Things You'll Need:
- Determination
- Pen and paper
-
Step 1
Before you teach your children how to expand a sentence, you must know some basics of the sentences. The children, when being taught, ask odd questions. Once I was asked “Why ‘C’ in cat sounds ‘k’ and ‘C’ in cell sounds ‘c’?”
1. ‘Sentence’:
A group of words which makes complete sense is called a Sentence; as:
a) I saw a dog.
b) Tom is a good boy.
b) She ate a mango.
A sentence consists of two parts ‘Subject’ and ‘Predicate’.
2. ‘Subject’:
The part of sentence or utterance which names the person or the thing we are speaking about is called ‘Subject’.
In the above three sentences, the Subjects are: ‘I’, ‘Tom’, and ‘She’.
3. ‘Predicate’:
The part of sentence which includes verb, object or phrase and tells something about the ‘Subject’ is called Predicate.
In the above three sentences, the ‘Predicates’ are:
a) ‘saw a dog’,
b) ‘is a good boy’,
c) ‘ate a mango’
In most of the sentences ‘Subject’ comes first, but sometimes it is put after the ‘Predicate’; as:
a) Here comes Amelia. (Subject is ‘Amelia’)
b) On the top of hill lives a Saint. (Subject is ‘a Saint’)
In Imperative sentences the subject is not written; as:
a) Sit down. (Subject is ‘You’)
b) Come here. (Subject is ‘You’) -
Step 2
A Sentence consists of one or more Clauses and Phrases.
1. Phrase:
A group of words which does not make complete sense is called a Phrase; as:
a) At the platform.
b) In the east
A Phrase can be converted into a meaningful Sentence; as:
a) I saw Lucy at the platform.
b) The Sun rises in the east.
2. Clause:
A group of words which forms a part of a sentence and contains a Subject and a Predicate is called a Clause. It is a part of larger Sentence; as:
a) When I was standing at the platform
b) Where Jerry was born
A clause can be converted into a meaningful Sentence; as:
a) I saw Amelia when I was standing at the platform.
b) Do you know where Jerry was born? -
Step 3
Clauses are divided into two classes:
a) Principal or Main Clause
b) Subordinate Clause
1. Principal Clause:
A Clause which makes complete sense, on its own, is called Principal Clause; as:
a) Suzie tried her best but failed in the test.
b) I have received a gift from Jenny and thanked her.
2. Subordinate Clause:
A clause which depends on some other clause for its meaning is called a Subordinate Clause; as:
a) When I was standing at the platform
b) Where Jerry was born
Subordinate clauses can be converted into meaningful Sentences; as:
a) I saw Amelia when I was standing at the platform.
b) Do you know where Jerry was born? -
Step 4
Sentences are divided into three classes:
a) Simple Sentence
b) Compound Sentence
c) Complex Sentence
1. Simple Sentence:
A sentence which has only one Subject and one Predicate is called a Simple Sentence. Or a sentence which has only one Finite Verb is called a Simple Sentence; as:
a) I saw a dog.
b) Tom is a good boy.
b) She ate a mango.
A Simple Sentence consists of one clause called Principal Clause.
2. Compound Sentence:
A sentence which consists of two or more Principal Clauses (Co-ordinate Clauses) joined by conjunction(s) is called a Compound Sentence; as:
a) I looked at Jenny and she smiled at me.
b) Anglia tried hard but failed in the examination.
3. Complex Sentence:
A sentence which consists of one Principal Clause and one or more Subordinate Clauses is called a Complex Sentence; as:
a) If you know about Nick, please tell me.
b) I met Harry before he went to New York. -
Step 5
Now, we start our topic of expanding a Simple Sentence and converting it into a Compound/Complex Sentence.
Expanding a sentence:
Sentence 1: ‘I saw a dog.’ (4 words)
There are two words ‘I’ and ‘dog’ which can help in expansion of the sentence.
(a) Add some words:
I saw my neighbor Mr. Hamilton’s dog running. (8 words)
(b) And some more words:
I saw my neighbor Mr. Hamilton’s black, ferocious, English bulldog running. (11 words)
(c) And some more words:
I saw my neighbor Mr. Hamilton’s black, ferocious, English bulldog running after a big, brown, beautiful cat. (17 words)
(d) And some more words:
I saw my neighbor Mr. Hamilton’s black, ferocious, English bulldog running after Ms. Helen’s big, brown, beautiful but terrified cat. (20 words)
(e) Finally:
As I came out of my home, I saw my neighbor Mr. Hamilton’s black, ferocious, English bulldog running after Ms. Helen’s big, brown, beautiful but terrified cat. (27 words) -
Step 6
Sentence 2: ‘You give me 5 dollars’. (5 words)
(a) Add some words:
If you give me 5 dollars, I will go. (9 words)
(b) And some more words:
If you give me 5 dollars, I will go and ask my brother Jack to return your books. (18 words)
(c) And some more words:
If you give me 5 dollars, I will go and ask my brother Jack to return your books which you had given to him. (24 words)
(d) Finally:
If you give me 5 dollars, I will go and ask my brother Jack to return your books which you had given to him when you had returned from London. (30 words) -
Step 7
Sentence 3: ‘Nancy cut a cake.’ (4 words)
Expanded Sentence:
Nancy invited her friends to her birthday party which started at 7 pm and ended at 9 pm after she cut the cake prepared by her mother. (27 words) -
Step 8
Sentence 4: ‘I have told you.’ (4 words)
Expanded Sentence:
Running after the cars and the motorcycles, which I've told you not to do, can be very dangerous and fatal. (20 words) -
Step 9
Sentence 5: ‘King Francis was a lover of sports.’ (7 words)
Expanded Sentence:
King Francis, who was lover of all kinds of sports, sat on his golden throne watching wild savage lions fighting each other in the enclosure. (25 words)
