REVIEW

Writing 4

Happy Punctuation Day!

September 24, 2014

What does a sentence need to be complete?

Complete Sentences

A complete sentence needs the following things: A subject A verb A complete thought Ending punctuation

Here’s an example of a sentence fragment:

Because you wore that hat. Did you notice how the sentence is an

incomplete thought? Because you wore that hat, what will happen? We don’t know.

Because you wore that hat, I will take you to lunch. Now we know what will happen: you look really terrific in

that hat, so I’m going to treat you to lunch because of your gifted sense of fashion. We have joined the fragment to an independent clause; “I will take you to lunch” works fine as a sentence on its own.

Of course another option would be: Your hair is a mess because you wore that hat. Now the fragment follows the dependent clause. Another

option is to get rid of “because” since that word is causing all of the trouble:

You wore that hat. Therefore, I will take you to lunch.

Are these complete sentences? I run.

Because I ate too quickly.

In order to cash the check.

As I lay dying.

Fragments

Fragments are incomplete sentences and you should eliminate them from your writing.

Fragments can be missing a subject, a verb, or they won’t express a complete thought. They could also be missing correct punctuation.

You can fix fragments by adding the missing thing, or by connecting the fragment to another related sentence.

Fragments

The dog at the pet shop.

Walked slowly up the stairs with a heavy load on his back.

Before going to bed.

Dependent Word Fragments

If you see a dependent word, you should look closely to see if the sentence expresses a complete thought.

Once I got my car started.

Dependent Words

After, although, as, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order that, once, provided that, rather than, since, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, wherever, whether, while, why

Dependent Word fragments

Dependent word fragments can be made into complete sentences by completing the thought.

How can we complete these thoughts?

Once I got my car started.

Because my mom ate too much.

After getting my hair cut.

If you start a sentence with a dependent word, you need a comma.

Once I got my car started, I went to work.

Because my mom ate too much, she felt sick.

After getting my hair cut, I went to an interview.

If the dependent word is in the middle of the sentence, you don’t need a comma.

I went to work once I got my car started.

My mom felt sick because she ate too much.

I went to an interview after getting my hair cut.

Other Fragments

-Ing fragments These fragments often start

with an –ing verb but don’t complete the thought.

Connect to a previous sentence. Infinitive fragments

These fragments use an infinitive (TO + Verb) incorrectly.

Connect to a previous sentence. Afterthought fragments

These fragments often start with words like “for example,” “such as,” or “including.”

Connect to a previous sentence.

Aunt Olivia always wears a helmet. Worrying that a meteor will fall on her head.

Jiggling his foot nervously, Ron sat in the principal’s office. To explain why he brought his python to math class.

Jacob has several ways to annoy his instructors. Such as rolling his eyes, smirking, or playing on his phone.

Practice

Before going to the supermarket to buy groceries.

Richie loves to walk his friends’ dogs at the park. For example, Kim’s Labrador or Gary’s bulldog.

Phillip left work early. To memorize the vocabulary that his Spanish midterm would test the next day.

Run-Ons and Comma Splices Run-Ons and Comma

splices don’t have proper punctuation. They combine what could be two complete thoughts into one sentence.

Run-On Example: My best friend rides his motorcycle to work I take the bus.

Comma Splice Example: Cheese cake is delicious, desserts are fattening.

Why is this a problem?

If sentences go on forever, it will be difficult to comprehend what it is you are trying to convey.

On the GED test, you will need to find and correct run-ons and comma splices.

Fixing Run-Ons and Comma Splices There are three main ways to

fix Run-Ons and Comma Splices:

1. Separate the complete thoughts with a period and a capital letter.

2. Use one of the FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) and a comma to join the ideas together.

3. Use a semicolon to separate two related ideas.

Fix this three ways: My favorite food is pizza it is

greasy.

Practice: Use the three methods on these Run-Ons and Comma Splices

When Matt shaved his head, his mother worried that he had joined a cult the real reason for the bald head, however, was that Matt could get more attention and sympathy from girls who thought he was sick with a dread disease.

At the back of the classroom, Nina sat with her arms crossed, glaring at her teacher, Mr. Beane, her body language indicated that English was her least favorite subject.

My cat Buster loves to nap on warm appliances when he sleeps on top of the television, his tail swipes the screen like a windshield wiper.

Three types of sentences

There are three basic types of sentences in English: The simple sentence The compound sentence The complex sentence

When writing, you should try to employ a mixture of these sentences, so that you can better express your ideas.

Simple: I ate bacon and eggs.

Compound: I ate bacon and eggs, so I was unable to run after breakfast.

Complex: After eating bacon and eggs, I watched sports on TV for three hours.

Types of Sentences

Simple Sentences Simple sentences have

one main clause. Compound Sentences

Compound sentences combine two independent clauses with a comma and one of the FANBOYS.

Complex Sentences Complex sentences use

a dependent clause and a comma.

Simple: I ate bacon and eggs.

Compound: I ate bacon and eggs, so I was unable to run after breakfast.

Complex: After eating bacon and eggs, I watched sports on TV for three hours.

Write a paragraph with a mixture of simple, compound, and complex sentences. 1. Identify a topic 2. Create a topic

sentence 3. Use a

combination of sentence types in your paragraph.

4. Edit