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Glossary 9.13 Glossary
Clause.
A grammatical unit containing a subject and a predicate. Clauses may be independent (able to stand alone) or dependent (requiring a main clause to complete them).
Comma splice.
The error of joining two independent clauses with only a comma.
Complex sentence.
A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Compound sentence.
A sentence with two or more independent clauses joined by coordination.
Compound-complex sentence.
A sentence containing at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Conjunctive adverb.
An adverb that connects independent clauses (
however ,
therefore ).
Coordinating conjunction.
A word that joins equal elements (FANBOYS:
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so ).
Dependent clause.
A clause that cannot stand alone; also called a subordinate clause. It begins with a subordinating word that makes it grammatically incomplete without a main clause.
End-weight.
The principle that longer, heavier, or more complex elements should be placed toward the end of a sentence, where readers are best prepared to receive them.
Independent clause.
A clause that can stand alone as a complete sentence.
Phrase.
A word or group of words that functions as a grammatical unit but lacks a subject-predicate pair. Phrases are components of clauses.
Run-on sentence.
The error of joining independent clauses without punctuation.
Simple sentence.
A sentence with one independent clause.
Subordinating conjunction.
A word that introduces a dependent clause and shows its relationship to the main clause.
