Name: Date:

TYPES OF CLAUSES

Let South Africa Show the World How to Forgive

Desmond Tutu

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb. A dependent

clause is one that contains a subject and a verb but can not stand alone a
complete thought.
A relative clause is a dependent clause that is used as an adjective in a
sentence. It modifies a noun or pronoun in the sentence by telling what kind or
which one. Relative clauses begin with relative pronouns (who, whose,
whom, which, or that).

A. DIRECTIONS: Underline the relative clause in each sentence. Then, circle the noun
or pronoun it modifies.
1. Nelson Mandela, who was the first democratically elected president in South
Africa, was inaugurated in May 1994.
2. The committee that was established to examine injustices has heard many
cases.
3. She who was harmed is ready to forgive.

4. This work, which may carry on for some time, has helped many people.

B. DIRECTIONS: The following sentences contain relative clauses.

Underline the relative pronoun in each sentence.
1. A woman told Desmond Tutu she wanted to know the name of the person
whom she should forgive.
2. For help with atrocities that were being committed, people were able to look to
the Truth and Reconciliation Committee for a process of justice.
3. Mrs. Savage, who was injured by a hand grenade, forgave the perpetrator of her
attack.
4. There is hope for all of us, Desmond Tutu writes, which is an encouraging
thought.

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 RETEACH

Name: Date:

TYPES OF CLAUSES

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb. A dependent clause

is one that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought.
A relative clause is a dependent clause that is used as an adjective in a sentence.
It modifies a noun or pronoun by telling what kind or which one. Relative clauses
begin with relative pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, or that).
Examples:
I bought a book that was on sale. (that was on sale tells what kind book)
The man whom you described is my uncle. (whom you described tells which
one)
A. DIRECTIONS: Underline the relative clause in each sentence. Then, circle the noun
or pronoun it modifies.
1. The book that you mentioned is no longer in print.

2. It is they who should be ashamed.

3. The capital, which we visited, is not a very big city.

4. This is the style that she prefers.

B. DIRECTIONS: The following sentences contain relative clauses. Underline the

relative pronoun in each sentence.
1. He is the same man who stole our newspaper last Sunday morning.

2. She traveled in Italy with Ida, whom she had known since grade school.

3. On Tuesday, which was finally sunny, Uncle Stanley decided to go jogging.

4. Willow, who came from the city pound, is the prettiest cat in our building.

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1

 PRACTICE

Name: Date:

TYPES OF CLAUSES

A. DIRECTIONS: Write the letter of the correct answer in the line.

1. Which of the following is a relative pronoun?

A. but B. than C. who D. and

2. Read the following sentence. Which word does the relative clause modify?

The cartoon, which was drawn by my brother, is posted by the main entrance.
A. cartoon B. drawn C. brother D. entrance

3. Which of the following sentences contains a relative clause?

A. Millie’s favorite subject is math, but she does better in English.

B. Volleyball is harder to play in the sand than it is to play in a gym.

C. My brother plays a guitar that was our grandmother’s.

D. I like being home because I can wear my slippers there and be comfortable.

B. DIRECTIONS: Underline the relative clause in each sentence. Then, circle the noun
or pronoun it modifies.

1. Is this the map that he wanted?

2. The woman whom you wanted to talk to is on her lunch break.

3. The man whose car is outside will be disappointed.

4. The jacket, which was on sale, was the first item I purchased.

C. DIRECTIONS: The following sentences contain relative clauses. Underline the

relative pronoun in each sentence.

1. She is the woman who walks her dog past our house every morning.

2. I wanted to buy a few CDs that I could listen to at night.

3. The newlyweds visited the friends who first introduced them.

4. In the evening, which had a perfect sunset, the photographer captured some
great photos.

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. 2

 Name: Date:

TYPES OF PHRASES

View From the Empire State Building

Helen Keller

A phrase is a group of two or more words that cannot stand on its own as a
complete sentence. A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, the object
of the preposition, and words that modify the object. Prepositional phrases that
modify or tell more about a verb, adjective, or adverb are known as adverbial
phrases. An adverbial phrase acts as an adverb in a sentence by telling where,
when, why, in what way, or to what extent.

A. DIRECTIONS: Underline the adverbial phrase or phrases in each sentence.

1. Helen Keller’s guides saw many things from the top of the Empire State
Building.

2. After many days, Helen Keller was able to write to Dr. Finley.

3. Keller wrote that John Milton was radiant with an inward light.

4. According to Keller, the spirit of man flies to higher regions.

5. Helen Keller heard the steam drills in pandemonium.

B. DIRECTIONS: Underline the adverbial phrase in each sentence. Then, determine the
question the adverbial phrase answers (where, when, how, or to what extent).
1. Following her visit to the Empire State Building,
Helen Keller writes that she wants to invest in one of the “planets” of New
York City.
2. The Empire State building was created through the
skill of gifted engineers.
3. Keller notes that until we look into darkness, we
cannot know what a divine thing vision is.
4. Helen Keller saw in the Empire State Building a
romantic structure wrought by human brains and hands.
5. She writes with passion and clarity.

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 RETEACH

Name: Date:

TYPES OF PHRASES

A phrase is a group of two or more words that cannot stand on its own as a
complete sentence. A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, the object
of the preposition, and words that modify the object. Prepositional phrases that
modify or tell more about a verb, adjective, or adverb are known as adverbial
phrases. An adverbial phrase acts as an adverb in a sentence by telling where,
when, why, in what way, or to what extent.
Example: He waited with great patience and understanding. (The adverbial phrase with
great patience and understanding modifies the verb waited.)

A. DIRECTIONS: Underline the adverbial phrase or phrases in each sentence.

1. Pete opened his back door as if he were a turtle poking his head out of his
shell.

2. Jill had felt tired all day and decided to stay at home.

3. He felt that his friend had stabbed him in the back.

4. I walked around the park in the middle of the afternoon.

5. Leo knew in his heart that he would have to make a bold decision.

6. The sprawling garden was lovely and peaceful in the morning.

B. DIRECTIONS: Use each adverbial phrase in a sentence.

1. in the car,

2. During the movie,

3. from her sister

4. on its head

5. with a haughty tone

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1

 PRACTICE

Name: Date:

TYPES OF PHRASES

A. DIRECTIONS: Underline the adverbial phrase in each sentence.

1. Adam thoughtfully peered into the lake.

2. Anna usually sleeps like a baby.

3. He huddled down into his sleeping bag.

4. Suzy will go to the store tomorrow.

B. DIRECTIONS: Use the adverbial phrase listed below in a sentence.

1. at school

2. on the hill

3. in the winter

4. with feeling

5. between the couch cushions

C. DIRECTIONS: Underline the adverbial phrase in each sentence. Then write what
question the adverbial phrase answers (where, when, why, in what way, or to what
extent).

1. The children played in the afternoon.

2. We go to the café every day.
3. The candidate won the election against all odds.
4. Eat an apple tomorrow for your health.
5. I woke up early without an alarm clock.

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. 2

 Name: Date:

WORD CHOICE

The Tempest, Act II

William Shakespeare

Using techniques to reveal the personality of a character in a play or other

narrative is called characterization. In plays, most of the characterization comes
through what the characters themselves say in dialogue and monologues, how
they behave, and what other characters say about them. Therefore, the words
playwrights choose for their characters are key to each character’s development.
Word choice, or diction, reveals character traits such as wisdom, selfishness,
greed, kindness, and sense of humor. It can also tell about the character’s
background and social position. For example, aristocrats in a Shakespearean play
may speak in verse and have very formal diction, while servants and sailors may
speak in prose and have a very informal diction that includes slang.
To analyze a character’s word choice, or diction, consider questions such as these:
• How do the words sound? Do they flow together confidently and gracefully,
or do they sound awkward or hesitant?
• Are the words varied and appropriately specific to the situation, or is the
vocabulary limited and full of slang?
• What do the words say about the character’s attitude toward others and to
life in general?
• What can you tell about the character’s life from his or her diction?

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage from The Tempest, Act II, Scene ii. Then answer the
questions.
Trinculo. . . . What have we here? A man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish! He smells like
a fish; a very ancient and fishlike smell; a kind of not of the newest Poor John. A strange
fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday
fool there would but give a piece of silver. There would this monster make a man; any
strange beast there makes a man.

1. Is this speech by Trinculo in verse or prose? What does that indicate to you
about the character?

2. What do you learn about Trinculo’s life from the last two sentences?

3. Based on this passage of Trinculo’s monologue, what three adjectives would

you use to describe him? Would you like him? Explain.

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 Name: Date:

AUTHOR’S CHOICES: MOTIF

The Tempest, Act IV

William Shakespeare

Recurring patterns of symbols, imagery, or words and phrases in literature are

called motifs. Authors use motifs to add depth and intensity to the work’s
language, to enrich the plot, and to develop themes. For example, in Act IV of
The Tempest, Shakespeare has Stephano and Trinculo use the word monster for
Caliban nearly every time they speak to him. To discover motifs in The Tempest
and determine what they add to the play, look at each instance of a recurring
word, image, or symbol. Then ask:
• What is the effect of the recurring motif on the audience?
• How does the repetition clarify, change, or add to the meaning?

A. DIRECTIONS: Complete the chart by explaining the attitude Stephano seems to have
toward Caliban in these situations where he calls Caliban a “monster.”

PASSAGE STEPHANO’S ATTITUDE WHEN

USING MONSTER

1. Stephano. Monster, your fairy,

which you say is a harmless fairy,
has done little better than played
the Jack with us.

2. Stephano. So is mine. Do you

hear, monster? If I should take a
displeasure against you, look you—

3. Stephano. There is not only

disgrace and dishonor in that,
monster, but an infinite loss.

4. Stephano. Monster, lay-to your

fingers; help to bear this away
where my hogshead of wine is, or
I’ll turn you out of my kingdom. Go
to, carry this.

B. DIRECTIONS: Answer the following question.

How do these uses of the word monster add to the meaning of the Caliban /
Stephano / Trinculo subplot?

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 RETEACH

Name: Date:

POETIC STRUCTURE

A rhyming couplet is a pair of lines that share the same meter and that rhyme.
The rhymes are full rhymes, meaning that the final vowel and consonant sounds
in the last stressed syllable of each line sound exactly the same. For example, to
meet and your seat is a full rhyme.
Rhyming couplets were quite popular in plays and poems from around the 1500s,
and some poets still use them. Rhyming couplets effectively set apart and draw
attention to important moments or ideas or express an unexpected meaning.
DIRECTIONS: Read “Sonnet 29” by William Shakespeare. Then, answer the questions.

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself, and curse my fate,
5 Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featur’d like him, like him with friends possess’d,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
10 Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

1. What is the speaker describing in lines 1–4?

2. What does the speaker want to be like in lines 5–9? How does he feel about those
thoughts?

3. In general, how would you describe the speaker based on the tone in lines 1–9?

4. What happens to the speaker in lines 10–12?

5. How does the rhyming couplet in the last two lines change the speaker’s tone?

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1

 PRACTICE

Name: Date:

POETIC STRUCTURE

A. DIRECTIONS: Put an X beside the letter of the choice that best answers the question.
1. What is a rhyming couplet?
A. two rhyming words in a poem that have the same number of syllables
B. two lines of rhyming verse that appear at the end of a poem
C. two lines of verse that rhyme and have the same meter
D. two rhyming words that have opposite meanings
2. How do you know if a rhyme is full rhyme?
A. The last words in the lines have the same number of syllables and the
same final vowel sound.
B. The stressed syllables of the words have the same final vowel sounds and
the same consonant sounds after the vowel.
C. The lines have the same number of beats per foot, and the ends of the
words have the same vowel and consonants.
D. The last words on the lines have the same vowels but the final consonants
can differ.
3. What is an important way playwrights and poets use rhyming couplets?
A. to state an important idea or a change from the text that comes before
B to make songs and chants sound more poetic or ethereal
C. to reinforce the rhyme scheme of a poem or section of a play
D. to repeat ideas and rhymes that have appeared earlier in the work
4. While writing a new poem, a poet is thinking about adding a rhyming couplet. The
first line will end with the words a remark. Which choice would be the best for the
end of the second line?
A. to marvel
B. forgot it
C. a review
D. the park

© by Savvas Learning Company LLC. All Rights Reserved. 2