The main clause of a sentence, like all other clauses, consists of a subject and a verb. However, a main clause also is a complete thought. A main clause is also known as an independent clause or a simple sentence. Generally, though, the term main clause refers to the independent clause within a sentence that contains other phrases or clauses.

Simple Sentences
I forgot to get the mail.
I asked Dave to pick it up.

Main Clauses in Sentences
I forgot to get the mail, so I asked Dave to pick it up.
I asked Dave to pick up the mail, because I forgot to get it.

As shown above, a sentence consisting of only a main clause is considered a simple sentence. In addition, there are three other types of sentences: compound, complex, compound-complex.

A simple sentence has only one subject and one predicate.

Sally ran across the yard. [Subject + Verb + Object]

A compound sentence has at least two main clauses.

Sally ran across the yard, and Jane followed behind her. [Main Clause, and Main Clause]

A complex sentence has one main clause and at least one subordinate clause.

As soon as Sally ran across the yard, Jane followed behind her. [Adverb Clause, Main Clause]

A compound-complex sentence has at least two main clauses and at least one subordinate clause.

As soon as Sally ran across the yard, Jane followed behind her; at the end of the yard they turned and ran back. [Adverb Clause, Main Clause; Main Clause]

In addition to these four types of sentences, sentences may be classified according to their purpose.

Declarative [Statement]: Sally ran across the yard.
Imperative [Request or Command]: Run across the yard.
Interrogative [Question]: Did she run across the yard?
Exclamatory [Exclamation]: Sally ran across the yard!

 

Try It!

Find the main clauses and the subordinate clauses/phrases in the following sentences. Then, classify the sentences.

1. The sale advertisement showed my favorite items, and I immediately went to the store to make a purchase.
2. The two clouds in the sky make the image of a heart and an arrow, but they dissipate as the clouds quickly move.
3. Though my mother can get on my nerves, I am sometimes glad that she is around; her support has helped me achieve success in life.
4. My cat enjoys sitting in my chair beside me; he sits with his legs on the chair and his arms on the armrest, looking like a miniature human.
5. Sally is a chocolate lover; Carl must hide his chocolate if he wants any after Sally leaves, as experience has showed him.

 

Answers:

1. Main Clause, and Main Clause. Compound
2. Main Clause, but Main Clause. Compound
3. Subordinate Clause, Main Clause; Main Clause. Compound-complex
4. Main Clause; Main Clause, Subordinate Phrase. Compound-complex
5. Main Clause; Main Clause, Subordinate Phrase. Compound-complex

A gerund is a word that ends in –ing and is acting as a noun. All gerunds end in –ing, but not all –ing words are gerunds; only the ones that are acting as nouns.

If pronouns are placed before gerunds, the pronouns must be in the possessive form.

Correct: My going to the mall left Stacie home alone.

Incorrect: Me going to the mall left Stacie home alone.

 

Try It!

Find the gerunds in the sentences below, and verify that the gerunds have pronouns, not nouns, before the gerunds.

1. My parents are going shopping because them shopping always lowers their stress levels from work.
2. Us going to the party will be a surprise for Chris.
3. I am writing a paper for school because me writing it will get me a better grade.
4. She was surprised at them going to the library.
5. Him falling off the swings led to him getting stitches on his leg.

 

Answers: 1. “them shopping” should be “their shopping” 2. “Us going” should be “our going” 3. “me writing” should be “my writing” 4. “them going” should be “their going” 5. “Him falling” should be “His falling”

I have learned that I am rare.

I have met many people who have degrees and were originally pursuing careers in other fields and ended up accepting publishing positions, and then staying and enjoying them.

I originally went to school to pursue a career in the publishing field: I have an undergraduate degree in English and certificates in editing, book publishing, and professional editing. The skills that I learned from these courses qualified me to be hired for my first job in the field as an assistant editor for a magazine. When a local university began offering a master’s degree in publishing, I applied and successfully completed the work to obtain the degree.

Though I did not plan to be a business owner, I grew up loving books and felt drawn to the industry. I thought that I wanted to be a teacher but became tired of the public school system. Then, I decided I wanted to write but struggled to make a living writing creatively. So, I decided to become an editor. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be involved in the publishing of books. The process amazes me; there are so many people involved in the creation of something so beautiful and so wonderful.

Since then, I have completed several indexing courses offered by the USDA Graduate School and the University of California. It felt natural to become an indexer to further my education and expand my services. In addition, I have obtained certificates in book publishing, editing, and professional editing. I am continually finding new courses to take or certificates to complete. Being involved in the publishing business provides the opportunity to further my love for the written word. I am a lover of learning, and I have found my calling.

And now, I became the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors. It seems that I can never get enough of this industry!

Abbreviations seem to be more popular as language progresses and hybrid products are created. They also have become quite common in our everyday writing and speech, probably due to the fast-paced world we live in. Text messages and email make abbreviations even more prevalent. It sometimes seems that abbreviations have taken over our language!

Abbreviations are used to shorten both phrases and words. There are two types of abbreviations used to shorten phrases: acronyms and initialisms.

Acronyms are abbreviations that are pronounced as words. Some examples are

NATO
AIDS
OPEC
SQL

Initialisms are abbreviations that are pronounced one letter at a time. Some examples are

FBI
HTML
XML
IBM
HP
DVD
VHS

Keep an eye out for redundant words when using abbreviations. Redundant abbreviations are so common that New Scientist, a specialist consumer magazine, coined the term RAS Syndrome, which stands for Redundant Acronym Syndrome Syndrome. Another example of a redundant acronym is PIN number. You wouldn’t say personal identification number number, would you?

Some other popular redundant abbreviations are

ATM machine
UPC code
HIV virus
LCD display
ABS system
VIN number

 

Try It!

1. Make a list of 5 popular acronyms.
2. Make a list of 5 popular initialisms.
3. Make a list of 5 popular redundant abbreviations.

We compare things every day and are constantly expressing our opinions about one thing or another. One way we do this is with the words different from and different than. To make your writing clear, professional, and correct, know how to use them in a sentence.

Different from is primarily used when introducing a phrase. Different than can also be used, but different from is the preferred form. Different from is also used for simple comparisons where the things being compared have the same grammatical structure.

For example: My books look different from her books. My books and her books have the same structure and are being compared to one another. In cases where this parallel construction appears, different from should be used.

Different than is used in a sentence when it is followed by a clause. However, differentfrom can also be used if more words are added with the clause.

For example: Married life is different than I expected. In the sentence, different than precedes the clause I expected.

Now look: Married life is different from what I expected it to be. The additional words in the sentence allow you to use different from.

If instead of the word different you need to use differently, the above rules still apply. Differently than is used when it is followed by a clause. When more words are added to the clause, differently from can be used.