Elements of Style: Sentences

Sentences Sentences Paragraphs Sections Essays Main Idea (Thesis) Claim/Point/Idea Main Idea (Thesis) and so on… Sentences Paragraphs Sections Essays

Things to avoid: Repetition of the same words Repetition of ideas Repetition of sentence structures Some solutions: Proofread carefully and combine sentences where necessary Vary sentence lengths and structures

Parts of Sentences Subject + Verb Subject + Predicate = independent clause = sentence Sentence: I ran. Not a sentence: *The phone booth next to the coffee shop around the corner. Introductory Clauses, Phrases, and Words Set off with a comma (unless it’s a short prepositional phrase): Sensing trouble, Lassie bounded off to help Timmy. Although she is small, she packs a mean punch. After dinner he took a nap.

Parts of Sentences Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So) Use commas with independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions: -There was an increase in revenue, so all employees got a large bonus. - It did not rain for five months, but there was some hail. Appositives Nouns or noun phrases that identify other nouns Set appositives off with commas -Bob, a chef, makes tasty spaghetti. -My cousin works at Jumbo’s, a restaurant, but also goes to college.

Things to Avoid Run-Ons Fused sentences- two sentences joined together: *He engaged the crowd very well he had been speaking publicly for years. Comma Splices- two sentences joined by a comma: *The food was decent, I would go there again. * The plan was successful, the erratic behavior ended. Some solutions: try a period, a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), or maybe a semicolon (;) Fragments Missing a subject or verb Some solutions: try joining the fragment to a surrounding sentence or adding the missing component

Voice: Active vs. Passive Passive Voice = form of “to be” + past participle How can you tell if a sentence is in passive voice? Add “by zombies” after the verb… does it still make sense? …If so, it’s passive! *Preventive measures were taken. The committee was taking preventive measures. Why Active Voice? More clear and concise When Passive Voice? Scientific writing De-emphasize actor Incomplete information Emphasis not on subject

Practice