Writing Effective Sentences I

Semester I

Prof. Younnes ELKHADIRI

· What are the characteristics of effective
sentences?
· How to structure effective sentences?
 Introduction
• Knowledge of English sentence structure in the
written form will enhance your ability to write
compositions, essays, and research papers.
• After reading, practicing, and doing the activities on
Sentences and Fragments, you will be able to:

1. Distinguish between sentences and fragments.

2. Change fragments to sentences.
3. Write correct sentences.
· Accurate
· Clear
· Concise
· Easy to understand
· Emphasis on what is being said, not how it is
said
· May cause misunderstandings.
· May not be understood at all.
· May cause costly problems.
· Reflects poorly on the writer and
organization.
· Use lists.
· Emphasize new and important information.
· Use sentences with appropriate length.
· Focus on the real subject.
· Focus on the real verb.
· Use parallel structure.
· Use proper modifiers.
· Easy to remember and understand.
· Break up long lists with 10 or more items.
· Use a parallel structure.
· Use appropriate lead-in.
· Use correct punctuation.
 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SENTENCES AND
FRAGMENTS

• A sentence must have a subject and a verb.

• A sentence must have an action (verb) and a person,
place or thing (subject) performing that action.

• For example, in the following sentence:

• Unemployment is rising.
• Subject: Unemployment
• Verb: is rising
 A sentence must also make sense on its own.

• Any group of words that does not make sense

on its own is called a fragment. Here are two
examples of fragments:
• As people ask (What happens when people
ask?)
• If it’s sunny (What happens if it’s sunny?)
 A fragment is an incomplete sentence.

• Fragments are often used in speaking.

• “Coming?” you say.
• “Not yet,” your friend replies.
• “Why not?” you ask.
• “Because I have to finish my assignment first,”
your friend answers.
 Cont.
• Each of the word groups you and your friend say
in this example is a fragment.
• These word groups make sense in conversation.
• You and your friend know what you are talking
about.
• You can raise your eyebrows, sound surprised,
or use any of the many other ways we all have
of making our meaning clear with gestures or
tone of voice.
 Cont.
• But in writing, fragments do not make sense on
their own.
• A reader cannot see gestures or hear your tone of
voice.
• Each group of words you write must be a sentence
so that you can be understood.
• You need to check what you write to be sure that
you have written sentences, not fragments.
 HOW TO IDENTIFY FRAGMENTS
• A sentence has at least one subject/verb set.
• Study the following example:
• All students need to complete this module.

• There is a subject “students” and a verb

“need” with some other words that together
make sense and convey a complete thought.
 Cont.
• When the subject or the verb or both are
missing, it is easier to identify a fragment.
• Look at these examples of fragments:
1. Stopped to let off passengers.
2. Wayne Gretzky, the famous hockey player.
3. To the game on Thursday night.
 Changing fragments to sentences.

• If you wondered what stopped to let off passengers, then

you noticed that number 1 was missing a subject.
• Consider these possible corrections:
– THE BUS stopped to let off passengers. The subject, bus, was
added.
– Wayne Gretzky, the famous hockey player, BECAME the
captain of Team Canada.
• The verb, became, was added with other words.
– The entire FAMILY WENT to the game on Thursday night. The
subject, family, and verb, went, were added.
• There could be many other choices of subjects and/or
verbs that will help to make a fragment a sentence.
 Cont.
• It is not always easy to recognize fragments when
they look as though they have a subject/verb set,
but have an incomplete verb.
• VERBS WITHOUT HELPERS
• Many verbs are not complete without helpers.
• Fragment: New books ordered by the teacher.
Sentence: New books were ordered by the
teacher.
 “ING’ VERBS
• Verbs ending in “ING” are not complete without
a helper.
• Fragment: The mechanic fixing the car.
Sentence: The mechanic is fixing the car.
 TO + VERB
• Verbs with “to” before them need another
verb to help.
• The form of the verb expressed by to + verb is
called the infinitive form.
• Fragment: To visit her mother during the
holidays.
• Sentence: She is going to visit her mother
during the holidays.
 Cont.
• Some sentences have an understood subject, as in
these examples:
1. Wash your hands.
2. Go to sleep.
3. Don’t forget.
• The word group “Wash your hands.” contains the
verb “wash.” The subject of the verb is “you”
(understood).
• The above word groups express a complete
thought and are, therefore, sentences with the
understood subject of “you.”
 Sentence definition!
• A sentence is a group of words that makes
sense on its own.
• Some word groups seem to have a complete
subject/verb set, but are fragments because
they do not make sense by themselves.
• Consider this example:
• After the children visited the zoo in the
morning.
 Cont.
• There is nothing wrong with the verb, “visited,”
and the word “children” is a noun.
• However, the word at the beginning of the
sentence, “after,” signals to the reader that there
should be more to come.
• The fragment leaves the reader wondering what
happened after the children visited the zoo.
• Words that leave us “up in the air” give us only a
part of the idea. The main part of the idea is
missing.
 Cont.

• One possible complete sentence could be:

• After the children visited the zoo in the
morning, their mothers took them home.
 Fragment indication:
• Here is a list of the most common words that
indicate a possible fragment:
So While If

Until Then Next

Before Since Instead of

After Unless Although

When Because Though

 Cont.
• Read a sentence carefully when it starts with
one of these words.
• Does the sentence make sense on its own?
• If it makes sense on its own, it is probably a
sentence.
• If it does not, it is probably a fragment.
 Examples!
• Look at these examples:
• Before the concert started.
• Since they arrived in Massachusetts.
• Although it rained.

• If you wondered what happened before the

concert started, you noticed that this word
group is a fragment.
 Cont.
• Consider these possible corrections:

• Before the concert started, the stage lights went

on.
• Since they arrived in Massachusetts, they have
lived in Lynn.
• Although it rained, they went to the beach.
 REMEMBER!

• A SENTENCE MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE

SUBJECT/VERB SET.

• A SENTENCE MUST MAKE SENSE ON ITS OWN.

 Practice!

• Before you can correct fragments in your own

writing, you have to be able to identify them.
The following exercises will help you with this.
• Exercise 1-1 Read the following word groups.
Decide which are sentences and which are
fragments. Write “S” for sentence and “F” for
fragment.
1. While I was cooking, the doorbell rang.
2. We all have breakfast together.
3. After the rain had been beating down on the
island for hours.
4. In my free time, I watch sports on T.V.
5. The woman standing at the bus stop with the
small baby.
6. Although we could have gone shopping at the
mall last night.
7. If you aren’t busy, could you help me?
8. When I got ready for work.
9. He is always on a diet.
10. When I’m feeling tired, and want a break.
• Exercise 1-2 Read the following word groups. Decide which
are sentences and which are fragments. Write “S” for
sentence and “F” for fragment.
1. Instead of going to class, getting help, and doing her
work.
2. Because of his illness, he was away from work for two
weeks.
3. She has been studying English for three years.
4. George and Harry work at Macy’s.
5. The woman in the grey suit, sitting at the desk.
6. The graduation ceremony will be held outdoors.
7. Since Christmas, we have been working on the same
book.
8. The car with the broken windshield and the dented
door.
9. Tickets for the show went on sale this morning.
10.Painted green, with a shiny brass handle in the middle.
 HOW TO CORRECT FRAGMENTS
• If the subject, the verb, or both are incomplete
or missing, you need to make the idea
complete.
• There are three ways to do this. In all methods,
you may need to add other words to make the
meaning clear of the reader.
1. Join the fragment to the sentence BEFORE IT.

• Incorrect:
• The tourists will still be able to watch the whales.
(Sentence)

• Because the ship’s captain will conduct special trips.

(Fragment)

• Correct:
• Tourists will still be able to watch the whales because
the ship’s captain will conduct special trips.
•
 2. Join the fragment to the sentence AFTER it.

• Incorrect:
• If the weather is warm enough. (Fragment)
• We can go to the beach. (Sentence)
• Correct:
• If the weather is warm enough, we can go to
the beach.
• Use a COMMA when you connect a fragment
like this to the sentence.
3. Complete the thought.

• Incorrect:
• Because the roads are covered with snow.
(Fragment)

• Correct:
• Because the roads are covered with snow,
motorists are warned to drive carefully.
 Practice!
• Your corrections may be different. The examples are
one possible way to correct the fragments.
• The following two exercises will give you practice in
correcting fragments.

• Exercise 1-3: Read each of the following word

groups carefully. First, if the word groups are
sentences, write “S”; if one or both of the word
groups is a fragment, write “F”. Then, change the
fragments into sentences, using one of the above
methods.
1. The man leaning against the stop sign at the street
corner. Looked at me.
2. I volunteered to work at the arena. I can’t afford to get
tickets to the game.
3. He put in the last suitcase. Then watched his friend
trying to close the trunk.
4. Under the pile of old clothes was a suitcase full of
money.
5. The house bought in September 1988. Sold in 2000.
6. Coming to school this morning. I drove behind a school
bus.
7. Because she wasn’t feeling well, she went home.
8. Since she saw him last week.
9. In the wastepaper basket, next to the desk.
10. Walking through the park, we discussed the problem.
• Exercise 1-4: Follow the same directions that you used in
Exercise 1-3 and do the following examples.

1. A man’s wool suit was displayed in the department store

window. It was gray.
2. Whenever there is a long line-up in the cafeteria. I never
wait.
3. My nose was red. The last time that I had a cold.
4. Because he wanted to improve his English skills. He went to
the Writing Center.
5. Meryl Streep has acted in many fine movies.
6. Including “A Cry in the Dark” and “The French Lieutenant’s
Woman”.
7. She nodded. When I asked the child if she was lost.
8. I like meeting people who have come from different
countries.
9. Because she presented herself well at the job interview.
10. He felt confident that he had done well on the test.