Teaching grammar? Finding a starting place with language arts lesson plans can overwhelm any teacher. In this presentation, I cover tips and methods for teaching simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to students. Show at a department meeting or alone, this provides proven ways to teach grammar.

2. Background
Teaching types of sentences - simple, compound, complex, compound-complex -
enables students to:
● punctuate sentences correctly.
● leverage the power of language manipulation.
● write a variety of sentences.

3. Prior Knowledge
Students will need to:
● recognize subjects and verbs.
● recognize conjunctions - and their types.
● recognize relative pronouns.

4. Preparing Students
Students want to know why they are learning a concept - and that is great!
We have an answer for them:
Students should understand the language they write and speak. Once they
understand types of sentences, they will have the writing tools to decide how to
shape their communications...
and get what they want - in life, college, and eventually a chosen career.

5. Review
Understanding the components of types of sentences can be difficult. Remind
students that they know most of the material. Review with students:
● subjects and verbs.
● subordinating conjunctions.
● relative pronouns.
Reassure students that they do have the foundation for this concept.

6. Introduce Independent Clauses
Students must understand the concept of clauses.
An independent clause contains a subject and a verb.
It can stand alone - it makes sense by itself.
Both parts of the independent clause can be compound:
Stacy bought and ate a box of cookies.

7. Simple Sentences
Once students can understand independent clauses, they can master simple and
compound sentences.
Tell students the “formula” for simple sentences.
Simple sentence = independent clause (subject + verb)
Most students will grasp this concept. You may need to help them eliminate
phrases.

8. Compound Sentences
Explain compound sentences:
Compound sentence = independent clause + independent clause
OR
Compound sentence = subject verb + subject verb
(A compound sentence may have unlimited “subject + verb” formations, but it
typically only has two).

9. Emphasize
After teaching simple and compound sentences, spend time emphasizing those
two concepts. You may want to discuss punctuation for compound sentences:
SUBJECT VERB + (comma) + coordinating conjunction + SUBJECT VERB
SUBJECT VERB + (semicolon) + SUBJECT VERB
correlative conjunction + SUBJECT VERB + (comma) + correlative conjunction +
SUBJECT + VERB
SUBJECT VERB + (semicolon) + conjunctive adverb + (comma) + SUBJECT
VERB

10. Introduce Dependent Clauses
Dependent clauses ALMOST ALWAYS start with a
relative pronoun or subordinating conjunction.
Have students create posters of these lists. Hang them
in class for students to reference.
Dependent clauses contain a subject and verb, but they
do not make sense alone.

11. Complex Sentences
Remind students of independent clauses, and then redefine dependent clauses.
Tell students the “formula” for complex sentences.
Complex sentence = independent clause + dependent clauses
A complex sentence may have more than one dependent clause.

12. Review With Students
Before moving onto the last type of sentence, review simple, compound, and
complex sentences together.
You may want to discuss punctuation for complex sentences:
Complex sentence = independent clause + dependent clause
Complex sentence = dependent clause + (comma) + independent clause

13. Compound-Complex Sentences
Tell students that a compound sentence with a dependent clause is called a
compound-complex sentence.
Compound-complex sentence = independent clause + independent clause +
dependent clause
The same punctuation rules apply with this type of sentence!

14. Finally...
Teaching types of sentences can be difficult - but rewarding! It is a difficult
concept, but once students master this idea, punctuation, transitions, and
emphasis in their writing improves.
Teaching grammar is difficult for many ELA teachers! If you would like to read
about practical ways to teach grammar, click here.

15. Further Reading
Feel free to share this with ELA teachers and colleagues! I would love to hear how
you used this information in your department or at meetings. Email me with
comments or suggestions: lauralee@languageartsclassroom.com
Looking for more grammar lesson planning ideas specific to types of sentences?
I’ve devoted an entire blog post to Grammar Lesson Planning, Types of
Sentences.

16. Teaching Materials
review: types of sentences worksheet
a bit interactive: types of sentences task cards
interactive notebook: types of sentences interactive pieces
coloring sheet: color by grammar, types of sentences
The complete (never buy another grammar activity again) Grammar Curriculum.

17. Thanks to Photo Clipz for the graphics.
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