Saturday, February 11, 2006

Sentences

Kinds of Sentences

SIMPLE SENTENCE

A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and a verb, and it expresses a complete thought.

  1. Some students like to stay out late the night before a 7:30 a.m. class.
  2. John and Joan play chess every evening.
  3. All my students go to the library on Friday night.

COMPOUND SENTENCE

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. What are coordinators? They are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma.

  1. I tried to play tennis, and she tried to bowl.
  2. The entire class arrived late, so I cancelled class.
  3. Alex went to the zoo, but it was closed.

COMPLEX SENTENCE

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.

  1. When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher 10 bucks for a god grade.
  2. I took a long nap after I ate the big Thanksgiving dinner.
  3. All of you are studying hard because you have a test tomorrow.
  4. After you finished studying, you aced the test.
  5. I went to the movies because I had some free time.
  6. Because I had some free time, I went to the movies.

COMPLEX SENTENCES / ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

Finally, sentences containing adjective clauses (or dependent clauses) are also complex because they contain an independent clause and a dependent clause.

  1. The student whom I talked to will play the violin in class.
  2. The grammar book that I suggested you read is gathering dust.
  3. Exxon, which had a profit of more than $40 billion, does all it can to avoid taxes.
  4. Wesley Snipes, who was acquitted, has more to fear from the IRS than vampires.

Yes, we like simple sentences. But sometimes it makes sense to weave an orphaned statement in a simple sentence and create a complex sentence.

For example: Wilbers is trying to portray himself as a nonpolitician outsider. Wilbers was elected to the Assembly last year.

Becomes: Wilbers, who was elected to the Assembly last year, is trying to portray himself as a nonpolitician outsider.
Problem Sentences

Fused Sentence

A fused sentence is an error caused by running two independent clauses together with no separation at all.

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous she was often asked for her autograph.

There are five ways to correct a fused sentence:

1. Separate the clauses with a period.

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous. She was often asked for her autograph.

2. Join the clauses with a semicolon.

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous; she was often asked for her autograph.

3. Connect the clauses with a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb followed by a comma: therefore, consequently, however, moreover, in addition, additionally

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous; therefore she was often asked for her autograph.

4. Connect the clauses with a comma and coordinating conjunction: and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous, and she was often asked for her autograph.

5. Use a subordinator to make one clause dependent upon another: after, before, although, as, before, since, provided that, unless, though

Example: Since the local newscaster enjoyed being famous, she was often asked for her autograph.

Comma Splice

A comma splice is when two independent clauses are joined with only a comma.

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous, she was often asked for her autograph.

See fixes above

Run-On Sentence

A run-on sentence is an error caused by joining two or more independent clauses with only a coordinating conjunction such as and or but

Example: The local newscaster enjoyed being famous and she was often asked for her autograph.

See fixes above


Kinds of Sentence Problems: Identify the sentences as Correct = C or Wrong = W

1. Mary Beth wants to get married, she is tired of living alone.

2. Mary Beth wants to get married she is tired of living alone.

3. The sunset was a beautiful shade of pink, it was very romantic.

4. The sunset was a beautiful shade of pink, so it was very romantic.

5. The sunset was a beautiful shade of pink it was very romantic.

6. He didn't want to talk about it, he wanted to be alone.

7. He didn't want to talk about it. He wanted to be alone.

8. He didn't want to talk about it he wanted to be alone.

9. At three o'clock, Paula called; her brother answered.

10. At three o'clock, Paula called, her brother answered.

11. At three o'clock, Paula called her brother answered.

12. Miriam has changed her lifestyle is now quite glamorous.

13. Miriam has changed; her lifestyle is now quite glamorous.

14. Miriam has changed, her lifestyle is now quite glamorous.

15. Juan always washes his car on Friday he likes to impress his friends.

16. Juan always washes his car on Friday because he likes to impress his friends.

17. Juan always washes his car on Friday, he likes to impress his friends.

18. The wooden chair in the kitchen broke when he sat down it was very old.

19. The wooden chair in the kitchen broke when he sat down, it was very old.

20. The wooden chair in the kitchen broke when he sat down, for it was very old.

21. The sound of that melody is vaguely familiar I'm certain I've heard it before.

22. The sound of that melody is vaguely familiar, I'm certain I've heard it before.

23. The sound of that melody is vaguely familiar; I'm certain I've heard it before.

24. Patience is not one of Kim's virtues, she always gets angry when she has to repeat herself.

25. Patience is not one of Kim's virtues, for she always gets angry when she has to repeat herself.

26. Patience is not one of Kim's virtues she always gets angry when she has to repeat herself.

27. Computers have always fascinated her, someday she hopes to be an engineer.

28. Computers have always fascinated her someday she hopes to be an engineer.

29. Computers have always fascinated her, and someday she hopes to be an engineer.

30. The results of the experiment were confusing because they could be interpreted in several ways.

31. The results of the experiment were confusing, they could be interpreted in several ways.

32. The results of the experiment were confusing they could be interpreted in several ways.

33. Anetta has been living in New York for the past two years she has missed her family desperately.

34. While living in New York for the past two years, Anetta has missed her family desperately.

35. Anetta has been living in New York for the past two years, she has missed her family desperately.

36. Michael missed class yesterday, for he had to take his mother to the hospital. 37. Michael missed class yesterday he had to take his mother to the hospital.

38. Michael missed class yesterday, he had to take his mother to the hospital.

39. May stood on the porch and watched the first light of morning approach slowly across the fields, it was a new day.

40. May stood on the porch and watched the first light of morning approach slowly across the fields it was a new day.

41. May stood on the porch and watched the first light of morning approach slowly across the fields; it was a new day.

42. Sam walked down the gravel road, he looked back only once to nod good-bye.

43. As Sam walked down the gravel road, he looked back only once to nod good-bye.

44. Sam walked down the gravel road he looked back only once to nod good-bye.

45. I bought a new pair of sneakers, my old ones were worn out.

46. I bought a new pair of sneakers, for my old ones were worn out.

Adapted from: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/mschafer/ENG/quiz_runons.doc

Parallelism

Fix these if they need fixing

1. Federal officials demanded that more water be added to streams which benefits salmon by keeping water cool, allowing passage upstream, and preserves spawning areas.

2. Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle.

3. The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner.

4. The teacher said that he was a poor student because he waited until the last minute to study for the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless manner, and his motivation was low.

5. The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that there would be time for him to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by prospective buyers.

6. The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.

Some tips

  1. Skim your text, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are parallel. If not, make them parallel.
  2. If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel.
  3. Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared.
  4. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds?
  5. For example, is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item?
  6. Or do your hear a rhythm being repeated?
  7. If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel.

Adapted from: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_parallel.html

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