Week 13: Sentences that contain a dependent clause are complex!

Most moms were able to sit through class without distraction yesterday during our EEL time. I believe that will pay off in the coming weeks.

Although we introduced both complex sentences and the S-Vt-IO-DO sentence pattern yesterday, my goal for the kids this week is to learn to identify complex sentences by recognizing dependent clauses that begin with either a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction. With a list in hand of the relative pronouns and subordinating conjunctions, practice identifying dependent clauses on the 112 complex sentences chart, in a book, in the newspaper or whatever they happen to be reading.

Next week, we'll diagram complex sentences in class. Then our efforts to distinguish the relative pronoun clauses as adjectival and the subordinating conjunction clauses as adverbial will make more sense, because what they modify determines their placement on the diagram. Interestingly, I've discovered since class yesterday that these dependent clauses may also act as nouns in a sentence. (I'm still learning, too! If you have it, check out pp. 58-60 in the Grammar & Diagramming Sentences book.) Look at this sentence I went over with the kids yesterday; the dependent clause wasn't sitting right with me as adverbial, and now I know why.

I told my mom that I was going to empty the diswasher so that she wouldn't have to.

• Who or what is this sentence about? I (subject noun)
• "I" what? told (verb)
• Can I answer, "I told what?" Yes! "I told that I was going to empty the dishwasher."
• SO, the dependent clause "that I was going to empty the diswasher" is the DO of this sentence! It's acting as a noun!

I believe I'll use this sentence again in class next week to demonstrate for the kids, not only because this clause is functioning as a direct object, but also because "mom" is an indirect object that answers "to/for whom?"

Speaking of indirect objects, you can touch on them at home if you'd like; the EEL guide covers them on page 159. But I'm planning to spend more time on them, including diagramming, in class the next two weeks. I'd much rather you focus on differentiating between simple, compound and complex sentences.

Regarding IEW, my hope is that this week's assignment is easily doable with the revisions we discussed in class. One paragraph instead of five, a revised outline, and a revised checklist. I did mean to mention that if your student would like to write about a different Greek myth, or even a fable, please do so. The lesson is adaptable.

Last, thank you, moms, for loading this semester's charts and memory work into the students' notebooks during class. I'm glad to know it's done, and I hope it worked well for you to get it done then and there rather than worrying over it at home. See you all next week.