Johanna -

The problem I've run into - and members of this list have also identified - 
is that difficulties in identifying dependent and independent clauses (the 
great clause hunts) are based more on the lack of the standard definition, 
rather than on prior grammar grounding.  To generalize, trying to match any 
construction or part of speech based upon its definition in the grammar 
books are bound to fail because the definitions are so lacking.  Therefore, 
students must be provided with more reliable methods for clause analysis.

Geoff Layton



>From: Johanna Rubba <[log in to unmask]>
>In response to Ed's post -- whatever I said about eighth graders, I did
>not mean to suggest that they are completely incapable of identifying
>clauses. I believe I said that they will have a lot of trouble doing so
>if they haven't already had a grounding in grammar in previous school
>years.

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