Introduction

Essential Question: Why declare independence?

Can you describe the image below? It's the opening sentence of the Declaration of Independence.


This sentence has been diagrammed.

That just means that the sentence is represented in a graphic structure to show the relationship of the subject and verb as well as anything else in the sentence.

The other words branch out from the "root" of the sentence.

If you would like to know more about diagramming sentences, view the PowerPoint presentation at Guide to Grammar.

Read the following sentence:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

That is a long sentence!

Can you imagine if it weren't punctuated with commas? The commas help guide the reader through the sentence. The sentence is a compound-complex sentence filled with clauses and phrases.

In this lesson, you will find out why it is so important to punctuate with the comma.

Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Identify and demonstrate and understanding of commas used with main clauses and introductory elements
  • Provide specific words, phrases, and clauses to create sentences and apply punctuation

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts, Grade 10 Objectives: 37 and 38.

 

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