Writing in English-03

Lecture3EffectiveSentences3.1SentenceFragmentsAsentenceisawordgroupthathasasubjectandverbandexpressesacompletethought.Asentencefragmentisnotacompletesentence.Instead,itisawordgroupthatbeginswithacapitalletterandendswithaperiodbutdoesnotexpressacompletethought.EXERCISE13:Underlinethefragmentsbelow.Thenmakethechangesnecessarytoformcompletesentences.1.Ilookforwardtoholidays.Forexample,ThanksgivingandChristmas.2.Thetablewascoveredwithfreshvegetables.Suchaslettuce,carrots,spinach,andsquash.3.Rontriestocallhomeonceaweek.Tostayintouchwithhisfamily.4.Tohavethethemesgradedby8:00.Theinstructorworkedtwohoursafterschool.5.Theseareoranges.ThatmysistershippedusfromCalifornia.6.Speakinginacalmvoice.Theflightattendantreachedforthefireextinguisher.7.Toarrivebeforeclassbegins.Ihavetoleavetheapartmentby7a.m.8.Theyarehavingapartytomorrow.BecauseitisJill’sbirthday.9.Ifyouknowwhodidit.Pleasedon’ttellanyonebutme.10.SinceBillisbroke.Heplanstolookforajobafterschool.11.Thetestdirections,difficulttofollowandoftenvague.12.Ioftendomyhomework.Whiletalkingonthephonewithmyboyfriend.3.2Run-onsandCommaSplicesToomuchendpunctuationresultsinsentencefragments;toolittlecreatesrun-ons(alsocalledfusedsentences).Toolittleendpunctuationinyourwritingmeansthatsomeofyoursentenceshavebeenfusedtogether,runningonfromonecompleteideatothenext.Theresultforyourreadercanbechaotic.Hereisanexample:FinishtypingthelettertotheHoltCorporationintenminutesIwillgiveyouareportfortheboardtomorrowwewillbeginanewproposalonmarketing.Themessageoftheseinstructionsisconfusedbecausetherearethreesentencesherebutonlyoneperiod.Withoutknowingthewriter’sintentions,weareleftwithmorequestionsthananswers.Shouldwefinishtypingintenminutes?Willthereportbegivenintenminutesortomorrow?Dowebegintheproposaltomorrow,today,orsometimeinthefuture?Acommaspliceisasentenceinwhichacommahasbeenusedinsteadofaperiodorsemicolontoseparatetwoindependentclauses.Herearetwoexamples:1)Commasplice:Marywrotetwoletters,shestudiedforherhistoryexamination.Correction:Marywrotetwoletters,andthenshestudiedforherhistoryexamination.2)Commasplice:Paulgoeshomeeveryweekend,heneverseesanyofthehomegames.Correction:Paulgoeshomeeveryweekend;thus,heneverseesanyofthehomegames.Therearetwowaystocorrectrun-onsandcommasplices:1.Correctarun-onorcommasplicebyplacingaperiodbetweenthesentencesandcapitalizingthefirstwordofthesecondsentence.Forexample:FinishtypingthelettertotheHoltCorporation.IntenminutesIwillgiveyouareportfortheboard.Tomorrowwewillbeginanewproposalonmarketing.2.Iftheideasarecloselyrelated,correctarun-onorcommasplicebyplacingasemicolonbetweenthesentencesorbyaddingacommaandbut,and,or,nor,for,so,oryet.Forexample:FinishtypingthelettertotheHoltCorporation;intenminutesIwillgiveyouareportfortheboard.FinishtypingthelettertotheHoltCorporation,forintenminutesIwillgiveyouareportfortheboard.EXERCISE14:Correctthefollowingcommasplices.1.Helookedalloverthehouse,hecouldn’tfindhisglasses.2.SometimesIridethebustoschool,sometimesIridewithmyneighbour.3.Andywaslatetowork,heranalltheway.4.GaryranwellFriday,hewonfirstinthe100-yarddash.5.Ifinishedwashingthecar,Iwaxedthekitchenfloor.6.Sueseldomfollowsarecipe,sheisagreatcook.7.Christmasholidaysaremarvelous,Iamalwaysreadytogetbacktoschool.8.GonewiththeWindisextremelylong,itisneverboring.9.Noonecametotheparty,itwasacompletefailure.10.Humannatureisseldomassimpleasitappears,hastyjudgmentarethereforeoftenwrong.EXERCISE15:Correctthefollowingrun-ons.1.Fewcouplesrealizethehighcostofraisingachildfrombirththroughcollegeonestudyestimatestheexpensetobebetween$80,000and$100,000.2.Thedogsuddenlyattackedwehadtoruntoclosethegate.3.Mybrotherrunsamileeverymorninghesaysrunningmakeshimfeelbetterallday.4.Max’sfavoritesubjectisEnglishhedoesn’talwayshavetimetoreadeverythingheneedsto.5.Rayisafineplumberhechargestoomuchforhiswork.6.JasonusedtoliveinourdormIgottoknowhimverywell.7.Janetwantstobeinpoliticsonedaysheismajoringingovernment.8.SanFranciscoboaststworecord-breakingstreetsoneisthesteepesttheotheristhemostcrooked.9.ThehighestsuspensionbridgeintheworldspansRoyalGorgeovertheArkansasRiverinColoradoitis1,053feetabovetheriver.10.LastmonthRalphquitsmokinghelosthissmoker’scoughwithinafewdays.EXERCISE16:Correcttherun-onsinthefollowingArabicstory.Ifpossible,usecombiningwords;butrememberthatitisnotalwayspossible:periodsarenotalwaysbad.AlongtimeagotherelivedamannamedAliBaba,hewasasimplewoodcutter.OnedayAliBabawasintheforestcuttingtreesafterawhilehegottiredsoheclimbedatreetorest.Hesleptinthetree,hewasawakenedbyanoisebeneathhim.Belowhimhesawaman,heapproachedahugerockonthesideofahill.Themansaid,“OpenSesame,”therockrolledtooneside.Themanenteredthecave,stayedforawhileandcameout.Hesaid“CloseSesame,”therockrolledbackintoplaceandthemanleft.AliBabawaitedforawhile.Hewassureitwassafe,heclimbeddown,wenttotherockandsaid“OpenSesame.”Therockrolledaway,heenteredthecaveexcitedly.Therehesawmanyboxes,theboxeswerefullofdiamondsandmoney.Whilehewaslookingattheboxesinamazementheheardagroupofmenapproaching,hehidbehindal