CONTENT Complete Sentences q Fragments q RunOn Sentence

CONTENT Complete Sentences q Fragments q Run-On Sentence q Modifiers q Faulty parallelism q Subject-Verb Aggrement q

Complete Sentences n A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate that work together to make a complete thought. Bobby smiled until he thought his face would crack.

A COMPLETE SENTENCE CONSISTS OF: 1 Subject the person, place, or thing performing or doing the action 2 Predicate/Verb the action 3 Complete Idea the reader isn't left waiting for another word

Sentence Fragments n A SENTENCE FRAGMENT fails to be a sentence in the sense that it cannot stand by itself. It is an incomplete sentence. Some fragments are incomplete because they lack either a subject or a verb, or both. The fragments that most students have trouble with, however, are dependent clauses—they have a subject and a verb, so they look like complete sentences, but they don't express a complete thought. They're called "dependent" because they can't stand on their own.

Sentence Fragments Look at these dependent clauses. They're just begging for more information to make thoughts complete: n n n Because his car was in the shop (What did he do? ) After the rain stops (What then? ) When you finally take the test (What will happen? ) Since you asked (Will you get the answer? ) If you want to go with me (What should you do? ) Does each of these examples have a subject? Yes. Does each have a verb? Yes. So what makes the thought incomplete? ? It's the first word (Because, After, When, Since, If). These words belong to a special class of words called subordinators or subordinating conjunctions. If you know something about subordinating conjunctions, you can probably eliminate 90% of your fragments.

SENTENCE FRAGMENT n n n First, you need to know that subordinating conjunctions do three things: join two sentences together make one of the sentences dependent on the other for a complete thought (make one a dependent clause) indicate a logical relationship Second, you need to recognize the subordinators when you see them. Here is a list of common subordinating conjunctions and the relationships they indicate: Cause / Effect: because, since, so that Comparison / Contrast: although, even though, whereas, while Place & Manner: how, however, wherever Possibility / Conditions: if, whether, unless Relation: that, which, who Time: after, as, before, since, whenever, while, until

SENTENCE FRAGMENT n n Third, you need to know that the subordinator (and the whole dependent clause) doesn't have to be at the beginning of the sentence. The dependent clause and the independent clause can switch places, but the whole clause moves as one big chunk. Look at how these clauses switched places in the sentence: Because his car was in the shop, John took the bus because his car was in the shop. Finally, every dependent clause needs to be attached to an independent clause (remember, the independent clause can stand on its own).

Run-On Sentences n A RUN-ON SENTENCE (sometimes called a fused sentence) has at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself, but the two parts have been connected together with one or two words instead of becoming two sentences. The run -on could be corrected with a semi-colon, Colon, conjunction etc

Run-On Sentences n Remember: The length of a sentence really has nothing to do with whether a sentence is a run-on or not; even a very short sentence could be a run-on. The books are heavy don’t carry them. The books are heavy. Don’t carry them.

Run-On Sentences n When two clauses are connected by only a comma, they are a runon sentence that is called a comma-splice. The books are heavy, don’t carry them.

Ways to avoid run-ons n Write the two clauses as two separate sentences: – It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark. – Henry Whopper was a teller of tall tales. He even told them to his teachers. n Insert a coordinating conjunction (such as "and" or "but") after the comma: – It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark. – Henry Whopper was a teller of tall tales, and he even told them to his teachers. n Insert a semicolon between the clauses: – It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark. – Henry Whopper was a teller of tall tales; He even told them to his teachers.

Ways to avoid run-ons n Insert a semicolon and a transitional word between the clauses: – It is nearly half past five; therefore, we cannot reach town before dark. – Henry Whopper was a teller of tall tales; in fact, he even told them to his teachers. n Insert a colon (if the relationship of the second clause clarifies, defines, exemplifies the first clause): – No man island: we all need to be a part of some community. – The magician's talents were never disputed: every performance in his career ended with a standing ovation.

Modifiers

What is a Modifier? n A word or phrase that adds on and gives extra details to other words, sentences, or clauses. Modifiers should be physically close to the word or phrase that it is modifying.

Modifiers n In grammar, a modifier (or qualifier) is a word or sentence element that limits or qualifies another word, a phrase, or a clause. In English, there are two kinds of modifiers: adjectives, which modify nouns and pronouns, and adverbs, which modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Problems with modifiers n Dangling modifiers

Definition n A dangling modifier is when the added detail is stated unclearly and confuses the reader. These are unclear because they are not close to the word or phrase they are modifying.

Purpose n It gives clarification when the sentence conveys a meaning to the reader that the writer did not intend.

Examples Dangling Modifier n Having been smashed into pieces, he picked up the glass. Correctly Modified n. When the glass was smashed into pieces, he picked it up. The way the first sentence is phrased, it sounds confusing because the modifier isn’t near the phrase it’s supposed to modify. In the second sentence, the phrase being modified was moved right next to the modifier making the sentence correct.

More Examples Dangling Modifier n After reading the study, the article remains unconvincing Correctly Modified n After reading the study, I find the article unconvincing The first sentence is phrased as if the article read the study and was unconvinced which is confusing to the reader because the correct phrase isn’t present. The corrected sentence is phrased with the modifier next to the subject it pertains to casing the sentence to make sense.

Different ways to fix a Dangling Modifier n n This Dangling Modifier: Having been thrown in the air, the dog caught the ball. Can be corrected in the following ways: n n n When the ball was thrown in the air, the dog caught it. The dog caught the ball after it was thrown in the air. The ball was thrown and the dog caught it.

MISPLACED MODIFIER: n n n A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it describes. Sentences with misplaced modifiers often sound awkward, confusing, or downright illogical. Some frequently misplaced single words are almost even exactly hardly merely nearly only scarcely just simply

Misplaced Single word The logical meaning of this sentence is not that the vendor almost sold all of her pottery, but that she sold almost all of her pottery. Therefore, almost correctly belongs next to all.

Misplaced phrase Example #1 As written, this sentence means that children were served on paper plates. On paper plates is misplaced. Correctly written, the sentence means that hamburgers were served, on paper plates.

Misplaced clause Example #1 As written, this sentence means that the store was broken. . Correctly written, the sentence means that the toy was broken.

Example #2 As written, the sentence means that I forgot my keys after I got home.

Squinting modifiers A squinting modifier is a modifier misplaced so that it may describe two situations. Example The sentence above is unclear. Does it mean that I told my son when the game was over? OR Does it mean that I would play with him when the game was over?

Awkward separations An awkward separation creates a confusing meaning. Example As written, this sentence separates the auxiliary verb from the main verb, creating an awkward gap.

FAULTY PARALLELISM n Faulty parallelism is an error in which two or more parts of a sentence are parallel in meaning, but not parallel in form.

1. When elements are parallel in thought, use parallel forms to express them. • cooking, eating, cleaning • to cook, to eat, to clean • have cooked, have eaten, have cleaned • pretty, tall, friendly

2. Balance a noun with a noun, a verb with a verb, a modifier with a modifier, etc. Whenever possible, words of the same kind should be used to do the same jobs in a sentence. • She is charming and beautiful. In this sentence, charming, an -ing word, is balanced with beautiful. They are in parallel structure, however, because they are both modifiers; that is, they both describe a person. • Incorrect: She is charming and has beauty. Both phrases describe her, but charming is a modifier, whereas beauty is a noun. Therefore, the sentence has now lost its parallel structure.

n n n 3. Use parallel construction for words joined by such connectors as and, but, nor, or. I enjoy reading, writing, and conducting experiments in a laboratory. Note that the three elements are all -ing words. This sentence contains proper parallelism. Incorrect: Our baby is cute and behaves well. In this example, the parallelism is faulty. Cute is a modifier; behaves well is a form of a verb. This sentence may be rewritten as follows: Our baby is cute and well-behaved.

n 4. Use parallel structure with such constructions as either. . . or, neither. . . nor, not. . . but, not only. . . but also, both. . . and. n Incorrect: Either going for a ride or to lie in the sun is my idea of a good time. This sentence may be rewritten: n Either going for a ride or lying in the sun is my idea of a good time.

n Incorrect: Not only was he a great man, but also an excellent writer. What is wrong with the parallelism here? Was he a great man contains both a subject he and a verb was; and excellent writer contains neither. This is an especially common error. The sentence may be rewritten as: n He was not only a great man but also an excellent writer. n Now the subject and verb have been moved out of the parallel sections, and there is proper parallelism between a great man and an excellent writer. OR Not only was he a great man, but he was also an excellent writer. Now each clause has a subject and a verb; again there is proper parallelism. n n

n 5. Parallel groups of words in a sentence must have parallel structure. – Incorrect: I promise to be a good husband that I will help clean the apartment. n n n The two groups of words do not have a parallel structure in this sentence. One begins with the to form of a verb, and the other does not. This sentence may be rewritten as follows: I promise that I will be a good husband that I will help clean the apartment. Now the two elements are parallel. Note how the form of the first has been changed to go along with the second.

– Incorrect: By changing the oil myself, and because I know how to do tune-ups, I save money on the care of my car. – Again, the two separate elements of this sentence do not coincide. There is no parallel structure. – The sentence may be rewritten as follows: n n n By changing the oil myself and by doing my own tune-ups, I save money on the care of my car. She got a new job with a higher salary, increased benefits, and she also works fewer hours than before. may be changed to Incorrect: She got a new job with a higher salary, increased benefits, and fewer hours

SUBJECT-VERB AGGREMENT A singular subject demands a singular verb; a plural subject demands a plural verb. That is the simple principle behind subject-verb agreement. e. g. The Computer is old (singular) The computers are old (plural)

Indefinite pronouns such as everyone and everybody feel plural to some writers, but they are always singular — and take a singular verb. Everyone associated with the project is proud to be part of the effort. Someone has to be responsible. Don’t be confused by phrases that come between the subject pronoun and its verb — phrases that may contain plural words. Each of the project partners is responsible for writing a chapter summary.

The verb that accompanies pronouns such as all and some will be determined by whether the pronoun is referring to something that is COUNTABLE or not. Some of the students in the cafeteria have voted already. Some of the grain was ruined by the flood. “Students” is countable, but we cannot count “the grain”; it is one lump, one quantity. None is usually regarded as singular, but it can be used as a plural pronoun. None of the representatives has indicated how he or she will vote. OR None of the representatives have indicated how they will vote.

With fractional expressions (fractions or decimal equivalents), the verb will be determined by what is being measured: is it COUNTABLE or not. Two-fifths of the grain is ruined. One-half of the students were convinced that there would be no final exams this year. Of all the returns we have counted so far, fifty percent are in favor of the referendum. A majority of the student body is in favor of asking the Dean to stay another year.

Phrases such as together with, along with, and as well as seem to join subjects, but they do not work the same as and: they are not conjunctions. Some of the hay in the barn, as well as some major pieces of farm equipment, was ruined in the flood. The major spending bill before Congress, together with some other bills that are awaiting action, is going to cost taxpayers plenty.

In formal writing, when either and neither appear as a subject alone (without their sidekicks or and nor), they are singular. This is true even though the subject seems to be two things. Neither of these choices appears to be satisfactory. The purchasing office will lend me a company car or compensate me for travel expenses. Either is fine with me.

When either and neither act as correlative conjunctions, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the number (singular or plural form) of the verb. Neither the principal nor the teachers are at fault. Either the teachers or the principal has to be responsible for the year-end festival.

When an expletive construction (there is, there are, here is, etc. ) begins a sentence, the subject (which determines the number of the verb) comes after the verb. There are several explanations for the Civil War. We were looking down the street when —all of a sudden — here come Joe and his two brothers. If the management team takes this attitude, there is very little latitude for negotiation.

Be careful when lengthy or numerous modifying phrases come between the subject and its verb. Tim Berners-Lee, one of America’s most prominent computer scientists and —as a founder of the World Wide Web Consortium — one of the most important figures in the development of the Internet, has been working quietly at M. I. T. for many years. The fact that the plural “scientists” and “figures” appear in this sentence has no effect on our choice of a singular verb, “has. ”