Key Terms - Sentence and Clause Types

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Key Terms for English Language - Sentence and Clause Types

You need to know the following key terms for your English Language exam:

Complex sentence

A complex sentence is formed when you join a main clause and a subordinate clause with a connective.
Some connectives include: when, if, because, although.
- E.g. While the wind blew, people stayed indoors.

Compound sentence

A compound sentence is formed when you join two main clauses with a connective.
Some connectives include: and, but, so, or.
- E.g. The sand was rough on my skin but the sun was gleaming brilliantly off the water.

Main clause

A main clause is a clause that contains a subject, verb and an object. Main clauses make sense on their own.
- E.g. I like bananas.

Simple sentence

A simple sentence has one clause. It only has a verb and a subject.
- E.g. She picked up the brown box.

Subordinate clause

A subordinate clause is one that relies on a main clause to make sense - it contains a subject and a verb, and adds extra information to the sentence. It needs to be attached to a main clause because it cannot make sense on its own.
- E.g. After she noticed it was missing… (What happened?)

1Key Terms

1.1Key Terms

1.1.1Key Terms - Nouns, Verbs & Sentences

1.1.2Key Terms - Sentence and Clause Types

1.1.3Key Terms - Words, Sounds & Language

1.1.4Key Terms - Types of Language

1.1.5Key Terms - Images, Symbols & Mood

1.1.6Key Terms - Mood & Feelings

1.1.7Key Terms - Other Techniques

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Key Terms

2Language Devices

2.1Language Devices

2.1.1Metaphors

2.1.2Similes

2.1.3Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning

2.1.4Personification

2.1.5Pathetic Fallacy

2.1.6Puns & Oxymorons

2.1.7Hyperbole & Emotive Language

2.1.8Alliteration

2.1.9Sibilance

2.1.10Onomatopoeia

2.1.11Recap: Language Devices

2.1.12End of Topic Test - Language Devices

3Writing Structure

3.1Writing Structure

3.1.1Narrators

3.1.2Paragraphs

3.1.3Tense

3.1.4Present vs Past vs Future Tense

3.1.5Foreshadowing

3.1.6Structure

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Structure

4Section B: Reading & Writing

5Section C: Writing

5.1Writing Task

5.1.1Discursive Writing

5.1.2Narrative Writing

5.1.3Descriptive Writing

5.1.4End of Topic Test - Writing Task

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