Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Writing effective Sentences
Posted on 6:04 AM by கிள்ளிவளவன்
Writing effective Sentences
Most people do not like to write because they are not always at their best nor are they comfortable expressing themselves openly to others who may not judge them equally or fairly, Cavalone and Wayman, authors of How Do I Get People to Buy into a Creative Writing (http://www.able.state.pa.us/able/lib/able/lfp/lfp04cavalonewayman.PDF) . Such a statement could mean one of two things. First, it could mean that people who do not like to write really cannot write. I totally disagree with this statement because everyone can write. However, everyone cannot write well, which leads me to the next statement. Second, those who do not like to write need to improve their skills, so they can understand the difference between writing and effective writing. This statement I agree with because many Americans today in the digital age still have trouble with English, especially English composition, which includes grammar, mechanics, and punctuation. Most notably are the problems most people have writing sentences. Many of them believe that simple words, such as “I worked today “ is an effective sentence. The truth is, “I worked today” is a good sentence, but it is not an effective sentence. In the article, sentences will be discussed and analyzed to show people who do not like to write, how to write effective sentences.
Instructions
1. Step 1
SENTENCE WRITING 101: THE STRUCTURE OF THE SENTENCE
Most people already know that the sentence is composed of two parts: a subject, which usually comes first and names someone or something; and a predicate, which usually follows the subject, tells what the subject does, has, or is, what is done to it, or where it is, according to Heffernan, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed. Here are some examples of sentences:
1. John watches television.
2. Jane washed her hair Friday night.
3. The buttons fell off his shirt.
4. The cat leaped on to the table.
Next, subjects and predicates combine to form clauses. There are three types of clauses. The first clause is an independent clause, which is a simple sentence with a subject and predicate. The dependent clause, which also has a subject and predicate is not a sentence. The third clause, a relative clause, serves as a noun, an adjective, and an adverb. The relative clause is also called a non-restrictive or restrictive modifier, which will be discussed later.
Most people already know that the sentence is composed of two parts: a subject, which usually comes first and names someone or something; and a predicate, which usually follows the subject, tells what the subject does, has, or is, what is done to it, or where it is, according to Heffernan, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed. Here are some examples of sentences:
1. John watches television.
2. Jane washed her hair Friday night.
3. The buttons fell off his shirt.
4. The cat leaped on to the table.
Next, subjects and predicates combine to form clauses. There are three types of clauses. The first clause is an independent clause, which is a simple sentence with a subject and predicate. The dependent clause, which also has a subject and predicate is not a sentence. The third clause, a relative clause, serves as a noun, an adjective, and an adverb. The relative clause is also called a non-restrictive or restrictive modifier, which will be discussed later.
2. Step 2
SENTENCE WRITING 102: IDENTIFYING SUBJECTS AND VERBS
In the last section, we discussed the structure of the sentence and the two parts of the sentence was disclosed: subjects and predicates. Subjects are usually nouns or pronouns. Predicates are the parts of the sentence that includes verbs, direct and indirect objects, object complements, and subject complements, according to Heffernan, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed. But, in order to figure out why nouns or pronouns make up subjects, a brief discussion on identifying subjects are needed.
Nouns are persons, places, things, ideas, or events. So the following examples are nouns: chair, hat, vacation, theory, and storm. But nouns are also verb-like words and phrases that act as nouns called verbals. Examples of verbals are gerunds or -ing words that act as nouns and infinitives or words that are formed when “to” is added to a verb, such as “work.” In the sentence, Swimming is a good way to have fun, the word “swimming is a noun and a gerund because swimming is an event or activity that people do, but not the act of doing it. In the sentence, To build sand castles on the beach is Billy’s favorite pastime, “to build” is a noun and infinitive because like swimming, to build is a thing, according to Heffernan, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.. Look over the next few sentences and see how the subjects are identified.
1. Working this hard has to be a crime.
2. To fall down and hit my head on the cement is not pleasant at all.
3. Boats sailed across the harbor this morning.
4. Georgia is a fun place to visit.
5. A good couple is Rita and Greg.
6. Saher’s bat mitzvah was the biggest rites of passage ceremony of the year.
7. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is still the most innovative idea of the twentieth century.
In the previous section, we discussed nouns of different types. Now, we will discuss verbs and how they contribute to make sentences better. Verbs are words that show action, mood, location, and state of being. For this reason, there are three types of verbs: linking, transitive, or intransitive, according to Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.
Linking verbs help to state what subjects are by linking subject complements or words in the predicate that identify, classify, or describe the subjects. Here are some examples:
1. The capital of Arizona is Phoenix
2. Douglas was a slave
In the last section, we discussed the structure of the sentence and the two parts of the sentence was disclosed: subjects and predicates. Subjects are usually nouns or pronouns. Predicates are the parts of the sentence that includes verbs, direct and indirect objects, object complements, and subject complements, according to Heffernan, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed. But, in order to figure out why nouns or pronouns make up subjects, a brief discussion on identifying subjects are needed.
Nouns are persons, places, things, ideas, or events. So the following examples are nouns: chair, hat, vacation, theory, and storm. But nouns are also verb-like words and phrases that act as nouns called verbals. Examples of verbals are gerunds or -ing words that act as nouns and infinitives or words that are formed when “to” is added to a verb, such as “work.” In the sentence, Swimming is a good way to have fun, the word “swimming is a noun and a gerund because swimming is an event or activity that people do, but not the act of doing it. In the sentence, To build sand castles on the beach is Billy’s favorite pastime, “to build” is a noun and infinitive because like swimming, to build is a thing, according to Heffernan, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.. Look over the next few sentences and see how the subjects are identified.
1. Working this hard has to be a crime.
2. To fall down and hit my head on the cement is not pleasant at all.
3. Boats sailed across the harbor this morning.
4. Georgia is a fun place to visit.
5. A good couple is Rita and Greg.
6. Saher’s bat mitzvah was the biggest rites of passage ceremony of the year.
7. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is still the most innovative idea of the twentieth century.
In the previous section, we discussed nouns of different types. Now, we will discuss verbs and how they contribute to make sentences better. Verbs are words that show action, mood, location, and state of being. For this reason, there are three types of verbs: linking, transitive, or intransitive, according to Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.
Linking verbs help to state what subjects are by linking subject complements or words in the predicate that identify, classify, or describe the subjects. Here are some examples:
1. The capital of Arizona is Phoenix
2. Douglas was a slave
3. Step 3
SENTENCE WRITING 103: IDENTIFYING SENTENCES WITH PURPOSE AND THE TYPES OF SENTENCES
Effective sentence writing is not done just by putting together subjects and predicates. They are also put together by knowing what they will be used to perform. In other words, the purpose of the sentence can establish its effectiveness. For example, there are sentences that declare, give a command, ask questions, and show emotion. These sentences are declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory, according to David Megginson, Review: Sentence Usage.
The declarative sentence is a statement that presents an argument or a fact without requiring an answer or action from the reader. Most times declarative sentences when used in logic or philosophy are referred to as premises. In language, literature, and English, it is called a rhetorical statement. The best example of a rhetoric statement is an indirect question. Examples of declarative sentences and indirect questions are below.
1. A baseball rotates faster than a football.
2. I wonder whose words of idleness spelled my ruin.
3. Washington is a state and a district.
4. I wonder where my new shoes are.
The imperative sentence gives a direct command to someone, which could be forceful or shallow. Forceful commands usually accompany exclamation points. Examples of imperative sentences are presented below.
1. Sit down now!
2. Take off your hat in my house.
3. Remember the titans.
4. Come on!
The interrogative sentence asks a direct question and always ends in a question mark. Examples of interrogative sentences are presented below.
1. Who can tell me what happen in the year 1492?
2. How many workers dos it take to complete a three hour job?
3. Does any have money to pay for this trip?
Interrogative sentences do not have indirect questions as stated above; therefore, most of them, do not need question marks and those that do are not interrogative. Here are some side by side examples.
1. When was the last time I eat something? Direct/Interrogative sentence
2. I wonder when I last ate something .Indirect/ Declarative sentence
Finally, interrogative sentences are also made of rhetorical questions or questions that do not require an answer. Here are some examples of rhetorical questions.
1. What would happen if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived?
2. How would you survive an earthquake?
3. What if slavery never happened?
4. Does catastrophe have to occur before good men act?
Effective sentence writing is not done just by putting together subjects and predicates. They are also put together by knowing what they will be used to perform. In other words, the purpose of the sentence can establish its effectiveness. For example, there are sentences that declare, give a command, ask questions, and show emotion. These sentences are declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory, according to David Megginson, Review: Sentence Usage.
The declarative sentence is a statement that presents an argument or a fact without requiring an answer or action from the reader. Most times declarative sentences when used in logic or philosophy are referred to as premises. In language, literature, and English, it is called a rhetorical statement. The best example of a rhetoric statement is an indirect question. Examples of declarative sentences and indirect questions are below.
1. A baseball rotates faster than a football.
2. I wonder whose words of idleness spelled my ruin.
3. Washington is a state and a district.
4. I wonder where my new shoes are.
The imperative sentence gives a direct command to someone, which could be forceful or shallow. Forceful commands usually accompany exclamation points. Examples of imperative sentences are presented below.
1. Sit down now!
2. Take off your hat in my house.
3. Remember the titans.
4. Come on!
The interrogative sentence asks a direct question and always ends in a question mark. Examples of interrogative sentences are presented below.
1. Who can tell me what happen in the year 1492?
2. How many workers dos it take to complete a three hour job?
3. Does any have money to pay for this trip?
Interrogative sentences do not have indirect questions as stated above; therefore, most of them, do not need question marks and those that do are not interrogative. Here are some side by side examples.
1. When was the last time I eat something? Direct/Interrogative sentence
2. I wonder when I last ate something .Indirect/ Declarative sentence
Finally, interrogative sentences are also made of rhetorical questions or questions that do not require an answer. Here are some examples of rhetorical questions.
1. What would happen if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived?
2. How would you survive an earthquake?
3. What if slavery never happened?
4. Does catastrophe have to occur before good men act?
4. Step 4
SENTENCE WRITING 104: SENTENCES THAT CONTAIN CLAUSES, PHRASES, AND MODIFIERS
Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that describe, limit, or qualify another word or phrase in a clause or sentence, according Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.
Example: Roses grow during springtime . (good sentence)
Red roses grow better in deciduous areas in the northwestern United States during springtime. (effective sentence)
Phrases are groups of words that neither have a subject or verb or both. Examples of phrases are participial phrases, adverb phrases, adjective phrases, noun phrases, verb phrases, appositive phrases, gerund phrases, prepositional phrases, and infinitive phrases. Below are sentences written with these phrases, Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.
Example. A sentence with a participial phrase.
Excited about baking, Shelley attended Culinary College to become a master chef.
Example: A sentence with an adverb phrase.
Fred remained remarkably calm as he found out that he is HIV negative.
Example: A sentence with an adjective phrase.
Wendy, excited and joyful, won a trip to Las Vegas.
Example: A sentence with a noun phrase.
Many varieties of cheese are made in Switzerland and Wisconsin.
Example: A sentence with a verb phrase.
Penelope would have made one million dollars if she would have signed the contest consent form.
Example: A sentence with an appositive phrase.
Cesare Lombroso, denoted father of Criminology, came up with the theory of Atavism, the archetype of a criminal with primitive behavior matched with abnormal facial and cranial features.
Example: A sentence with a gerund phrase.
Making bridges like a mechanical engineer, beavers are the construction workers of the wilderness.
Example: A sentence with a prepositional phrase.
Women love shopping at malls, supermarkets, and shopping centers.
Example: Sentences with an infinitive phrase.
Working professionals enjoy going to work.
To live in Hawaii is a very exciting experience.
Contemporary women are determined to succeed regardless of the sacrifices they have to make.
Clauses are groups of words that contain a subject and a verb. However, only the independent clause is actually a sentence. The other types of clauses are dependent clause or subordinate clauses, relative clauses, and restrictive and non-restrictive clauses, Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill,
Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that describe, limit, or qualify another word or phrase in a clause or sentence, according Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.
Example: Roses grow during springtime . (good sentence)
Red roses grow better in deciduous areas in the northwestern United States during springtime. (effective sentence)
Phrases are groups of words that neither have a subject or verb or both. Examples of phrases are participial phrases, adverb phrases, adjective phrases, noun phrases, verb phrases, appositive phrases, gerund phrases, prepositional phrases, and infinitive phrases. Below are sentences written with these phrases, Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill, Writing: A College Handbook, 5th Ed.
Example. A sentence with a participial phrase.
Excited about baking, Shelley attended Culinary College to become a master chef.
Example: A sentence with an adverb phrase.
Fred remained remarkably calm as he found out that he is HIV negative.
Example: A sentence with an adjective phrase.
Wendy, excited and joyful, won a trip to Las Vegas.
Example: A sentence with a noun phrase.
Many varieties of cheese are made in Switzerland and Wisconsin.
Example: A sentence with a verb phrase.
Penelope would have made one million dollars if she would have signed the contest consent form.
Example: A sentence with an appositive phrase.
Cesare Lombroso, denoted father of Criminology, came up with the theory of Atavism, the archetype of a criminal with primitive behavior matched with abnormal facial and cranial features.
Example: A sentence with a gerund phrase.
Making bridges like a mechanical engineer, beavers are the construction workers of the wilderness.
Example: A sentence with a prepositional phrase.
Women love shopping at malls, supermarkets, and shopping centers.
Example: Sentences with an infinitive phrase.
Working professionals enjoy going to work.
To live in Hawaii is a very exciting experience.
Contemporary women are determined to succeed regardless of the sacrifices they have to make.
Clauses are groups of words that contain a subject and a verb. However, only the independent clause is actually a sentence. The other types of clauses are dependent clause or subordinate clauses, relative clauses, and restrictive and non-restrictive clauses, Hefferman, Lincoln, and Atwill,
5. Step 5
Obviously, writing effective sentences is a work in progress and a process that will not be learned over night. But, do not get discouraged. Rather, take four to six weeks to study the information provided in this article or study it daily. Afterwards, apply what you have learned. Practice writing sentences in a composition notebook daily. Chances are when you write letters, business correspondence, or compositions, people will be impressed by how you deliver your points of view. You do not have to be a college student or have a degree in English to write well. You just need practice and study.
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