1. Writing Effective Sentences
Chapter 18

2. 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!

3. 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!

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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