lesson 3 sentence expansion
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Lesson ThreeSentence Expansion
Dimensions of Language
Cultural
Dimension
Syntagmatic Dimension
Paradigmatic Dimension
1. Formal \ Informal2. Standard \ Nonstandard3. General \ Specific4. In Group \ Out Group
Word Categories
Reference Tools
Dictionary merriam-webster.com
Thesaurus
The Writing AssignmentWrite one or two paragraphs in which you describe and/or explain to one of your classmates your like
or dislike for writing in English.Length: 100 - 200 words
Due at the beginning of next week’s class.
Writing Advice
In fact, I like it, but can’t do it well. To begin with, I don’t always know how to get started when I am asked to write an essay in English
In fact, I pretty like it, but can’t do it well. To begin with, I always don’t know how to get start when I was asked to write an essay in English
Don’t always started
am
Writing Advice Many foreign teachers may feel surprised for the first
time they teach in China. And I also heard some of them complaining. They want us to write whatever we can think of, anything, any style. And that is what most of us want. because they
-- Page 12as well.
have
Many foreign teachers feel surprised the first time they teach in China. I have also heard some of them complaining because they want us to write whatever we can think of--anything, any style. And that is what most of us want as well.
Writing AdviceSometimes, I show great admiration for the great
masterpieces. Actually, I don’t know how could a person writes such works
Sometimes I show great admiration for the great masterpieces. I actually don’t know how a person could write such admirable works.
I actually don’t know how a person could
Sentence Expansion
A sentence base is the minimum required for a sentence. The most basic sentence contains a
noun phrase (NP) and a verb phrase (VP).
Sentence Bases
Mark ate.NP + VP
Sentence Base
Sentence Base
We can also add the following optional third elements to the clause:
an object (O)
a complement (C) and/or an adverbial (AV).
We add these elements to the clause to make a more informative sentence
Sentence Base
ObjectMark met Tracy.
Sentence Base
ComplementTracy seemed to be older.
Sentence Base
AdverbialMark fell in love the first time he saw her.
Sentence Expansion
1. Coordination 2. Subordination
Sentence Expansion
Coordination means “being of equal structural rank.”
Coordination occurs when we use a coordinator (or, and, but, nor, yet, so) to connect parts of a
sentence together.
Sentence Expansion
We can use coordination to connect words or phrases:
1. Mark was excited but nervous.2. He was excited about the feelings he had but
nervous because of his personality.
Sentence Expansion
We can use coordinated elements in the subject or the predicate.
Her beauty and excellent taste for food was
too much to resist..
The opportunity was new and exciting.
Sentence Expansion
Subordination means ‘being of lower structural rank.’
Words that are added to the bare sentence base are said to be subordinate because they are
grammatically secondary to the main elements.
Sentence Expansion
Subordinating elements modify the meaning of the sentence base.
We call theses subordinating elements modifiers. Modifiers are absolutely essential to writing
effectively because they provide vital, substantial, and specific information.
Sentence Expansion
Subordination 1. Relative Clauses
2. Appositive Phrases 3. Adverbial Clauses 4. Participial Phrases 5. Absolute Phrases
Sentence Expansion 1. Relative Clauses
Relative clauses enable the writer to embed a complete subject/predicate into a noun phrase.
Relative = relationship
Relative Clauses are introduced by either a relative pronoun (that, who, or which) or a
relative adverb (where, when, why)
Sentence Expansion 1. Relative Clauses
Example:1. Tracy invited Mark to sit down.2. They shared a pot of coffee.
What is the relationship between these two sentences? How can we make the
relationship more clear?
Sentence Expansion 1. Relative Clauses
Combining the sentences requires the use of a relative clause:
Tracy invited Mark to sit down where they shared a pot of coffee.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
An appositive phrase is a reduced sentence headed by a noun, functioning, just like a relative clause, to define or restrict the noun by adding definition-like
details to it.
Appositive phrases rename nouns or noun phrases.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
Example:
1. Tracy invited Mark to sit down, where they shared a pot of coffee.
2. Mark was an extremely shy person around girls.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
‘Appositive’ simply means being ‘positioned’ next to something, generally a noun. Therefore, the
most common and expected sentence position for the appositive phrase is immediately after the noun
it expands.
Mark, being an extremely shy person around girls, was invited by Tracy to sit down, where they
shared a pot of coffee.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
However, we can also place them at the beginning or the end of a sentence.
These are fairly unusual sentence patterns (especially the latter) and are considered fairly
dramatic, so they will usually come as a surprise to the reader and will send the message that the writer
has taken pains in crafting the sentence.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
An extremely shy person, Mark was invited by Tracy to sit down, where they shared a pot of
coffee.
At the beginning of the sentence the appositive phrase will tend to put more stress on the subject.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
Mark was invited by Tracy to sit down for a cup of coffee an extremely nervous boy when around
girls.
At the end of the sentence the appositive phrase will be the focus of the sentence.
Sentence Expansion 2. Appositive Phrases
Introductory Appositive Series Upset stomach, sweaty palms, and shaking leg
syndrome—all these symptoms caused Mark to act very strangely.
The subject of the sentence is all these symptoms; the list of appositives names the symptoms.
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
Adverbial clauses (subordinating) are clauses that modify verbs using a subordinator.
Examples of subordinating words:
if, since,when, while, although, even though, after, before as if, as long as, as soon as
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
Example:When Tracy allowed me to, I wanted to ask her
out on a date.
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
Two frequent problems with adverbial clauses:
1. The wrong idea gets subordinated2. The meaning of the subordinator is imprecise
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
1. The wrong idea gets subordinated
Example:1.When Tracy allowed me to, I wanted to ask her
out on a date.
2. Tracy allowed me to, when I wanted to ask her out on a date.
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
2. The meaning of the subordinator is imprecise
Example:1. When Tracy allowed me to, I wanted to take her
out on a date.
2. If Tracy allowed me to, I wanted to take her out on a date.
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
Adverbial clauses can be placed in the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
At the beginning of a sentence, adverbial clauses can function as a cohesive link between known and
unknown information.When Tracy allowed me to, I wanted to take her
out on a date.I wanted to take Tracy out on a date, when she
allowed me to.
Notice the change in focus when we change the position.
Sentence Expansion 3. Adverbial Clauses
Placing an adverbial clause in the middle of a sentence will interrupt the flow of the sentence and slow the reader down.
They add stress and length to the words they modify and changes the rhythm.
I wanted, when Tracy allowed me, to take her out on a date.
Next Week:Sentence Expansion & Sentence Combining
The Reading AssignmentPreview Chapter 3, pgs 57-74 for next week’s class
The Writing Assignment
Write one paragraph in which you describe your future career goals and intellectual interests to the faculty of the English Department.
Write another paragraph in which you describe your future career goals and intellectual interests to a Canadian third-year university student.