Sentence Dos and Don ts. Grammar Review

Transcription

1 Sentence Dos and Don ts Grammar Review

2 A simple sentence has a subject, a verb, and a completed thought. It is also called an independent clause. Examples: Joe waited for the train. The train was late. Mary and Samantha took the bus. I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station. Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station early but waited until noon for the bus. "Joe" = subject "waited" = verb "The train" = subject "was" = verb Mary and Samantha" = compound subject "took" = verb "I" = subject "looked" = verb "Mary and Samantha" = compound subject "arrived" and "waited" = compound verb

3 A compound sentence is made up of 2 independent clauses (complete sentences) connected with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) or a semicolon. Examples: Many and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, and they left on the bus before I arrived. I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station, but they arrived at the station before noon and left on the bus before I arrived. Mary and Samantha left on the bus before I arrived, so I did not see them at the bus station. Joe waited for the train; the train was late. FANBOYS: For And Nor But Or Yet So

4 A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. A dependent clause begins with a subordinating conjunction and cannot be a sentence on its own. Examples: Because Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station before noon, I did not see them at the station. Joe realized that the train was late while he waited at the train station. After they left on the bus, Mary and Samantha realized that Joe was waiting at the train station. Subordinating Conjunctions: After Although As Because Before Even though If Since Though Unless Until When Whenever Whereas Wherever While It is acceptable to begin a sentence with "because" as long as the sentence is complete.

5 A run-on sentence is when 2 or more sentences are joined together without any punctuation between them. It must be corrected. Examples: I forgot to charge my cell phone I missed an important call. I got up late this morning I didn t have time for breakfast. Moving to Louisiana from Maine felt like leaving Earth and going to live on Mars everything was alien and discombobulating.

6 A comma splice is when 2 or more sentences are joined together with only a comma. It must be corrected. Examples: I forgot to charge my cell phone, I missed an important call. I forgot to charge my cell phone, therefore, I missed an important call. Just past the elementary school, Danny came to the railroad crossing, a freight train lumbered down the tracks.

7 There are 3 ways to correct a comma splice. Comma Splice Fixes: 1. Split it up into 2 sentences with a period I got up late this morning. I didn t have time for breakfast. 2. Add a FANBOYS I got up late this morning, so I didn t have time for breakfast. 3. Connect the sentences with a semicolon I got up late this morning; I didn t have time for breakfast.

8 Comma Splice Practice Assignment

9 Comma Splice Practice #1 The boy stood up, he was the filthiest human I had ever seen. His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick. He peered at Miss Caroline from a fist-sized clean space. No one had noticed him, probably because Miss Caroline and I had entertained the class most of the morning.

10 Why is this sentence not a comma splice? His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick. This sentence uses commas in a series.

11 Why is this sentence not a comma splice? No one had noticed him, probably because Miss Caroline and I had entertained the class most of the morning. Complex Sentence

12 The Comma Splice: The boy stood up, he was the filthiest human I had ever seen.

13 Possible Corrections: The boy stood up. He was the filthiest human I had ever seen. The boy stood up; he was the filthiest human I had ever seen. The boy stood up, and he was the filthiest human I had ever seen.

14 Comma Splice Practice #2 Calpurnia appeared in the front door and yelled, Lemonade time! You all get in outa that hot sun fore you fry alive! Lemonade in the middle of the morning was a summertime ritual. Calpurnia set a pitcher and three glasses on the porch; she then went about her business. Being out of Jem s good graces did not worry me especially, lemonade would restore his good humor.

15 Why is this not a comma splice? Calpurnia appeared in the front door and yelled, Lemonade time! You all get in outa that hot sun fore you fry alive! Correctly punctuated dialogue

16 Why is this not a comma splice? Calpurnia set a pitcher and three glasses on the porch; she then went about her business. Compound sentence two independent clauses joined by a semicolon.

17 The Comma Splice: Being out of Jem s good graces did not worry me especially, lemonade would restore his good humor.

18 Possible Corrections: Being out of Jem s good graces did not worry me especially, and lemonade would restore his good humor. Being out of Jem s good graces did not worry me especially; lemonade would restore his good humor. Being out of Jem s good graces did not worry me especially. Lemonade would restore his good humor.

19 Comma Spice Practice #3 Dill took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Jem, the three of us walked cautiously toward the old house. Dill remained at the light-pole on the front corner of the lot, and Jem and I edged down the sidewalk parallel to the side of the house. I walked beyond Jem and stood where I could see around the curve.

20 Why is this not a comma splice? Dill remained at the light-pole on the front corner of the lot, and Jem and I edged down the sidewalk parallel to the side of the house. Compound sentence - two independent clauses joined by a comma and a conjunction

21 The Comma Splice: Dill took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Jem, the three of us walked cautiously toward the old house.

22 Possible Corrections: Dill took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Jem; the three of us walked cautiously toward the old house. Dill took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Jem. The three of us walked cautiously toward the old house. Dill took a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Jem, and the three of us walked cautiously toward the old house.

23 Comma Splice Practice #4 I heard Atticus cough. I held my breath. Sometimes when we made a midnight pilgrimage to the bathroom we would find him reading. He said he often woke up during the night, checked on us, and read himself back to sleep. I waited for his light to go on, straining my eyes to see it flood the hall. It stayed off, I breathed again.

24 Why is this not a comma splice? He said he often woke up during the night, checked on us, and read himself back to sleep. Commas are separating items in a series

25 Why is this not a comma splice? I waited for his light to go on, straining my eyes to see it flood the hall. The phrase after the comma is not a complete sentence or independent clause. It is a participial phrase used here as a adjective.

26 The Comma Splice: It stayed off, I breathed again.

27 Possible Corrections: It stayed off; I breathed again. It stayed off, so I breathed again. It stayed off. I breathed again.

28 Comma Splice Practice #5 No amount of sighing could induce Atticus to let us spend Christmas day at home. We went to Finch s Landing every Christmas in my memory. The fact that Aunty was a good cook was some compensation for being forced to spend a religious holiday with Francis Hancock. He was a year older than I, and I avoided him on principle. He enjoyed everything I disapproved of, he disliked my ingenious diversions.

29 Why is this not a comma splice? He was a year older than I, and I avoided him on principle. This is a compound sentence joined by a comma and a conjunction.

30 The Comma Splice: He enjoyed everything I disapproved of, he disliked my ingenious diversions.

31 Possible Corrections: He enjoyed everything I disapproved of; he disliked my ingenious diversions. He enjoyed everything I disapproved of, and he disliked my ingenious diversions. He enjoyed everything I disapproved of. He disliked my ingenious diversions.