Writing Effective Sentences Chapter 18

Writing Complete Sentences Has a subject Has a verb Expresses a complete thought Sentence fragment : a word group that has been capitalized and punctuated as if it were a complete sentence NOT a complete sentence!

Sentence Fragments: While he was a student at the University of California. Has a subject Has a verb Does NOT express a complete thought! Was the first African American man to win the Wimbledon tennis championship. Missing a subject!

Run-on Sentences Run-on sentence: Two complete sentences punctuated like one sentence Two separate thoughts run into each other The reader cannot tell where one idea ends and another one begins.

Run-on or Correct? Researchers have created a “virtual frog” it will allow students to see the inside of a frog on the computer. The software allows students to peel back the frog’s muscles. Another option makes the skin invisible.

Combining Sentences Sentence combining helps to reduce the number of repeated words and ideas.

Combining Sentences Combine Sentences by Inserting words Inserting phrases Using And, But, or Or Compound Subjects and Verbs By forming a Compound Sentence Using Subordinate Clauses Making clauses that begin with Who, Which, or That Making clauses with works of time or place

Improving Sentence Style Stringy Sentences Made up of several complete thoughts strung together with words like and or but. Ramble on and on Don’t give the reader a chance to pause before each new idea

Improving Sentence Style Revising Wordy Sentences More words in a sentence than you really need Extra words do not make writing sound better! Fixing wordy sentences Replace a phrase with one word Take out “who is” or “which is” Take out a whole group of unnecessary words

Improving Sentence Style Varying Sentence Structure Mix sentences of different lengths and structures Simple - contains one independent clause and no subordinate clauses Compound – contains two or more independent clauses and no subordinate clauses Complex – contains one independent clause and at least one subordinate clause Adding Varity to Sentences Mix short, simple, compound, and longer sentences with subordinate clauses

Improving Sentence Style Identify the stringy and wordy sentences and use methods to revise them Remember to mix simple, compound, and complex sentences!