Lecture Two Sentence Base

Unit 4, 5, 6

Sentence construction, expansion (more informative ) and some

grammars

Coverage for Today

What is a sentence?SubjectAnd its position

What is a sentence?

Grammar: subject + predicate (basic) E.g. She talks. Morphology: in between two adjacent en

d punctuations. Semantic validity: one sentence, one comp

lete idea. 1. Mary is a student; she lives in Shaoxing.

2. When you are free.

Subject Choosing a subject is the beginning of any

sentence construction So it is a crucial step to an effective sentence.

Examples (or the example in the book) We lacked pertinent (relevant) information. Our lack of pertinent information was troublesome.

What Is a Good Subject?

Do NOT use nominalization ( 名词化，如 enjoyment ) and abstract nouns ( 如 leadership ).

USE human, specific and concrete ones. People (it is a verb) Your Sentences

Why? Because a human, specific subject makes the idea

clear and easy to follow whereas nominalizations or abstract nouns make the sentence inflated

Nominalization ( 名词化 )A "nominalized" sentence is one in which abstract

nouns perform most of the work.

Their cessation ( 停止 ) of hostilities was because of their personnel losses

They ceased hostilities because they lost personnel.

The collection of samples was taking place at the crime scene.

At the crime scene, Deputy Harris collected blood samples.

Not merely the Subject

This paper gives an analysis of the problem and offers a solution.

This paper analyzes the problem and solves it.

The task was brought to completion. The task was completed. They completed the task.

Stop Nominalization Nominalized Phrase Succinct （简洁的） Revisio

n gave a report made a decision offered a suggestion issued an announcement

Reported decidedSuggestedannounced

People Your SentencesIt means that you put life into a lifeless sentence.

The sentence “The common reaction is incredulous laughter” comes to life with

Most people just laugh with disbelief.

There was a similar plan introduced in 2002. Better: A similar plan was introduced in 2002. Best (if you know who did it): Environmentalists

introduced a similar plan in 2002.

Use Nominalization only Sometimes For conciseness or for a change or variety

( 多样化 ). I do not understand either what she meant or

what he intends. I do not understand either her meaning or his i

ntentions. We discussed a tax cut. Our discussion is concerned with a tax cut.

Classroom Activities Page 44 and 45 Because she was reluctant to work steadily,

she was unprepared for the presentation on Monday.

I was so frightened by the movie that I did not sleep for three nights.

I learned a great deal in my chemistry class. Few people are intelligent enough to

understand this concept. I was too embarrassed to speak.

Position of the Subject

Usually, subject placed at the beginning---- strong points (end focus) and linear( 线性的 ) reason.

But don’t overdo it; you will bore your audience.

She is beautiful and intelligent. She works for the government. She earns more than 6k a month.

Variety of Positions of the Subject

David and I coincidentally ended up sitting right next to each other at the Super Bowl.

In an amazing coincidence, David and I ended up sitting next to each other at the Super Bowl.

Sitting next to David at the Super Bowl was a tremendous coincidence.

Classroom Activities Page 46 Rod missed the fun of college by making …. Cayenne is used by Mexican cooks because

it adds…. The neighborhood was terrified by the dog

which barked …. Patty began apartment hunting by paging

through….

Voices Voice enables us to look at the action in

a sentence from two perspectives, without any change to the fact.

The butler killed the master. The master was killed by the butler.

Voices

Active Voice Versus Passive Voice There is a myth that passive voice is mor

e sophisticated. No!!! Using active voice for most of your sentenc

es makes your meaning clear and direct instead of being too complicated or wordy, flat and uninteresting.

Voices

Active voice emphasizes the action itself, while passive voice emphasizes the condition after the action is taken.

My brother broke the teapot. (active, dynamic)

The teapot was broken by my brother. (passive, condition of the teapot)

Choosing Passive VoicePassive voice makes sense when the

agent performing the action is obvious, unimportant, or unknown or to avoid mentioning the agent at all.

Passive Voice The dispatcher is notifying police that three prisoners

have escaped.

Police are being notified that three prisoners have escaped.

Surgeons successfully performed a new experimental liver-transplant operation yesterday.

A new experimental liver-transplant operation was performed successfully yesterday.

Authorities make rules to be broken," he said defiantly.“

Rules are made to be broken," he said defiantly.

Notice 1. Avoid starting a sentence in active voice and then

shifting to passive.

Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but it was still ordered frequently.

Many customers in the restaurant found the coffee too bitter to drink, but they still ordered it frequently.

2. Avoid dangling modifiers caused by the use of passive voice.

To save time, the paper was written on a computer. (Who was saving time? The paper?)

To save time, Kristin wrote the paper on a computer.

Passive VoiceClassroom Activity on page 48 1. The salesman had traveled the road many

times, but he had never before noticed the old house.

2. The tourists had a safe trip because the guide explained all the dangers carefully.

3. The mother bird, bringing a worm to feed its young, flew directly to the nest.

4. It is an effective sentence. 5. If you can learn how to use a thesaurus, you

will find it quite useful.

神形兼备话修饰 ----Attributes

Why do we use attributes to expand simple sentences?

There is a dog. There is a dotted dog. There is a furry, dotted dog. There is a furry, dotted dog standing on

short legs.

Attributes

Simple sentences are like bones & flesh, basics----

like a naked person Attributes are the clothes. They make simple sentences more

informative, interesting, vivid and clearer. Look at the example.

Attributes

Determiners Adjectives Nouns -ing forms -ed forms Infinitives Prepositional phrases

Determiners( 限定词 )

This or that, which is used more frequently? These or those?

Adjectives

Use of adjectives is an ability. Enlarge your pool of adjectives.

abhorrent abrupt accusing accusatory admonitory bantering boring

brash bucolic cautious coarse colloquial concerned despairing

desperate disdainful disgusted ecstatic effusive elated elegiac

eloquent embittered erudite exuberant foreboding gloomyharsh

haughty humble indignant inflammatory irreverent irritated

ironic joyful loving miserable melancholic nostalgic

optimistic outraged paranoid passionate patronizing pedant

peaceful pessimistic pitiful pleasant pompous pretentious

questioning reflective reminiscent resigned sanctimonious

sarcastic sardonic scornful sentimental serene shocked

solemn somber soothing snobbish snooty sympathetic taunting

turgid vexed vibrant whimsical anxious appreciative apologetic

Arrogant audacious condemning condescending contemptuous

dreamy mocking moralistic mournful persuasive piquant cynical

compassionate confidant

Nouns

There is an increasing intendancy of using nouns as attributes.

Office workers Health examination Success story

-ing forms & -ed forms

The forms placed after or before the noun modified.

He knows many people living in that area. He knows many people who live in that

area. Many people prefer furniture made of wood Many people prefer furniture that is made of

wood.

Prepositional phrases

Do not use too many prepositions; drop them or replace them with content words ( 实义词 )

The title of the film-----the film title

Relative Clauses

A clause ( 从句 ) is a sentence consisting a subject, predicate or other elements; it is used as an attribute ( 定语 ) to modify a previous noun.

I like the music that can help me relax.

Relative Clauses

Why use relative clauses? 1. Expand the main sentence. 2. Give emphasis to a specific idea over

another. I bought a toy car for my son, which he liked

very much. My son liked the toy car which I bought for

him.

Relative Clauses

Page 64-65

Relative Clauses

Writing correct relative clauses (page 65-66)

Use of relative words depends on the noun preceding them (antecedent).

Relative Clauses

Classroom Activities 1). This tribe, which was once thought to be

Egyptians, is actually a nomadic people from Europe that has migrated to Asia.

2). For the first time, the FIFA World Cup, which is held every four years, was going to be held in neighboring countries that were both believed to be not strong in football.

Assignment

Transitions & Conjunctions ------ due on 15th

Participles

Definition Function Relationship Benefits Use Punctuation

Participles

Definition &Function A participle is a verbal that is used as an adj

ective and most often ends in -ing or -ed. The term verbal indicates that a participle is based on a verb and therefore expresses action.

Participles

Relationship The use of participles depends on the relationship between

the action of the participle and the noun described. 3 relationships: doer, receiver and completion of the verb

The frightening battle lasted three days. The frightened soldier cupped his face in his hands,

screaming. The retired chairman cast his last look toward his office. Fallen leaves

Participles

Benefits 1. More details------ clearer and descriptive;

therefore, more interest will be added.

Compare the following: The battle lasted three days The frightening battle lasted three days.

Participles

2. More concise----- use of participles indicates relationships which are usually shown by relative clauses.

Compare the following two sentences: The soldier, who was frightened, cupped his

face in his hands, screaming. The frightened soldier cupped his face in his

hands, screaming.

Participles

5 ways of using participles Simple form Perfect aspect Passive voice Perfect aspect in passive voice With conjunctions

ParticiplesPunctuation:

1.When a participial phrase begins a sentence, a comma should be placed after the phrase. Arriving at the store, I found that it was closed.

2.If the participle or participial phrase comes in the middle of a sentence, it should be set off with commas. The church, destroyed by a fire, was never rebuilt.

3. Note that if the participial phrase is essential to the meaning of the sentence, no commas should be used:

The student earning the highest grade point average will receive a special award.

Participles

4. If a participial phrase comes at the end of a sentence, a comma usually precedes the phrase if it modifies an earlier word in the sentence, but not if the phrase directly follows the word it modifies.

The local residents often saw Ken wandering through the streets.(The phrase modifies Ken, not residents.)

Tom nervously watched the woman, alarmed by her silence.(The phrase modifies Tom, not woman.)

Absolutes

An overall principle: be careful using them unless you are very sure of your use.

What is an absolute?

Absolutes

Three forms of absolutes 1. –ing form Weather permitting, the game will be played on Sa

turday. 2. –ed form All things considered, we should not adopt his plan. 3. the form without a verb The meal over, we began to work again. H

e went off, gun in hand.

Absolutes

Relationships indicated by absolutes 1. Cause and effect All things considered, we should not adopt his plan. 2. Condition Weather permitting, the game will be played on

Saturday. 3. Time The meal over, we began to work again.

Incomplete Sentences Are the following complete sentences? Did right. I listening to you. As you like it.

Incomplete Sentences

A complete sentence

Contains at least A subject A predicate (which is a verb) And a complete thought.

Predicate

A predicate indicates not only the action, but also such grammatical functions as tenses, voices and so on.

I frightened, gape-mouthed. I was frightened, gape-mouthed. I not like the boy. I do not like the boy. She staring at the attacker. She was staring at the attacker.

×

×

×

Incomplete Sentences Page 67. Coach Dietz exemplified this behavior by

walking off the field in the middle of a game. Leaving her team at a time when we needed her.

I need to find a new roommate. Because the one I have now isn't working out too well.

The current city policy on housing is incomplete as it stands. Which is why we believe the proposed amendments should be passed.

Comma-Split Sentences Two independent clauses are separated only by a comma.

This is what we should avoid. Incorrect: He is very cute, he is liked by the neighborhood. Correct: He is very cute, so he is liked by the

neighborhood. Correct: He is very cute; he is liked by the neighborhood. Correct: He is very cute, and he is liked by the

neighborhood. Correct: Because he is very cute, he is liked by the

neighborhood.

Run-on sentences

Run-ons or fused sentences are terms describing two independent clauses joined together with no connecting word or punctuation to separate the clauses.

Incorrect: They weren't dangerous criminals they were detectives in disguise.

Correct: They weren't dangerous criminals; they were detectives in disguise.

Incorrect: I didn't know which job I wanted I was too confused to decide.

Correct: I didn't know which job I wanted, and I was too confused to decide.

Transitions & Conjunctions

连接副词 (adverbial connectors) 并列连词 (coordinating conjunctions) 附属连词 (subordinating conjunctions)

Assignment

Notes (I,II) Transitions and conjunctions