Classes copied and extra material delivered in classes.

BY : Tatiana

August 10th 2016

What is a sentence fragment?

A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence, but it is not. A capital letter begins the group of words, and a period ends it. But between them some necessary parts have been felt out or put in a wrong form, resulting in a fragment.

FRAGMENT: Spending hours every day after school and even on weekends

Studying Composition rules every day after school and even on weekends will help me improve my writing skills.

August 12TH 2016

FRAGMENT: After the couch encouraged him so much last year, and he seems to improve with each passing game.

Revised: After the couch encouraged him so much last year, and he seemed to improve with each passing game, Adonis became a good player.

Fragment:   John gave a report on Louis Agassiz. The well-known naturalist and teacher.

August 15th 2016

Revised:      John gave a repot on Louis Agassiz, the well-known naturalist and teacher.

(wrong appositive)

Fragment:  Then the two boys out the puppy in box. And hid the box in the basement.

Revised: Then the two boys out the puppy in box and hide the box in the basement.

Types of fragments

Finally Mary got disgusted and walked out. Slamming the door behind her. (PARTICIPLE FRAGMENT)

August 17th 2016

VOCABULATY: Capital letter and small letter

Cont…

Henry smiled self-consciously. Like a politician before a camera.(ISOLATED PHRASE)

Revised: Henry smiled self-consciously, like a politician before a camera.

Soon I began to work for the company. First in the rock pit and later on the highway. 
(PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE)

He wil have a change to go home next weekend. And to meet his new stepfather. (INFINITIVE PHRASE)

The sun having risen. We set out our jurney.(ABSOLUTE PHRASE)

The boy wanted an ice cream. An ice cream with milk and strawberry. (APPOSITIVE)

Junior got a nine in the test. And got a point in the activity. (DETACHED PART OF A COMPOUND PREDICATE)

I tried to read the directions. Which were confusing and absurd. (SUBORDINATE CLAUSE)

August 29th 2016     

  Comma splice and run-on sentence

Comma splices are similar to run-on sentences because they also incorrectly connect independent clauses. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are connected with only a comma.

Solution:

1-      Use a period: I completed my essay. I have not submitted it.

2-      Use a semi-colon: I completed my essay; I have not submitted it.

3-      Use a coordinating conjunction: I completed my essay, but I have not submitted it.

4-      Use a subordinating conjunction: I completed my essay, although I have not submitted it.

Sept 9th 2016

Rambling sentence

A rambling sentence may be defined as any sentence that is exceedingly long, and  contains too many independent clauses.

Rambling sentences tend to contain coordinating conjunctions (i.e. and, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet), or words that connect independent thoughts to one another.

The other day I went to my Grandma’s house and when I was there I ate cookies and crackers and she gave me some soda and then I went outside to pick apples and I felt and scraped my knee so she brought me back inside and helped me wash it out and it didn’t hurt at all.

Revised: The other day I went to my Grandma’s house. When I was there I ate cookies and crackers. She gave me some soda. Then I went outside to pick apples. I felt and scraped my knee, so she brought me back inside and helped me wash it out. It didn’t hurt at all.

FORMULAS:

*      CC+CC= RS

*      IC+CC+= EI

*      SC+IC=  NEI

Obscure- intended tone

Overloaded, Padded and empty sentence

Overloaded: Full of something

 Padded: fill or cover something with a lot of cushions

Awry: Out of order

Wordy: excessive number of words

Empty: the point is lost

AGRIP: goal, reader, idea, plan

Overloading sentences with information in brackets

Overloading them with too much information in ‘which’ clauses

Overloading the subject with too many words

wrong

Even though most people think that pterodactyls, flying reptiles that lived more that 65 million years ago in Europe and East Africa, were huge animals, not all of them were about the same size as a sparrow. (too much information - app)

    Revised: Even though most people think that pterodactyls, were huge animals, not all of them were about the same size as a sparrow.

PADDED:

My favorite bikes are thebest ones. (padded)

My bikes are the best in the market

They are my favorite bikes wich are the best ones.

These bikes are the best ones I have.

My version was: My bikes are the best

Faulty parallelism

Expressions of similar content and function are outwardly similar.

1-      I like to study, to cook, to play video games and washing the dishes

I like to study, to cook, to play video games and to wash the dishes.

2-      To play soccer, to study hard and learning new languages is what I like.

 To play soccer, to study hard and to learn new languages is what I like.

October 17th 2016

CORRELATIVE CONJUNTIONS: (both – and, not – but, not only – but also, rather -  than, either – or, neither – nor, first, second, third) should be followed by the same grammatical construction.        

Either you must grand his request or incur his ill with.

You must either grand his request or incur his ill with.

Misplaced modifiers

Basic prinple: Make sure they are next to something they ought to modify.

Example: They barely kicked the ball twenty yards.

Revised: They kicked the ball barely twenty yards.

Example: Frank ate a cold dish of cereal for breakfast.

Revised: Fran ate a dish of cold cereal for breakfast.

MISPLACED MODIFIERS:       

 Misplaced adjective

Misplaced adverbs

Misplaced phrases

Misplaced clauses

-My black mom’s purse was on the bag.

-My mom’s purse was on the bed.

Avoiding Shits tense and voice:

Additional information

Switching from past into present tenses

If you switch from a past tense into a present tense, you give the reader a very specific impression that the action you describe began in the past and continues on in the present. This can create a disorienting effect, and make your reader backtrack in order to clarify the meaning of your statement.

INCORRECT: Thirty years ago, we made fun of the mouse with the iPod, but he just dances and ignores us. [Here, you see two clearly different timeframes. By switching tenses, this statement implies that the mouse has danced for 30 years.]

CORRECT: Thirty years ago, we made fun of the mouse with the iPod, but he just danced and ignored us. [This sentence remains in the past tense and clearly describes an event that happened completely in the past.]

November 21st 2016

Shift errors:

Shift in verb tense

Shift in voice

Shift in person

Shift in number

Shift in discourse

Adive from the teacher

We have to write So on/ and so instead of writing etc because is informal.

BY : Sandra

Topic 1: Fragments

Fragments are groups of words that look like sentences, but they aren’t. those begin with a capital letter and end with a period; however, some necessary parts have been left out or put alone. In the next examples, notice that none of them make sense if you read them by themselves:

Example:

·    The worst disaster area in campus.

·    Even worse than ignorance.

·    A feeling that I could not analyze.

·    Because you loved me.

·    When my mother was in high school.

How to identify and correct fragments

The best way to avoid fragments is to know the differences between sentences and groups of words.

A fragment can be identified when the following things occur:

1-    A fragment lacks of either subject or predicate, and it is punctuated as a sentence.

2-    It has a subject and a predicate, but it starts with a subordinated conjunction.

3-    It has a subject and a predicate, but it starts with the pronoun who or which.

4-    It has both a subject and a verb, but it starts with a noun or an adjective clause.

Topic 2: Comma Splices and Run-on Sentences

Comma splices and run-on sentences are very similar that usually people mixed them. Take a look at their definitions and under what conditions they can occur.

A comma splice occurs when there are two independent clauses joined only by a comma. Here are some examples of comma splices:

·         My family bakes together nearly every night, we then get to enjoy everything we make.

·         I didn’t like the movie, it was too long.

·         My favorite bands are really loud, playing loud music is good for stress relief.

How to arrange comma splices

There are three possible ways to arrange comma splices:

1-    Breaking the sentence into two separated clauses, adding a period or a semi-colon

2-    Adding a coordinating conjunction and a comma

3-    Adding a subordinated conjunction and a comma

A run-on sentences has two independent clauses that have been not properly connected. Let see the following examples:

·       Clean your room first and then we can go to the movie.

·        Look at the people at the parade I wonder where we can sit.

·       The actors are sewing their own costumes it is quite a challenge.

 To arrange run-on sentences, the same method to fix comma splices is suitable here. Run-on sentences occur under the following circumstances:

1-    When an independent clause gives an order bases on what was said previously

2-    When two independent clauses are connected by conjunctive adverbs

3-    When the second of two independent clauses connects a pronoun with the first clause

Topic 3: Rambling Sentences

Ramble: It is to grow or to extend wander (it means to go about from place to place usually without a plan or definite purpose).

A rambling sentence is any sentence that is extremely long and contains too many independent clauses. Their main characteristics are that those sentences confuse readers and often leave them out of brief. Sometimes they are confused with comma splice, but it does not necessarily mean that a comma splice is always a rambling sentence.

Example:

Even though people think that pterodactyls, flying reptiles that lived more than 65 million years ago in Europe and East Africa, were huge animals not all of them were about the same size as a sparrow.

Revised: Even though people think that pterodactyls were huge animals, but not all pterodactyls were about the same size as a sparrow.

Topic 4: Overloaded, Padded, And Empty Sentences

Avoid sentences that contain more information that the reader can easily follow. Instead, divide such sentences into more manageable pieces that can be easily grasped.

Overloaded Sentences occur when the writer tries to cram too much information in a sentence that too often important thought are lost. Long sentences become confused when we put too much information in brackets, overuse ¨which¨ clauses, and make the subjects too wordy.

Improving Empty and Padded Sentences

Padded: To fill or to cover with soft material.

Padded sentences use unnecessary words. They repeat an idea and use long phrases. Example:

 Padded: It is, of course that Cairo is located on River Nile.

Correct: Cairo is located in River Nile.

Empty Sentences do not say anything worth saying. Example:

Empty: Cairo, Egypt, is a large city because it is so vast.

Correct: Cairo, Egypt, is a city of about eight million people.

Topic 5: Mixed and Illogical Constructions

Every part of a sentence must agree in its parts to have a clear meaning of the sentence. Follow the next tips:

·     The subject has to make sense in its relation to the verb.

·     Sentences must have a clear cut subject.

·     Sentences must adjust the form of an indirect quotation.

·     Avoid mix constructions in sentences.

·     Avoid double negatives.

Examples:

·         The reason students kept failing in the test is because they didn’t understand their mistakes. (Faulty predication)

·   The students they enrolled in in their new classes. (Unnecessary extra subject)

·    The boy asked us would we give them a lift to Kenora. (Lack of an indirect quotation)

·    The boy tells the story of a man who lost his money and his struggle against poverty.              (Mixed Construction)

·    I can’t hardly see you. (Doubles Negatives)

Topic 6: Faulty Parallelism

In writing means that similar parts in a sentence must have the same structure; if not you will have Faulty Parallelism. Good tips to have expressions of similar content and function are the followings:

·  Use similar structures to express similar ideas.

·  Use similar expressions when joining two or more items in series.

·  Use parallel structure when making comparisons.

·  Use parallel structure with elements joined by linking verbs.

·  Use parallelism when using correlative expressions.

Examples:

1-    Faulty Parallelism: I enjoy basketball more than playing videogames.

        Corrected version: I love basketball more than videogames.

2-    F P: I like to study, to cook, to play video games, and washing the dishes.

        C V: I like to study, to cook, to play video games, and to wash the dishes.

3-    F P: Driving to Austin is as fast as to fly.

       C V: Driving to Austin is as fast as flying.

Topic 7: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

There are three kinds of problem in modifier placement:

·   Misplaced modifiers

·   Dangling modifiers

·   Squinting modifiers

Misplaced Modifiers can be adjectives, adverbs, phrases, and clauses that are improperly separated from the word it describes.

 Example:

Confusion: Jack can hear Jill when she whispers clearly.

Repair Work: Jack can clearly hear Jill when she whispers.

A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence.

 Example:

Confusion: When nine years old, my mother enrolled in medical school.

Repair Work: When I was nine years old, my mother enrolled in medical school.

A squinting modifier is an unfortunate result of an adverb´s ability to pop up almost anywhere in a sentence; structurally, the adverb can function fine, but the meaning can be obscure or ambiguous. 

Example:

Confusion: Students who seek their instructor´s advice often can improve their grades.

Repair Work: Students who often seek their instructor´s advice can improve their grades.

Topic 8: Shifts

There are many situations in which shift can appear, sometimes without any valuable reason to change elements. Here are some of them:

·    Shift in verb tense

·    Voice

·    Mood

·    Construction of sentences

·    Number

·    Person

BY: Andrea

August 10TH ,2016

What is a sentence?

A sentence is a related group of words that conveys a complet message. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. It contains a subject and a predicate.

Example :

Subject     Predicate

My aunt      works.

What is a fragment?

A fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence, but is not. A sentence fragment is a serious error in composition.

Example:  Spending every day after school and even on weekends give me a chance to take extra

August 12TH, 2016

We discussed about this fragment and the revised version.

I didn´t understand why the gamer failed because the coach encouraged him so much last year and he seemed to improve with each passing game.

Revised: Adonis became a good player after the coach encouraged him   so much last year, and he seemed to improve with each    passing game.

August 15TH, 2016

A fragment occurs whenever you do these three things:

 -Begging a group of words with capital letter.

 -Include this group of words with an end mark, a period, question mark, or exclamation         point.

-Neglect to insert a main clause somewhere between the capital letter at the beginning and the end mark concluding the word group.

Example:  Finally Marie got distinguish and walked out. Slamming the door behind her.

Revised: Finally Marie got distinguish and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

August 19th , 2016

Types of fragments:

-Participial phrase

-Absolute phrase

Isolated phrase

Infinitive phrase

Subordinate phrase

Appositive

Detached part.

Examples:

 The boy wanted an ice-cream. An ice-cream with milk and strawberry.  (Appositive)

R: The boy wanted an ice-cream with milk and strawberry.

Junior got a nine in the test. And got a point in the activity. (Detached part of a compound predicate)

R: Junior got a nine in the test and got a point in the activity.

I saw many children in the garden. Some eating snacks and many playing soccer.  (Absolute phrase)

R: I saw many children in the garden. Some were eating snacks and many were playing soccer.

Comma splice: 2 independent sentences without any coordinating conjunction.

How to fix comma splice:

Cross out the comma, write a period and write a capital letter.

Cross out the comma and write a semi-colon

Use a coordinating conjunction

Use a subordinating conjunction.

August  31th , 2016

Connectors:  use to join two independent sentences to form compound sentences and avoid comma splice.Also, anyway, besides, consequently, however, hence, moreover, nevertheless, therefore, otherwise, finally, next.

I completed my essay; however, I have not submitted.

September 2nd , 2016

Run-on sentences: Two parts have been swooshed together instead of being properly connected.

Example: This next Chapter has a lot of difficult information in it , you should star studying right away.

R: This Chapter has a lot of difficult information in it; you should start studying right away.

September 5th , 2016

Rambling sentence: it has a lot of coordinating conjunctions.

CC+CC= S

IC+CC+IC =EI (Equal importance)

SC+IC=NEI (Not Equal Importance)

 Rambling characteristics:

They are extending long and contain too many independent sentences and clauses.

The length and numerous clauses tend to obscure the key point.

They often confuse the reader.

September 15t , 2016

We had a mini presentation about comma splice, run-on sentence, and rambling sentence.

September 20t  , 2016

Overload sentence: it´s when the writer tries to cram too much information in a sentence. Also, it so crowded that too often important thought are lost.

We have to be carefully when we write and put into practice GRIP:

Goal

Reader

Idea

Plan

September 26th, 2016

Padded sentences

Padded(v): fill or cover something with soft material cushion.  

                       

Examples:

 Padded: My favorite bikes are the best ones.

R1:  My bikes are the best ones.

R2: My bikes are the best ones in the market.

October 5 th, 2016

Mixed and illogical constructions.

-Lack of subject-verb agreement.

Lack of a clear-cut subject.

Lack of an indirect quotation.

Mixed construction.

Double negatives.

Example: the book tells the story of a man who lost his money and his struggle against povberty.

R: the book tells the story of a man who lost his money.

October 10th, 2016

Unnecessary extra subjects

Faulty predicarion

Redondant reason phrase

  The word reason actually means because. Therefore, it is incorrect and redundant to say, the reason is because

Example:  The breed of dog which I know I like tem best than all others because of its intelligence is the German shepherd.

R: I like the German shepherd better than any other dog because its intelligence.

October 12th ,  2016

Parallelism: in writing means that similar parts in a sentence.

Example: I like to study, to cook, to play video games, and washing the dishes. (Faulty)

I like to study, to cook, to play video games, and to wash the dishes. (Correct)

October 17th, 2016

We can find parallelism in:

Correlative expressions

Comparison

Infinitives and gerunds

Clauses

In a series

Verbs

October 26th, 2016

Examples of parallelism:

Faulty: my family is both friendly and they are responsible.

Correct: my family is both friendly and responsible.

Faulty: the author not only wants fame but also money

                                   CC            V         N        CC            N

Correct versions: the author not only wants fame but also wants money.

                                                       CC           V        N        CC              V         N

Not only the author wants fame but also he wants money.

      CC            S              V          N         CC      S       V          N

October 31th, 2016

Misplaced Modifiers: have a bad habit of slipping into the wrong place in a sentence.

The example above suggests that a gold man owns a watch.

November 4th, 2016

Faulty coordinating

When two or more independent clauses of unequal importance are joined by coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) the result is faulty coordination.

We usually find faulty coordination in compound sentences that contain the coordinating conjunction “AND”.

Uses of fanboys:

For – explains reason or purpose (just like because)

Example:

I go to the park every Sunday, for I love to watch the ducks on the lake.

November 7 th, 2016

Over coordination

An over coordinated sentence may appear when the writer uses a lot of coordinated conjunctions to join independent clauses

HOW TO ARRANGE OVER COORDINATING SENTENCES?

The solution is simple. We must come to realize that it is not acceptable to link a long series or thoughts using a series of coordinating conjunctions because the tone of the passage is completed destroyed and replace it with an excited and unorganized tone.

WRONG VERSION:

He picked up his bag for it was time to go, and then he grabbed his coat and walked out the door.

REVISED:

He picked up his bag, for it was time to go. As he grabbed his coat, he walked out the door.

November 16th, 2016

Shifts sentences

Shifts sentences are those ones that one part of it has the verb in one tense and the other one in another tense.

She caught  the ball and ten throws it to the catcher for the out.

Exception

Emphasis on the subject.

Two men scaped from prison yesterday but we were captured immediately.

November 17th, 2016

A stringy sentence is made up of several complete thoughts strung together with words like and or but. Stringy sentences just ramble on and on.

They don’t give the reader a chance to pause before each new idea

 Example:

Martina climbed the stairs of the haunted house, and she knocked on the door several times, but no one answered, and she braced herself, and then she opened the door.

To fix stringy sentence:

break the sentence into two or more sentences

 turn some of the complete thoughts into phrases or subordinate clauses

November 21th, 2016

DANGLING MODIFIERS

A dangling modifier is a phrase or clause that is not clearly and logically related to the word or words it modifies (i.e. is placed next to).

Two notes about dangling modifiers:

Unlike a misplaced modifier, a dangling modifier cannot be corrected by simply moving it to a different place in a sentence.

In most cases, the dangling modifier appears at the beginning of the sentence, although it can also come at the end.

Example: