L.7.1: Phrases and Clauses, Sentence Types, and Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
In plain English: L.7.1 is the Common Core grade 7 ELA standard that asks students to show command of standard English grammar and usage when they write or speak. Students explain what phrases and clauses do in a sentence, choose among simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences to show how ideas relate, and place modifiers so that none is misplaced or dangling.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a.Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
b.Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.
c.Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy · Domain: Language Standards · Cluster: Conventions of Standard English · Official standard
Students learn to explain what groups of words do inside a sentence. A phrase is a group of related words without a subject and verb working together; a clause has a subject and a verb. Students name the job each one does (a noun, an adjective or an adverb), and they use clauses to build the four sentence types: simple, compound, complex and compound-complex. They choose the type that shows how two ideas are related, such as equal ideas, cause, time, condition or contrast.
The last part of the standard is about placement. A phrase or clause that describes something belongs next to the word it describes. Students find and fix misplaced modifiers (next to the wrong word) and dangling modifiers (with no word in the sentence to describe). They practice on the opening of J. M. Barrie's Peter and Wendy (1911), the novel better known as Peter Pan, whose long sentences mix all four types, and on two invented student drafts.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Tell a phrase from a clause and an independent clause from a dependent clause
Explain whether a phrase or clause works as a noun, an adjective or an adverb in a specific sentence
Identify simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences by their clauses
Choose a sentence type and joining word that signal the relationship between ideas
Place phrases and clauses next to the words they modify, and correct misplaced and dangling modifiers
Prior Knowledge Required
Students should already be comfortable with:
Prepositional phrases and relative pronouns such as who, which and that L.4.1
A comma before and, but or so in a compound sentence L.4.2
"Read both sentences aloud. Which one is funny, and why? Draw a quick sketch of what the funny one says. (1) Covered in chocolate frosting, my little brother carried the cake to the table. (2) My little brother carried the cake, covered in chocolate frosting, to the table."
Let a few students show their sketches. In sentence 1, the phrase covered in chocolate frosting sits next to my little brother, so it describes him. In sentence 2, the same words sit next to the cake. The words did not change; only their place did. Tell students that today they will learn what phrases and clauses do in a sentence, how to join clauses into four types of sentences, and how to put describing words where they belong.
Direct Instruction15-20 minutes
Key words. The subject is who or what a sentence is about, and the verb tells what the subject does or is. A modifier is a word or group of words that describes another word. Words and word groups do one of three jobs: a noun job (naming a person, place, thing or idea, often as a subject or object), an adjective job (describing a noun: which one, what kind) or an adverb job (describing a verb, adjective or adverb: when, where, how, why, under what condition).
Part 1: Phrases (standard a). A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a subject and a verb working together. It cannot stand alone as a sentence. A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition such as in, with, under or after (under the bridge). An -ing or -ed phrase starts with a verb form but has no subject doing it (carrying the flag, covered in frosting), and a to phrase starts with to plus a verb (to win the game). In grade 8 these last two are called verbals. To find a phrase's job, ask what question it answers in its sentence.
Part 2: Clauses (standard a). A clause has a subject and a verb. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause cannot; it begins with a subordinating conjunction (because, when, although, if, after, until) or a relative pronoun (who, which, that). Dependent clauses do the same three jobs: an adverb clause tells when, why, or under what condition (because it rained); an adjective clause describes a noun (the girl who sings); a noun clause works as a subject or object (I know that you tried). Sometimes a writer leaves out the word that: I think you are right still contains the noun clause (that) you are right.
Phrases and their jobs
The boy with the red backpack ran to the bus stop to meet his brother.
Result: With the red backpack is a prepositional phrase with an adjective job: it tells which boy. To the bus stop is a prepositional phrase with an adverb job: it tells where he ran. To meet his brother is a to phrase with an adverb job: it tells why. None of the three has a subject and verb of its own, so each is a phrase.
Clauses and their jobs
The mural that our class painted faded because the sun hit it every afternoon. Everyone knew that the paint was cheap.
Result: That our class painted is an adjective clause describing mural (subject class, verb painted). Because the sun hit it every afternoon is an adverb clause telling why the mural faded. In the second sentence, that the paint was cheap is a noun clause: it names what everyone knew, the object of knew.
Part 3: Four sentence types (standard b). Use Diagram 1. A simple sentence has one independent clause; it may still have a compound subject, a compound verb and many phrases. A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses and no dependent clause, joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, for, nor, yet) or by a semicolon. A complex sentence has one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. A compound-complex sentence has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
The type is a choice, and each one signals a relationship. A compound sentence treats ideas as equal partners: and adds, but and yet contrast, or offers a choice, so shows a result. A complex sentence makes one idea depend on the other: because shows cause, when and after show time, if shows a condition, although shows contrast. A simple sentence keeps the focus on one idea.
Choosing among the four sentence types
Two ideas: The bus was late. We missed the start of the play.
Result: Simple: Because of the late bus, we missed the start of the play. (Because of the late bus is a phrase, so there is one clause.) Compound: The bus was late, so we missed the start of the play. (two equal clauses; so shows the result) Complex: Because the bus was late, we missed the start of the play. (the lateness becomes the cause) Compound-complex: Because the bus was late, we missed the start of the play, but we saw the whole second act. (a cause plus a contrast)
Part 4: Placing modifiers (standard c). Use Diagram 2. A phrase or clause that describes a noun belongs as close as possible to that noun. A misplaced modifier sits next to the wrong word, so it seems to describe something it should not. Fix it by moving it. A dangling modifier, often an -ing or to phrase at the start of a sentence, has no word in the sentence that it can describe: the doer of the action is missing. Fix it by naming the doer right after the phrase, or by turning the phrase into a clause with its own subject. The arrow test helps: draw an arrow from the modifier to the word it describes. If the arrow lands on the wrong word, or has nowhere to land, revise.
Fixing a misplaced phrase and a misplaced clause
We saw a moose on the hiking trip with huge antlers. The sandwich is on the counter that I made for you.
Result: Revised: On the hiking trip, we saw a moose with huge antlers.The sandwich that I made for you is on the counter. The trip did not have antlers, and the counter was not made for you. Moving each modifier next to the noun it describes (moose, sandwich) fixes the meaning.
Fixing a dangling modifier two ways
Running to catch the bus, my phone fell out of my pocket.
Result: The phrase Running to catch the bus needs a runner, but the subject is my phone. Fix 1, name the doer: Running to catch the bus, I dropped my phone. Fix 2, make a clause: While I was running to catch the bus, my phone fell out of my pocket.
Guided Practice15 minutes
Before reading.Peter and Wendy opens in the London home of the Darling family: Mr. and Mrs. Darling and their first child, Wendy. The narrator talks directly to the reader and often packs several ideas into one long sentence. Words to know: henceforth (from then on), the chief one (the most important person), romantic (full of dreams and imagination), mocking (teasing), conspicuous (easy to see), simultaneously (at the same time), propose (ask someone to marry), nipped in (slipped in quickly), cab (a hired carriage), in a passion (in a rage).
During reading. Read the excerpt aloud. Then pairs work on paragraph 1. For each sentence in the organizer, they underline each subject and verb, put brackets around each dependent clause, and name the sentence type. Model the first row together. Sentence 4, with the quotation from Mrs. Darling, is left out of the organizer. Save paragraphs 2 and 3 for the quiz.
1All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, “Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever!” This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.
2Of course they lived at 14, and until Wendy came her mother was the chief one. She was a lovely lady, with a romantic mind and such a sweet mocking mouth. Her romantic mind was like the tiny boxes, one within the other, that come from the puzzling East, however many you discover there is always one more; and her sweet mocking mouth had one kiss on it that Wendy could never get, though there it was, perfectly conspicuous in the right-hand corner.
3The way Mr. Darling won her was this: the many gentlemen who had been boys when she was a girl discovered simultaneously that they loved her, and they all ran to her house to propose to her except Mr. Darling, who took a cab and nipped in first, and so he got her. He got all of her, except the innermost box and the kiss. He never knew about the box, and in time he gave up trying for the kiss. Wendy thought Napoleon could have got it, but I can picture him trying, and then going off in a passion, slamming the door.
J. M. Barrie, Peter and Wendy (Peter Pan), chapter I, "Peter Breaks Through" (opening) (1911). Public domain (published 1911). Source text.
Paragraph 1 organizer (teacher key in the last column)
Sentence
Words from paragraph 1
Clauses and type (teacher key)
1
All children, except one, grow up.
One independent clause (children grow up); except one is a phrase. Simple.
2
They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this.
Two independent clauses joined by and (They soon know; the way Wendy knew was this), plus the noun clause that they will grow up (what they know). Compound-complex. Students need to bracket only that they will grow up. Optional for advanced students: Wendy knew is also a small dependent clause describing the way, with the word that left out (the way that Wendy knew); accept it but do not require it.
3
One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother.
Two independent clauses joined by and, plus the dependent clause when she was two years old. Compound-complex. The second clause has a compound verb (plucked, ran).
5
This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up.
Two independent clauses joined by but; that passed between them is an adjective clause describing the pronoun all, and that she must grow up is a noun clause. Compound-complex.
6
You always know after you are two.
One independent clause plus the adverb clause after you are two (when). Complex.
7
Two is the beginning of the end.
One independent clause; of the end is a phrase with an adjective job (which beginning). Simple.
Discuss: paragraph 1 moves from long compound-complex sentences to two short ones. Why might Barrie end with You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.? (The short sentences land like a punch line and make the big idea easy to remember.)
Independent Practice10-15 minutes
Students revise the invented club report below. They draw an arrow from every modifier at the start or end of a sentence to the word it describes, fix each misplaced or dangling modifier, and name the problem. Then they combine the choppy sentences at the end into two sentences, naming each type and the relationship its joining word shows. Warn them that one sentence with an -ing phrase is already correct.
Our robotics club entered the regional competition on Saturday. We carried the robot into the gym wrapped in bubble wrap. Holding the controller with both hands, Jonah steered it through the practice maze. Checking the batteries one last time, the robot's arm suddenly stopped moving. Maya found a loose wire with a flashlight that was hanging under the base. After fixing the wire, the robot finished the course in two minutes. The judges gave a ribbon to our team made of blue satin. The ribbon was for third place. We wanted first place. We were still proud. Next year we will build a faster robot. We will practice every week. The regional title could be ours.
Written for this page (an invented student draft), Draft for revision: Robotics Club Report. Original passage written for this page.
Teacher key. (1) wrapped in bubble wrap sits next to gym (misplaced): We carried the robot, wrapped in bubble wrap, into the gym. (2) Checking the batteries one last time has no doer (dangling; the arm did not check anything): While we were checking the batteries one last time, the robot's arm suddenly stopped moving. (3) with a flashlight seems to describe the wire, and that was hanging under the base seems to describe the flashlight (misplaced): With a flashlight, Maya found a loose wire that was hanging under the base. (4) After fixing the wire has no doer (dangling): After Maya fixed the wire, the robot finished the course in two minutes. (5) made of blue satin sits next to our team (misplaced): The judges gave our team a ribbon made of blue satin. Correct as written: Holding the controller with both hands, Jonah steered it; Jonah is the one holding the controller. Sample combinations: Although we wanted first place, we were still proud of our third-place ribbon. (complex; although shows contrast) If we build a faster robot and practice every week, the regional title could be ours next year. (complex; if shows a condition). Accept other types with a reason that fits.
Closure5 minutes
Exit ticket: (1) Fix this sentence and name the problem: Sleeping on the windowsill, I took a photo of the cat. (Answer: misplaced; I took a photo of the cat sleeping on the windowsill.) (2) Write one complex sentence about today's class that shows a cause, and bracket the dependent clause.
Teacher note on the text: Barrie wrote for British readers in 1911, so the excerpt uses British spellings such as for ever and phrases of his time. The phrase the puzzling East refers to nested wooden boxes from East Asia and reflects an outdated view of Asia as mysterious; it can be named as such in a short discussion. The excerpt is quoted exactly.
For homework: students revise the invented cleanup report below, which Problem 5 uses.
Last Saturday, our class cleaned up Willow Creek. Wearing tall rubber boots, the cold water was easy to wade through. We found an old shopping cart in the creek that had lost all its wheels. Floating near the bridge, Lena spotted a plastic bottle. Ms. Ruiz handed out gloves to the volunteers from a big cardboard box. To reach the far bank, a long plank was laid across the rocks. Carrying two full bags, Andre climbed back up the muddy slope. We worked for three hours. We filled forty bags. The creek looked much cleaner. We were tired. We were proud of our work.
Written for this page (an invented student draft), Draft for revision: Creek Cleanup Day. Original passage written for this page.
Differentiation Strategies
For Struggling Students
Give students a two-column card: Phrase (no subject and verb) and Clause (subject and verb). Have them test each word group by asking, "Who or what does something here?"
Color-code clauses: one highlighter color for independent clauses and another for dependent clauses, then count colors to name the sentence type with Diagram 1
For modifiers, have students draw the silly meaning first; the sketch makes the error easy to see and to explain
For Advanced Students
Ask students to rewrite one paragraph of the Peter Pan excerpt using only simple sentences, then explain what is lost
Have students collect three misplaced or dangling modifiers from ads, signs or their own drafts and repair each one two ways
Challenge students to write a paragraph in which each sentence type appears once and the order of types builds toward a surprise
Assessment Guidance
What to Look For
Check each skill separately. For phrases and clauses, look for students who test for a subject and verb rather than judging by length, and who name a job by the question the word group answers (which one, when, why, what). For sentence types, look for correct counts of independent and dependent clauses, and watch for simple sentences with compound verbs labeled compound. For choice, look for joining words that match the relationship (because for cause, although for contrast). For modifiers, look for revisions that place the modifier next to the right word or name the missing doer, not revisions that only add commas.
02
Classroom Activities
3 Activities
1
Phrase or Clause? Job Sort
15 minPairs
Each pair gets 12 cards. Each card has a word group in bold. Partners decide whether it is a phrase or a clause, then name its job: noun, adjective or adverb (standard a).
Job Cards
1. The kite with the long tail flew highest.
2. Before the game started, we stretched.
3. Sam hid the gift under his bed.
4. The singer who won the contest is my cousin.
5. To finish the puzzle took us three nights.
6. I think that the answer is wrong.
7. The girl carrying the flag led the parade.
8. We cheered because our team scored.
9. The cake on the top shelf is for Grandma.
10. Whoever finishes first can pick the music.
11. Maria ran to catch the bus.
12. The town where my dad grew up has one stoplight.
Procedure
Partner A reads the card and asks, "Is there a subject and a verb working together?" Partner B sorts the card into the Phrase pile or the Clause pile
Together they ask what question the bold words answer (which one, where, when, why, or what) and write the job on a sticky note
Pairs compare with another pair and settle disagreements by finding the word the bold group describes or replaces
Cards 5 and 11 both start with to. Why do they have different jobs?
Which cards were the hardest to sort, and what finally decided them?
Can a phrase be longer than a clause? Find an example in the cards.
2
Sentence Type Builder
15 minGroups of 3
Groups get 6 idea cards, each with two short sentences and a relationship, and a set of connector cards: and, but, or, so, because, although, when, if, and a semicolon. They build sentences of different types and argue which one signals the relationship best (standard b).
Idea Cards
1. The oven timer beeped. / Jake took out the bread. (time)
2. The museum was free on Sunday. / It was very crowded. (cause)
3. You finish your chores. / You can go to the movies. (condition)
4. Aisha is shy. / She gave a great speech. (contrast)
5. Our class collected cans. / We donated them to the food bank. (addition)
6. We can walk to the game. / We can ride our bikes. (choice)
Procedure
For each card, one student builds a compound sentence and another builds a complex sentence with the connector cards; the third student reads both aloud and says which one fits the relationship on the card
Roles rotate for each card. For card 5 or 6, the group also writes one simple sentence with a compound verb
At the end, each group joins two cards into one compound-complex sentence and labels every clause
Teacher key (sample best fits): 1. When the oven timer beeped, Jake took out the bread. 2. Because the museum was free on Sunday, it was very crowded. 3. If you finish your chores, you can go to the movies. 4. Although Aisha is shy, she gave a great speech. 5. Our class collected cans, and we donated them to the food bank. 6. We can walk to the game, or we can ride our bikes. Cards 1-4 fit complex sentences, and cards 5 and 6 fit compound sentences; accept other types with a reason.
Discussion Questions
For card 4, compare the but version with the although version. Which idea feels more important in each?
Why do addition and choice fit compound sentences so well?
Challenge Variation
Groups write the same pair of ideas as all four sentence types and rank them from clearest to least clear for a younger reader.
3
Modifier Mix-Up Sketches
15 minPairs
Pairs get 8 mix-up cards. For each card, they sketch what the sentence really says, label the error misplaced or dangling, and write a fix (standard c).
Mix-Up Cards
1. Dad bought a bike from a neighbor with a flat tire.
2. Barking all night, the neighbors could not sleep.
3. Grandpa told a story about a bear at dinner.
4. After eating lunch, the bus took us back to school.
5. My aunt gave a scarf to my cousin that has purple stripes.
6. To win the science fair, a strong question is needed.
7. The chef served soup to the customers in paper bowls.
8. Smiling at the crowd, the microphone slipped from the singer's hand.
Procedure
Partner A draws an arrow from the modifier to the word it seems to describe; partner B sketches that meaning in ten seconds
Together they label the error: misplaced (the right word is in the sentence, in the wrong spot) or dangling (the right word is missing)
They write a fix, redraw the arrow, and switch roles for the next card
Teacher key: 1. misplaced: Dad bought a bike with a flat tire from a neighbor. 2. dangling: Because the dog barked all night, the neighbors could not sleep. 3. misplaced: At dinner, Grandpa told a story about a bear. 4. dangling: After we ate lunch, the bus took us back to school. 5. misplaced: My aunt gave my cousin a scarf that has purple stripes. 6. dangling: To win the science fair, you need a strong question. 7. misplaced: The chef served soup in paper bowls to the customers. 8. dangling: Smiling at the crowd, the singer let the microphone slip from her hand. Four cards are misplaced and four are dangling.
Discussion Questions
In card 8, the word singer's is in the sentence. Why is the modifier still dangling?
Which fix did you use more often: moving words or adding a doer?
Modification for Distance Learning
Post the cards in a shared slide deck. Each pair adds a quick drawing or clip-art image of the silly meaning and types the fix in the speaker notes.
03
Diagrams & Visual Aids
2 diagrams
Diagram 1: The Four Sentence Types
Filled boxes are independent clauses, which can stand alone; outlined boxes are dependent clauses, which cannot. Count each kind to name the type. The left column shows the relationship each type usually signals.
Diagram 2: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers
Each arrow runs from a modifier to the word it describes. A red arrow lands on the wrong word or on a word that cannot do the action; a green arrow lands on the right word. A dangling modifier can also be fixed by turning it into a clause with its own subject: When Lin opened the gate, the goat ran out.
04
Homework Assignment
~30 min
L.7.1 Homework: Phrases, Clauses, Sentence Types and Modifiers
Directions: Complete all six problems. Use Diagram 1 for Problems 3 and 4 and Diagram 2 for Problem 5. Problem 5 uses the creek cleanup draft at the end of the lesson plan, and Problem 6 uses a paragraph of your own writing.
Part 1: Phrases and Clauses (Problems 1-2)
For each bold word group, write phrase or clause, then name its job (noun, adjective or adverb) and the question it answers: (a) The dog in the front yard barks at every truck. (b) When the bell rang, everyone rushed outside. (c) The book that Nia recommended is checked out. (d) We practiced our lines after dinner. (e) What the coach said made the whole team laugh. (f) Grandpa drove to the store to buy milk.
(a) Add a phrase with an adjective job to this sentence: The house needs new paint. (b) Add a dependent clause that tells why: We stayed inside all afternoon. (c) Add an adjective clause that begins with who: The student won the science fair. (d) Finish the sentence with a noun clause: I know ___. (e) In two sentences, explain the difference between a phrase and a clause, using one of your answers as an example.
Part 2: Choosing Sentence Types (Problems 3-4)
Name the type of each sentence (simple, compound, complex or compound-complex). Underline each independent clause and put brackets around each dependent clause: (a) Mateo and his sister walked to the park and played catch. (b) The wind knocked down a branch, so Dad cut it up for firewood. (c) If the pool is open tomorrow, we will swim after lunch. (d) Although the hike was long, we reached the top, and the view was worth every step. (e) The lights flickered; then the room went dark.
Combine each pair of ideas into the type named, using a joining word that shows the relationship in brackets: (a) The river rose over its banks. The town closed the bridge. [complex; cause] (b) Jada practiced every day. She did not make the team. [compound; contrast] Then rewrite (b) as a complex sentence with although and explain how the focus changes. (c) The fireworks began. The crowd grew quiet. [complex; time] (d) Write your own compound-complex sentence about a school event. Label every clause and name what each joining word signals.
Part 3: Placing Modifiers (Problems 5-6)
Read the creek cleanup draft. Find the five sentences with a misplaced or dangling modifier. For each, quote the modifier, name the error, and rewrite the sentence. Name the one sentence with an -ing phrase that is already correct. Then combine the last five sentences of the draft into two or three sentences of at least two different types, and name the relationship each joining word shows.
Choose a paragraph of at least six sentences that you wrote this year. Label the type of each sentence, then revise so the paragraph uses at least three different types, each chosen for a reason you name. Check every modifier with the arrow test and fix any that are misplaced or dangling. If you find none, add one -ing phrase at the start of a sentence and show that its arrow lands on the right word.
Rubric
Criterion
Full Credit (2 pts)
Partial Credit (1 pt)
No Credit (0 pts)
Phrases and Clauses
Every word group labeled phrase or clause with the correct job; clear explanation of the difference
Most labels correct, or jobs missing
Phrases and clauses confused throughout
Sentence Types
All five types correct with clauses marked; combinations use the named type and a fitting joining word
Most correct, or clauses not marked
Types confused throughout
Modifiers
All five errors found, named and fixed; the correct sentence identified
Three or four fixed, or errors not named
Fewer than three fixed
Revision of Own Writing
Three or more types used with reasons; modifiers checked and fixed
Types varied without reasons, or modifiers not checked
Little or no revision
05
Quiz: 20 Questions
Interactive, with answers
Instructions
Questions 12-16 use the Peter Pan excerpt in Guided Practice; paragraph numbers are shown beside the passage. The other questions use new sentences. Your score updates as you answer, and Reset quiz clears everything so you or your students can try again.
Multiple choice: pick an option to check it. Short answer: write your answer, then reveal the model answer.
0 of 20 answered · 0 correct
Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which group of words is a clause?
Answer: B
A clause has a subject and a verb: in B, river is the subject and flooded is the verb. A is a prepositional phrase. C is an -ing phrase; running is a verb form, but no subject is doing it. D is a to phrase, which also has no subject and verb working together.
Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice
In the sentence The girl with the green scarf sings in the choir, what job does the phrase with the green scarf do?
Answer: C
The phrase follows girl and tells which girl, so it has an adjective job. A attaches it to the verb; the phrase that tells about the singing is in the choir. B is wrong because the subject is girl, not the phrase. D is wrong because the phrase has no subject and verb, so it is not a clause.
Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice
What job does the dependent clause do in this sentence? We left the park early because the wind turned cold.
Answer: A
Because the wind turned cold answers "why did we leave?", so it is an adverb clause. B confuses nearness with meaning: the clause follows park but does not describe it. C is wrong because the object of left is the park. D is wrong because a clause that starts with because cannot stand alone.
Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which word does the clause that leads to the waterfall describe? The trail that leads to the waterfall is closed until spring.
Answer: B
An adjective clause usually comes right after the noun it describes: it tells which trail. A picks a noun inside the clause itself. C and D come from the main clause (The trail is closed until spring), which the adjective clause interrupts.
Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence is a compound sentence?
Answer: C
C has two independent clauses (Omar built the bird feeder; Lucy painted it blue) joined by a comma and and, and no dependent clause. A is simple: it has a compound subject and a compound verb but only one clause. B is complex because of When the paint dried. D is compound-complex because it adds the dependent clause Although it rained.
Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence shows most clearly that the power outage caused the bakery to close early?
Answer: D
The subordinating conjunction because makes the outage the cause in a complex sentence. A uses and, which only adds one event to another. B joins the ideas with a semicolon, which shows they are related but not how. C uses or, which offers a choice and makes no sense here.
Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which revision joins the ideas in a complex sentence that shows time? The concert ended. We waited for our ride.
Answer: A
In A, After the concert ended is a dependent clause (subject concert, verb ended), so the sentence is complex, and after shows time. B is a simple sentence: After the concert is a phrase with no verb. C and D are compound sentences that treat the ideas as equal.
Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence has a misplaced modifier?
Answer: D
In D, covered in maple syrup sits next to guests, so the guests seem covered in syrup; it belongs next to pancakes. In A, Grandma is sitting on the porch, as the phrase says. In B, the phrase describes the puppy it follows. In C, the opening phrase tells where Leo read.
Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which sentence has a dangling modifier?
Answer: B
In B, no one in the sentence finished the test; the subject is the room, so the phrase dangles. In A, Nadia finished the test. In C, Jordan is tired. In D, we want the good seat. Each of those names the doer right after the phrase.
Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which revision fixes the misplaced modifier? The mail carrier delivered a package to our neighbor wrapped in brown paper.
Answer: A
A moves wrapped in brown paper next to package, the word it describes. B and C place the phrase next to the mail carrier, so now the carrier is wrapped. D turns the phrase into a clause about the neighbor, which states the wrong meaning outright.
Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice
Which revision fixes the dangling modifier? Looking out the airplane window, the clouds seemed close enough to touch.
Answer: D
D names the person who is looking, Mia, right after the phrase, so the modifier has a doer. A only changes the ending; the clouds are still looking. B moves the phrase to the end, but no one in the sentence is looking. C scrambles the word order and still has no doer.
Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice
In paragraph 2 of the Peter Pan excerpt, what type of sentence is Of course they lived at 14, and until Wendy came her mother was the chief one?
Answer: C
The independent clauses are they lived at 14 and her mother was the chief one, joined by and; until Wendy came is a dependent clause that tells when. B misses the until clause. D misses that there are two independent clauses. A counts only the first clause.
Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice
In paragraph 2, Barrie describes Mrs. Darling: She was a lovely lady, with a romantic mind and such a sweet mocking mouth. What job does the phrase with a romantic mind and such a sweet mocking mouth do?
Answer: A
The prepositional phrase tells what kind of lady Mrs. Darling was, which is an adjective job. B is wrong because the phrase says nothing about time. C is wrong because the phrase has no subject and verb; mind and mouth are nouns. D is wrong because the subject is She.
Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice
In paragraph 3, what does the clause who took a cab and nipped in first do?
Answer: D
The clause begins with the relative pronoun who and follows Mr. Darling, telling what he did differently, so it is an adjective clause. A is wrong because a clause that begins with who in this way cannot stand alone. B is wrong because the clause tells what Mr. Darling did, not why anyone ran. C confuses it with the noun clause that they loved her, which names what the men discovered.
Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer
In paragraph 3, Barrie writes, "He never knew about the box, and in time he gave up trying for the kiss." Name the sentence type and explain how you know. Then explain why Barrie might join these two ideas with and instead of writing them as two simple sentences.
Model answer: It is a compound sentence. It has two independent clauses, He never knew about the box and in time he gave up trying for the kiss, joined by a comma and and, and no dependent clause (trying for the kiss is a phrase with no subject of its own). The word and treats the two ideas as equal partners: they are the two parts of Mrs. Darling that Mr. Darling never won, the box and the kiss. Joining them keeps the pair together, while two simple sentences would make them feel like separate facts. Rubric line: 2 points for the correct type with both clauses named and a reason tied to the equal relationship; 1 point for the type and clauses without a reason.
Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer
In paragraph 3, the gentlemen "all ran to her house to propose to her." What job does the phrase to propose to her do? Then find the dependent clause in the same sentence that describes the gentlemen, quote it, and name its job.
Model answer:To propose to her is a to phrase with an adverb job: it tells why they ran. The clause that describes the gentlemen is who had been boys when she was a girl, an adjective clause beginning with who that tells which gentlemen. (Inside it, when she was a girl is an adverb clause that tells when.) Rubric line: 2 points for the phrase's adverb job and the correctly quoted adjective clause; 1 point for one of the two.
Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer
Explain the difference between a phrase and a clause in one or two sentences. Then write one sentence about your weekend that contains a dependent clause with an adjective job and a phrase with an adverb job. Label both.
Model answer: A clause has a subject and a verb working together, and a phrase does not. Sample: "The friend who lives next door helped me rake leaves on Saturday morning." Who lives next door is an adjective clause describing friend (subject who, verb lives); on Saturday morning is a prepositional phrase with an adverb job (when). Rubric line: 2 points for a correct definition and a sentence with both parts correctly labeled; 1 point for one of the two.
Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer
Revise this paragraph for a school newsletter. Fix every misplaced or dangling modifier and name each error: Our class visited the planetarium on Friday. Leaning back in the soft seats, the stars appeared overhead. The guide pointed to a red planet with a laser. We learned about a comet from the guide that returns about every 76 years.
Model answer: "Our class visited the planetarium on Friday. Leaning back in the soft seats, we watched the stars appear overhead. With a laser, the guide pointed to a red planet. From the guide, we learned about a comet that returns about every 76 years." Errors: Leaning back in the soft seats was dangling, because the stars cannot lean back, so the revision names the doer, we; with a laser was misplaced next to planet; that returns about every 76 years was misplaced next to guide and now follows comet. Rubric line: 2 points for all three fixes with the errors named; 1 point for two.
Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer
Combine these three ideas into one compound-complex sentence. Then name the relationship each joining word signals. Our group arrived at eight-thirty. The library did not open until nine. We waited on the steps.
Model answer: "Although our group arrived at eight-thirty, the library did not open until nine, so we waited on the steps." Although starts the dependent clause and signals contrast (we were early, but the doors were shut); so joins the two independent clauses and signals a result. The sentence has two independent clauses and one dependent clause, so it is compound-complex. Rubric line: 2 points for a correct compound-complex sentence with both relationships named; 1 point for a correct sentence without the explanation.
Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer
Rewrite this choppy paragraph so it uses at least one simple, one compound, one complex and one compound-complex sentence. Label each sentence's type. The storm started at noon. The wind was strong. Our school closed early. The buses came at one o'clock. We were home by two. My brother was happy. I was worried about my project.
Model answer: "The storm started at noon. (simple) Because the wind was strong, our school closed early. (complex; cause) The buses came at one o'clock, and we were home by two. (compound; sequence) Although my brother was happy, I was worried about my project, and I checked my notes all afternoon. (compound-complex; contrast)" The last sentence adds one new detail to finish the compound-complex sentence; students may instead join other ideas. Rubric line: 2 points for all four types correctly built and labeled with joining words that fit; 1 point for three types.
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06
Frequently Asked Questions
10 Questions
What does L.7.1 mean?
L.7.1 means that seventh graders use standard English grammar when they write and speak, with a focus on how sentences are built.
Its three parts ask students to explain what phrases and clauses do, to choose among simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences to show how ideas relate, and to place phrases and clauses so no modifier is misplaced or dangling.
What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?
A clause has a subject and a verb working together, and a phrase does not.
After the game is a phrase. After the game ended is a clause, because game is the subject and ended is the verb. Length does not decide it: some phrases are longer than some clauses.
What are the four sentence types?
The four types are simple, compound, complex and compound-complex, and they are named by their clauses.
Simple: one independent clause. Compound: two or more independent clauses. Complex: one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Compound-complex: two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
Is a sentence with two verbs a compound sentence?
Not necessarily: a sentence with one subject and two verbs is still a simple sentence.
"Ella washed the dishes and swept the floor" has a compound verb but only one clause. "Ella washed the dishes, and Theo swept the floor" is compound, because each verb has its own subject.
What is a misplaced modifier?
A misplaced modifier is a describing word, phrase or clause placed next to the wrong word, so it seems to describe something it should not.
In "I found a wallet in the parking lot that belonged to my teacher," the clause seems to describe the parking lot. Moving it fixes the meaning: "In the parking lot, I found a wallet that belonged to my teacher."
How is a dangling modifier different from a misplaced one?
A misplaced modifier has the right word somewhere in the sentence, while a dangling modifier has no word at all that it can describe.
"Reaching for the cereal, the bowl tipped over" never says who reached. Fix a dangling modifier by naming the doer ("Reaching for the cereal, Ben tipped over the bowl") or by turning the phrase into a clause ("As Ben reached for the cereal, the bowl tipped over").
Are longer sentences better writing?
No: L.7.1 asks students to choose the sentence type that fits the relationship between ideas, not the longest one.
A short simple sentence can give an idea weight, as Barrie shows with "Two is the beginning of the end." A complex sentence shows cause, time or contrast, and a compound sentence pairs equal ideas. Good writing mixes types on purpose.
How is L.7.1 tested?
L.7.1 is usually tested with editing questions that ask students to choose the clearest or correctly built version of a sentence.
Many state tests use this format for modifiers and sentence combining. Classroom tests often add short tasks in which students label clauses, name a phrase's job or combine ideas into a named sentence type.
Is L.7.1 the same as L.7.1a, L.7.1b and L.7.1c?
Yes: L.7.1 is the main standard, and L.7.1a, L.7.1b and L.7.1c are its three parts.
Part a covers the jobs of phrases and clauses, part b covers the four sentence types, and part c covers placing modifiers. This lesson teaches and assesses all three.
What comes after L.7.1?
In grade 8, L.8.1 moves to verbals (gerunds, participles and infinitives) and to verb voice and mood.
The -ing and to phrases in this lesson are verbal phrases, so students already know what they do. In high school, L.9-10.1 asks students to use many kinds of phrases and clauses on purpose to add meaning and variety.
07
Related Standards
6 standards
These standards connect to L.7.1: prerequisites to review first, parallel standards at the same level, and next steps that build on it.
Before this lesson
L.4.1Prerequisite
Use relative pronouns and prepositional phrases; fix fragments and run-ons
Lesson coming soon
L.5.1Prerequisite
Explain conjunctions, prepositions and interjections; use verb tenses correctly
Lesson coming soon
Alongside
L.7.2Parallel
Use a comma between coordinate adjectives, and spell correctly
