Writing

Handbook
Synopsis of the handbook
/sɪˈnɒp.sɪs/
▪ Chapter 1: It’s all about Clause
▪ Chapter 2: The Amazing Sentence
▪ Side stories: Into the Linkers-verse

Yes, I got the inspiration

from these movies :D
Chapter 1
It’s all about Clause
1. What is a clause?
• A clause contains a subject and a verb
• Two types of clause (more details next slides):
• Independent clause (IC): makes sense on its own.
• I packed a banh mi for lunch.
• Dependent clause (DC): doesn’t make sense on its own,
need to depend on another clause to make a meaningful
sentence.
• I usually pack a banh mi for lunch when I don’t have time to cook.
• Although the drive was long, I didn’t feel tired at all.
1.1. Independent clause
• A group of words that contains a subject and a verb AND
expresses a COMPLETE thought.
• It can stand alone as a sentence: S + V + O (simple sentence)
E.g.
• Students normally spend four years in college.
• We studied hard for the final tests.
• It rained a lot yesterday.
1.2. Dependent clauses
• A group of words that contains a subject and a verb AND
expresses an INCOMPLETE thought.
• It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
• It always begins with words like because, since, although,
even though, after, before, when, etc.
E.g.
• As soon as he finishes the English course.
• Because life in the countryside is so boring.
• Although it is not easy to complete the task.
Practice:
Exercise 1
Chapter 2
The Amazing Sentence
Types of sentences
There are 3 main types of sentences
Type Form

Simple (câu đơn) 1 independent clause

E.g. I moved to a new country.
E.g. I haven’t befriended a lot of people so far.
Common mistakes in writing
Simple sentence
1. Non-parallel sentences (câu không song song): I love ice-cream,
hamburger and drinking soda. → … and soda.
Note: We use parallel structure with and, but, or, both…and,
either …or, neither… nor, not only… but also.
2. Sentence fragments (câu chưa hoàn chỉnh): Because some
students are too lazy to do their homework. (so?)
3. Choppy sentences (câu cụt): I go to school every day. I often go by
bus. I never ride a motorbike. My mother thinks motorbike is too
dangerous for me
Practice
Exercises 2 and 3
Types of sentences
There are 3 main types of sentence
Type Form

Simple (câu đơn) 1 independent clause

E.g. I moved to a new country.
E.g. I haven’t befriended a lot of people so far.
Compound (câu ghép) 1 independent clause, FANBOYS + 1 independent clause
E.g. I moved to a new country and I haven’t befriended a
lot of people so far. Coordinating
conjunctions
(FANBOYS)
Side story: Into the linkers-verse
#1 Coordinating conjunctions
Nor

• We use inversion (đảo ngữ) after nor.

• E.g.
• He doesn’t know how to cook, nor does he like
to.
• My classmate never missed a lesson, nor did
she show up late at any of the classes.
But vs. Yet ?
But Yet
• Use to introduce clause with • Preferred when showing an
different of direct opposite unexpected, surprising or
meanings. mysterious continuation. More
• E.g. formal than but.
• Call me old-fashioned, but I • E.g.
like handwritten letters. • He stumbled, yet didn’t fall.
• It's a nice dress, but it • I thought he was an honest
creases very easily. person, yet all he tells are lies.

But and Yet are mostly interchangeable, with only subtle differences.
E.g. She claims to be a singer, but/yet her singing is terrible.
 But or Yet ?
yet

but

yet
but

but

yet
Practice
Exercise 4
2 ways to form
compound
sentences…
Compound sentence: Form 1
Independent clause (,) FANBOYS + Independent clause
E.g.
- I hope to travel a lot this summer, for I haven’t been able to relax
since the beginning of the year.
- My mom adores gardening, so she plants a garden full of flowers
- She is very nice, but she’s too straightforward sometimes.
- I talked to my neighbour about the noise she makes, yet she is still
so loud!
Practice
Exercise 5
Compound sentence: Form 2

Independent clause; conjunctive adverb, independent clause

What are conjunctive adverbs?

 Side story: #2
Into the Conjunctive
adverbs
linkers-verse
Conjunctive adverbs
• Most common Conjunctive adverbs
• Show contrast: On the other hand, In contrast, On the contrary, Opposingly
• Add ideas: Moreover, Furthermore, Additionally, In addition, Besides, Also, Plus
• Show concession: However, Nevertheless, Nonetheless
• Give examples: For example, For instance
• List: Firstly, Secondly, Finally
• Show time relationship: Meanwhile, Now, Eventually
• Results: Thus, Hence, As a result, As a consequence, Consequently, Therefore.
• Conjunctive adverbs smooth the transition between clauses by adding
relationship to it.
• Need comma (,) after, and semi-colon (;) or full stop (.) before them.
Simple vs Compound (with adverbs)

• My father smokes a lot. As a consequence, he has lung cancer.

(2 simple sentences)
• My father smokes a lot; as a consequence, he has lung cancer.
(1 compound sentence)
Example
• He studied hard for his exam ; _________, he passed with
flying colours.
• He smokes too much ; ___________, he has lungs problems.
• Humans are consuming too much non-renewable energy ;
____________, we are using too much personal transport .
• I was waiting for her at the cinema ; ________, she was
waiting for me at the park!
• I know quite a lot about this topic ; ________, her talk was still
interesting to me.
Practice
Exercise 6
Types of sentences
There are 3 main types of sentence
Type Form

Simple (câu đơn) 1 independent clause

E.g. I moved to a new country.
E.g. I haven’t befriended a lot of people so far.
Compound (câu ghép) 1 independent clause, FANBOYS + 1 independent clause
E.g. I moved to a new country and I haven’t befriended a
lot of people so far. Coordinating
conjunctions
(FANBOYS)
Complex (câu phức) 1 Independent clause + 1 dependent clause
E.g. Since I just moved to a new country, I haven’t
befriended a lot of people.

Subordinating
conjunction
 Side story: #3
Into the Subordinating
conjunction
linkers-verse
Common markers for dependent clause
Cause and effect Because, since, as

Time When, while, before, after, once, until, since, whenever

subordinating
conjunctions
Condition If, unless, in case

Although, though, even though (+ clase), despite, in

Concession
spite (+N/ving) of whereas

• Remember these words are used to introduce a dependent clause,

so you need to add another independent clause to make the
sentence meaningful.
• E.g. Since my parents are away, I’m going to party hard.
• E.g. Unless you do the assignments, you will never pass this class.
• As = Since = Because : bởi vì
• As/Since many people use personal
transports/vehicles, the traffic/the road is always
jammed/ crowded
• The traffic is always jammed since/as many ppl use
personal transports
→ nếu mđ độc lập đứng trước, không cần phẩy. Nếu
mđ phụ thuộc đứng trước, cần phẩy
As if: cứ như thể là

• She talked to me as if we’ve

known each other for a long
time.
As long as: miễn là

I am allowed to go out as long as

I complete/finish my homework.
As long as I finish my homework, I
am allowed to go out.
As much as: mặc dù
• As much as he is peachy, he is
very impolite (bat lich su).
• As much as I like her, she is
sometimes quite/pretty/rather
(khá) annoying.
As soon as: ngay sau khi

• As soon as I went home, I took a

shower.
Even if : kể cả

• Even if the sky falls down, I still love you.

Even though = Although = Though: mặc dù

In case : trong truong hop la

In case it rains, remember to

bring an umbrella.
So that

• I rent a house in the centre so

that I can go to school easier.
Compound vs. Complex sentence
Compound Complex
Concession However, nevertheless, Although/ Even though/ Though
nonetheless (mac du).
E.g. It is raining; however, he still E.g. Although it is raining, he still
pursues his run. pursues his run.
Condition Otherwise Unless
E.g. You have to get up early; E.g. Unless you get up early (If you
otherwise, you will be late for the don’t get up early), you will be late
exam. for the exam

Reason (lí do) For: bởi vì Since = because

I want to drink coffee, for I feel Since I feel sleepy, I want to drink
sleepy coffee.
Write your own sentences
Cause and
Because, since, as
effect

When, while, before,

Time after, once, until, since,
whenever

Condition If, unless, in case

Concession Although, though

Contrast Whereas
The sentences you just wrote
are called complex sentences.
Practice
Exercise 7
 Summary of the handbook (Key takeaways)

Chapter 1: It’s all about Clause

• 2 types of clause: dependent and independent clause

Chapter 2: The Amazing Sentence

• 3 types of sentences
• Simple
• Compound
• Complex

Side stories: Into the Linkers-verse

• Coordinating conjunctions – FANBOYS (compound)
• Conjunctive adverbs (compound)
• Subordinating conjunctions (complex)