english common sentence problems

8/6/2019 English Common Sentence Problems

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English 101: CompositionEnglish 101: CompositionCommon Sentence ProblemsCommon Sentence Problems

(Keys for Writers, Ch. 7) (Keys for Writers, Ch. 7)

Professor Amelia LopezProfessor Amelia Lopez


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Sentence EssentialsSentence Essentials

DeclarativeDeclarative states facts; report informationstates facts; report informationThe car is blue.The car is blue.

Imp erativeImp erative commands; gives instructionscommands; gives instructionsComplete this assignment.Complete this assignment.Ex cla m atoryEx cla m atory expresses strong emotionexpresses strong emotionWow! I said stop! That quiz was easy! Wow! I said stop! That quiz was easy!

In terrogativeIn terrogative qu estionsqu estionsWho won the race? Who won the race?


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Understanding theUnderstanding the

5 Basic Sentence Patterns5 Basic Sentence PatternsTra ns itive verb sTra ns itive verb s carries the actioncarries the actionacross to an object.across to an object.

The student The student readread a story.a story.In tra ns itive verb sIn tra ns itive verb s does not carry any does not carry any action. Does not have complements.action. Does not have complements.

The temperatureThe temperature droppeddropped. .


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Linking VerbLinking Verb (relates the subject and a(relates the subject and aword referring to the subject (subject word referring to the subject (subject complement).complement).

Can refer to the senses (feel, look, smell,Can refer to the senses (feel, look, smell,sound, taste) sound, taste) Indicate being (be) Indicate being (be) Indicate seeming (seem, appear) Indicate seeming (seem, appear) Indicate remaining (remain, keep, stay) Indicate remaining (remain, keep, stay) Indicate becoming (become, grow, turn) Indicate becoming (become, grow, turn)


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ComplCompleements (not complments (not compli iments) ments)

Complements are re qu ired by the verb.Complements are re qu ired by the verb.Direct object, Indirect object, S ubject Direct object, Indirect object, S ubject Complement, Object Complement Complement, Object Complement

(Sub) (Verb) (Direct Object) (Indirect Object) (Sub) (Verb) (Direct Object) (Indirect Object)

She threw She threw the ballthe ball to himto him


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Direct ObjectsDirect Objects

Direct Objects receive the action of theDirect Objects receive the action of theverb or show the res ult of the action.verb or show the res ult of the action.

D.O. answer who? or what?D.O. answer who? or what?David wroteDavid wrote the e ss ay.the e ss ay.T ina madeT ina made ha m a nd egg sha m a nd egg s ..

Susie t urnedSusie t urned the turtlethe turtle onto its back.onto its back.


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I ndirect Object I ndirect Object

I ndirect objects are typically no uns,I ndirect objects are typically no uns,prono uns or no un phrases which name theprono uns or no un phrases which name the

recipient of the direct object.recipient of the direct object.I .O. answer [I .O. answer [toto oror forfor] Whom?] Whom?She sent She sent the mthe m a letter in the mail.a letter in the mail.M

aria gaveM

aria gaveG

eorgeG

eorge a gift. [M

aria gavea gift. [M

aria gavea gift to George.]a gift to George.]


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Subject Complement Subject Complement

Subject complements follow aSubject complements follow a l inking l inking verbverb and identify, classify, or describe theand identify, classify, or describe the

subject).subject).

T he game isT he game is a te s t of e nd ura n cea te s t of e nd ura n ce ..T

he cake tastesT

he cake tastes sw eetsw eet ..F red seemsF red seems a n grya n gry ..


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Object Complement Object Complement

Object complement identifies or describesObject complement identifies or describesthe direct object).the direct object).

News of the strike left the st udentsNews of the strike left the st udentss o m e w hat d is a pp oi n te ds o m e w hat d is a pp oi n te d ..

Luis likes his steak Luis likes his steak w ell d o n ew ell d o n e ..


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Pattern #1Pattern #1

Subject + I ntransitive verbSubject + I ntransitive verbThe s unThe s un shinedshined..PricesPrices dr opp eddropp ed ..

Jan Jan sn o ressn o res..

Subject + I ntransitive verb + adverbSubject + I ntransitive verb + adverbThe tele pho neT h e tele pho ne rangrang l o udl y.l o udl y.TimTim swamswam q uick l y.q uick l y.T h e b usT h e b us st op sst op s h ere o n M o nd ays.h ere o n M o nd ays.


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Subject + T ransitive Verb + Direct Object Subject + T ransitive Verb + Direct Object

M atteo prefersM atteo prefers popcornpopcorn. . Jill saw Jill saw the mo usethe mo use from a distance.from a distance.


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Subject + T ransitive Verb + I ndirect Object Subject + T ransitive Verb + I ndirect Object + Direct Object + Direct Object

subject subject ++ trans. Verb + D.O. + I .O.trans. Verb + D.O. + I .O.

Professor Lopez gaveProfessor Lopez gave the m uff insthe m uff ins toto herherst udents.st udents.subject subject +trans. Verb + I .O. + D.O.+trans. Verb + I .O. + D.O.

F ranco gaveF ranco gave his momhis mom a big h uga big h ug in thein themorning.morning.


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Subject + T ransitive Verb + Direct Object +Subject + T ransitive Verb + Direct Object +Object Complement Object Complement

Subject + T rans. Verb + D.O.Subject + T rans. Verb + D.O. + Object Complement + Object Complement

Cheryl consideredCheryl considered Carl s bean so upCarl s bean so up s altys alty ..W ool socks will keepW ool socks will keep your fee t your fee t w ar mw ar m ..

T he comp uter madeT he comp uter made George s li feGeorge s li fe ea s ierea s ier ..


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Subject + Linking Verb + S ubject Subject + Linking Verb + S ubject Complement Complement

subject + linking verb + S.C.subject + linking verb + S.C.

T hose men areT hose men are brute sbrute s ..T heir new baby remainedT heir new baby remained a w akea w ake f orf orhours.hours.

The p uppy became a

The p uppy became a ferociou s d ogferociou s d og ..Our f irst glimpse o f the sea wasOur f irst glimpse o f the sea was aabreathtaki n g vie wbreathtaki n g vie w ..


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Common Sentence ProblemsCommon Sentence Problems

T he f ollowing examples areT he f ollowing examples are somesome o f theof the

common errors we make.common errors we make.

F ollow along on yo ur hando ut.F ollow along on yo ur hando ut.


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F ragmentsF ragments

W e stopped by Cl ub 720W e stopped by Cl ub 720 .. Beca use weBeca use weenjoy dancing Salsa.enjoy dancing Salsa.

We stopped by Cl ub 720 beca use we enjoy

We stopped by Cl ub 720 beca use we enjoy dancing Salsa. (or reverse order) dancing Salsa. (or reverse order)


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W rong Verb or T enseW rong Verb or T ense

Yesterday, we Yesterday, we choos echoos e strawberry; today,strawberry; today,wewe choos ingchoos ing vanilla.vanilla.

Yesterday, we chose strawberry; today, we Yesterday, we chose strawberry; today, wewill choose vanilla.will choose vanilla.


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T ense Shi f t T ense Shi f t

Altho ugh I was f ive at the time, I Altho ugh I was f ive at the time, I u nd er s ta ndu nd er s ta nd w hat they w hat they s ai d .s ai d .

Altho ughI w

as f ive at the time,I Altho ugh

I w

as f ive at the time,I understood w hat they said.understood w hat they said.


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Lack o f Subject Lack o f Subject--Verb Agreement Verb Agreement

Waff l e s i s Waff l e s i s my f avorite break f ast.my f avorite break f ast.Waff l e s ar eWaff l e s ar e my f avorite break f ast.my f avorite break f ast.


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Prono un Error ( Proshi f t ) Prono un Error ( Proshi f t )

Visiting the W riting Center enco urages Visiting the W riting Center enco urages m em eto contin ue w riting and rein f orcesto contin ue w riting and rein f orces you r y ou r critical thinking skills.critical thinking skills.

Visiting the W riting Center enco urages me Visiting the W riting Center enco urages meto contin ue w riting and rein f orces my to contin ue w riting and rein f orces my critical thinking skills.critical thinking skills.


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Adjective Adjective Adverb Con fusion Adverb Con fusion

T he Bears didn t play T he Bears didn t play goo dgoo d . I f elt . I f elt ba d ly.ba d ly.T he Bears didn t play w ell. I f elt bad.T he Bears didn t play w ell. I f elt bad.


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1) Separate the sentences w ith a1) Separate the sentences w ith aperiod or semicolon.period or semicolon.

Hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast f ood. (;) Hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast f ood. (;) I like the Big M ac at M cDonald s the best.I like the Big M ac at M cDonald s the best.


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2) Use a comma, b ut make s ure it is2) Use a comma, b ut make s ure it isf ollow ed by one o f the 7 conj unctionsf ollow ed by one o f the 7 conj unctions

(and, b ut, or, nor, so, f or, yet).(and, b ut, or, nor, so, f or, yet).

Hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast f ood, b ut Hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast f ood, b ut I

like the BigM

ac at M

cDonald s the best.I

like the BigM

ac at M

cDonald s the best.


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3) Separate the sentence w ith a3) Separate the sentence w ith aperiod or semicolon, f ollow ed by aperiod or semicolon, f ollow ed by a

transitional expression f ollow ed by atransitional expression f ollow ed by acomma.comma.

Hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast f ood;Hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast f ood;ho w ever, I like the Big M ac at M cDonald sho w ever, I like the Big M ac at M cDonald sthe best.the best.


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4) Re w rite the sentence as one using4) Re w rite the sentence as one usinga s ubordinating conj unction to makea s ubordinating conj unction to make

one cla use dependent on the other.one cla use dependent on the other.

Altho ugh hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast Altho ugh hamb urgers are my f avorite f ast

f ood,I

like the BigM

ac at M

cDonald s thef ood,I

like the BigM

ac at M

cDonald s thebest.best.


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5) Condense or restr uct ure the5) Condense or restr uct ure thesentence.sentence.

T he Big M ac at M cDonald s is my f avoriteT he Big M ac at M cDonald s is my f avoritef ast f ood.f ast f ood.


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F uzzy SyntaxF uzzy Syntax

M ix e d Co ns tructio nM ix e d Co ns tructio nBy asking f or a raise in yo ur c urrent By asking f or a raise in yo ur c urrent

position may provide yo u w

ith careerposition may provide yo u w

ith careeradvancement advancement Asking f or a raise in yo ur c urrent position Asking f or a raise in yo ur c urrent positionmay provide yo u w ith career advancement may provide yo u w ith career advancement By asking f or a raise in yo ur c urrent By asking f or a raise in yo ur c urrent position, yo u may gain access to careerposition, yo u may gain access to careeradvancement.advancement.


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M ore F uzzinessM ore F uzziness

F aulty Co mp ari s o nF aulty Co mp ari s o nLike Sandra Cisneros, T ina s f ather is oldLike Sandra Cisneros, T ina s f ather is old- -

f ashioned.f ashioned.Like Sandra Cisneros, T ina has a f atherLike Sandra Cisneros, T ina has a f atherw ho is oldw ho is old--f ashioned.f ashioned.

[T ina s f ather is like Mr. Cisneros, not like Sandra[T ina s f ather is like Mr. Cisneros, not like Sandra

Cisneros.]Cisneros.]


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Parallel Str uct ureParallel Str uct ure

He likes eating and to sleep.He likes eating and to sleep.

He likes to eat and to sleep.He likes to eat and to sleep.He likes eating and sleeping.He likes eating and sleeping.


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Double NegativesDouble Negatives

Negative + Negative = PositiveNegative + Negative = PositiveHe don t do nothing. ( He don t do nothing. (This really meansThis really means

that he does something.) that he does something.)

He doesn t do anything.He doesn t do anything.He does nothing.He does nothing.


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T HE ENDT HE END

english common sentence problems

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