter lied to me.

I found out from my classmate that we have a test today.

 

*NOTES ‘that’ is a tricky word in English

that – many uses

noun clauses and adjective clauses, confusing

          ‘that book’

 

I think that would be nice. – possibly will happen

I think that will be nice. – definitely will happen

 

We could go for a hike tomorrow. I think that would be nice.

We are going for a hike tomorrow. I think that will be nice.

How am I doing in the class? I think that you doing pretty ok.

 

 

* wonder + why

I was wondering why you are always late.

I wonder why my dog stares at me.

 

* wonder + how – to do something

I wonder how I can fix this computer.

I wonder how the mouse got into my apartment.

 

*know + why

Jun doesn’t know why Keiko is angry at/with him.

Jun didn’t know why Keiko was angry at/with him.

 

          Jacob knows why Sarah quit her job.

Jacob doesn’t know why Sarah quit her job.

          I don’t know why she is not feeling good.

          Sarah knows why her sister is smiling, but she doesn’t want to tell me. COMPOUND COMPLEX

 

Why is Mei late today? question

I don’t know why Mei is late today. answer, with a noun clause

I don’t know. SIMPLE

 

I don’t know why I can’t remember the words that I learned yesterday. adjective clause

          I don’t know why my car engine light is on. natural-sounding

          I don’t know why my car’s engine light is on. also ok

 

I don’t know why my son was working so hard yesterday.

I don’t know why you like to climb mountains in the rain.

 

 

* like how (less common)

I like how you always listen to me. pays attention to your words

Sarah doesn’t like how her husband loses his temper easily.

Sarah doesn’t know why her husband loses his temper easily.

lose your temper- get very angry

Sarah doesn’t like how it rains so much in Vancouver.

Sarah doesn’t like that it rains so much in Vancouver.

 

I like how you sang that song.

She likes how he tells funny stories.

I like how you treated me when I was sick.

Sarah likes how her mother cooks chicken.

 

 

* say that

Michelle said that she would come early today.

The teacher said that we will do a quiz on Friday.

The little boy said that there was a monster under his bed.

Sahara said that there will be a party on Saturday.

I said that I would pick up some milk on the way home.

My mother said that the recipe is easy to make.

I didn’t say that I would do that.

My son said that he will treat me to lunch/ to dimsum next Sunday.

treat someone to lunch- you invite someone and pay

My treat! It’s on me! I will treat you.

I insist.

We’ll split the bill.

 

 

* forget why

Sharin forgot why she came into the kitchen.

I forget why I called you.

 

 

REMINDER:

A.   think, feel, believe, know, understand, forget, remember, realize, etc.

B.    that, what, why, how

 

Knowing which A goes with which B is the tricky part. That will take a lot of listening to English speakers, reading, etc.

 

* believe how

I couldn’t believe how hard it was to immigrate to Canada.

I don’t believe how much I miss my dog.

IDIOM don’t believe – am very surprised

May doesn’t believe how much it rains in Vancouver.

I can’t believe how expensive a purebred puppy is.

shed(v)- a dog loses hair

Her dogs sheds a lot.

non-shedding

hypo-allergenic – will not bother people with allergies

 

* understand + why

I understand why you want to stay in English Foundation 5.

Jun’s mother understood why she wanted to marry Taka.

I don’t understand why my brother won’t forgive me.

Mary didn’t understand why her son could not make it to school on time.

 

* understand how

I understand how hard it is to learn a new language.

I understand how challenging it is to ...

I don’t understand how you could say that to me.

I don’t understand how to do this math problem.

I don’t understand how to make you happy.

Mohamed didn’t understand how the teaching method could be so different in Canada than it was back in his home country.

 

* understand why

I don’t understand why my tomatoes are not growing.

The little boy could not understand why he was not allowed to stay up late.

I don’t understand why people came up with segregation laws/rules.

Joan understands why she did not pass.

 

 

You probably know a lot of these already. To get comfortable with these, you really need to use them in your daily life. It’s really important for you to engage with authentic English daily.

 

 

COMPLEX SENTENCE – two clauses

Michelle said that she would come early today.

Michelle said – main clause, independent clause

that she would come early today – subordinate clause, dependent clause, noun clause

 

I think that you are a very kind person. complex sentence