COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES- I ENGLISH WRITING 25. WRITING SKILLS: CONSTRUCTION OF SENTENCES This is the first lesson under the fifth Unit which will expose you to the preliminary step to acquiring Writing Skills. This lesson moves forward from the previous units of Semester I where Grammar was extensively covered. The activity of grammarrelated Lab exercises has made you familiar with writing simple, small sentences. Now, we take you one step further and discuss the tools for effective sentence formation.
25.0 Objectives By the end of this lesson you will: i. ii.
form various types of sentences on your own applying grammar rules, write sentences in a logically structured form
25.1 Introduction As you are aware, writing is one of the four basic components of communication. You are also aware that any written matter comprises of sentences. The first step to writing, therefore, would be to acquire the necessary practice in writing sentences. You will now learn the rules pertaining to construction of different types of sentences and the tools used to construct, combine and expand various forms of sentences. This will enable you to gain confidence in the writing of paragraphs and passages later. You need to pay careful attention to and become aware of the types of sentences. When learning, make a conscious effort to think about the rules given and check to see how they apply to the given examples. Thereafter, try to create similar sentences to see if you have really understood the rules. You need to avoid common errors while writing sentences; you have already learnt the various grammar rules in earlier units. You need to apply these correctly. Remember that correct sentence formation is the foundation for effective communication.
25.2 What are Sentences? Let us now go through some simple questions to learn about sentences.
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1. What is a sentence? A sentence is a group of words placed in a logical order to express a thought, or state a fact. One of the most basic rules of punctuation is that every sentence must begin with a capital letter. 2. What does a sentence look like? A sentence can make a statement, ask a question, give information or express a strong thought. 3. What are the different kinds of sentences? Sentences are of three kinds: simple, compound and complex. We shall deal with them separately. This will help you understand and identify each type and also give the basic rules to be observed while forming sentences.
25.3 The Simple Sentence A simple sentence contains only a single subject and a single verb, and it expresses a complete thought. In other words, it can stand alone as a sentence. It also expresses only one idea. The subject refers to the main character in the sentence. The verb tells us what the subject does. Look at the following sentence: The children sang songs. subject: children verb: sang The tree fell to the ground. subject: tree verb: fell The teacher refused to listen to me. subject: teacher verb: refused In the sentences above, we are able to recognize a simple subject and the verb. The verb is also known as the simple predicate. The classification based on the examples already given is:
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Subject
Predicate
children tree teacher
sang fell refused
25.4 The Compound Sentence A compound sentence is formed by linking two simple sentences. A conjunction such as and, for, nor, but, yet, or, so, links the two sentences. A comma is used before a conjunction. For example: The police searched the place, but they found no evidence. The little boy is poor, but he is honest. He was happy, therefore he kept smiling. I might go to a movie, or I might visit my friends. Did you notice in the given examples that compound sentences are made up of two independent sentences? (Challenge: Would you be able to separate them into two different simple sentences?)
25.5 The Complex Sentence A complex sentence is formed with an incomplete sentence and a complete (main) sentence. For example: After they finished studying, Leela and Sheila watched a movie. Leela and Sheila watched a movie after they finished studying. In the first sentence, the incomplete sentence is followed by the main sentence. In the second sentence, it is the reverse situation. You may have also observed that when the incomplete sentence appears first in the sentence, a comma is placed after it. However when the main sentence appears first, a comma need not be placed after it. Look at the following examples: You should wear a helmet while driving. While driving, you should wear a helmet. I can finish the work if I get the papers. If I get the papers, I can finish the work.
Self-Check Questions Answer the following
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1. How is a Compound sentence formed? 2. How is a Complex sentence formed? 3. Convert the following into Compound sentences. a. I prepared well for the test. I did not get the highest marks. b. I might become a physician. I might become a surgeon.
25.6 Things to Avoid When Framing Sentences 25.6.1 Sentence Fragments An incomplete sentence is called a sentence fragment. This is because it does not express anything unless some more words are added to it. For example: The workers were demanding The man standing The long and winding road These sentences do not convey any meaning on their own. However when a few words are added to each, the sentence is complete and the meaning is clear. Let’s look at the same sentences again. The workers were demanding a holiday. The man standing near the gate is the gardener. The long and winding road leads to the cottage. Note that the sentences are now complete and have a meaning. 25.6.2 Run-on-sentence A run-on sentence is the opposite of a sentence fragment. While the sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence, the run-on sentence is a combination of too many thoughts. These should actually be expressed in more than one sentence, but are written instead as one sentence. When this happens, clarity is lost. Let us look at an example of a run-on sentence which is given below: A little girl named Mary had a pet lamb whose fleece was as white as snow and wherever Mary went the lamb followed her and one fine day the lamb followed little Mary to school and all the children in Mary’s class laughed and played with it and the teacher got angry and asked Mary to take the lamb home. If you write the same sentence as below, don’t you think it presents a better structure? 4
A little girl named Mary had a pet lamb. Its fleece was as white as snow. The lamb followed Mary wherever she went. One fine, day it followed her to school. All the children in Mary’s class laughed and played with the lamb. The teacher got angry and asked Mary to take the lamb home.
Self-Check Questions Rewrite the Sentence Fragment and the Run-on-sentence given below so that they have a better structure and give complete meaning 4. The students were enjoying 5. She was happy because she did well in her examinations and now she was sure her father would give her a big treat and she could enjoy her vacation without any stress.
25.7 Sentences with an Intention or a Purpose There are other types of sentences that are based on why you use them. They are the declarative sentence, imperative sentence, interrogative sentence and exclamatory sentence. Let us understand the meanings of these words. •
Declarative: making a statement A declarative sentence ends in a period or a full stop (.). e.g. I go for a walk everyday.
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Imperative: expressing a command; speaking with authority An imperative sentence also ends in a period. e.g. Please help me with my homework.
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Interrogative: a word used in asking a question An Interrogative sentence ends in a question mark (?). e.g. What are you doing in my room?
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Exclamatory: expressing strong feeling An exclamatory sentence ends with an exclamation mark (!). e.g. Oh, this is such a violent movie!
25.8 The Conjunction in Sentences You have already learnt that conjunctions are words that link ideas together. ‘but’, ‘or’, ‘and’ are examples of conjunctions.
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Let us look at a few examples of sentences using conjunctions. They wanted to shift to Bombay, but changed their mind later. We will go either to London, or to Switzerland for the vacation. Experience makes a man wise, and practice makes him perfect.
25.9 The Semicolon in Sentences A semicolon (;) is used when two or more closely-knit ideas are put together to form a single sentence. The semicolon can be used instead of a conjunction. However, do remember that this can occur only when two or more related thoughts need to be put forth. For example: Pooja is an excellent dancer; she is very graceful. The athlete was disqualified; he was stripped of his medal. Experience makes a man wise; practice makes him perfect. From these examples you can observe that each of the sentences contains two statements joined together by a semicolon. Here the semicolon acts as a tool to show the immediate relationship between the two sentences. By using the semicolon the close association between the two parts is expressed clearly.
Self-Check Questions State whether True or False. 6. An interrogative sentence expresses a strong feeling. 7. Conjunctions are words that form a Complex sentence. 8. An exclamatory statement ends with a question mark. 9. A semi colon and conjunction are used together. 10. An imperative sentence expresses a command or authority. 11. A declarative sentence ends with an exclamation.
25.10 Summing Up In this lesson you were taught strategies that would help you construct different types of sentences. The tools used to construct, combine and expand various forms of sentences were explained.
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You learnt that in order to construct sentences correctly, you need to • • • •
first recognize the different types of sentences pay attention to grammar rules learnt in earlier units and apply them correctly. This will help you avoid common errors while creating sentences think about the content for the sentences use punctuation marks appropriately
25.11 Answers to Self-Check Questions 1. 2.
A compound sentence is formed by linking two simple sentences. A Complex sentence is formed with an incomplete sentence and a complete (main) sentence. 3. I prepared well for the test yet I did not get the highest marks. 4. I might become a physician or I might become a surgeon. 5. The students were enjoying the break. 6. She was happy because she did well in her examinations. Now she was sure her father would give her a big treat. She could enjoy her vacation without any stress. 7. An interrogative sentence expresses a strong feeling. FALSE 8. Conjunctions are words that form a Complex sentence. FALSE 9. An exclamatory statement ends with a question mark. FALSE 10. A semi colon and conjunction are used together. FALSE 11. An imperative sentence expresses a command or authority. TRUE 12. A declarative sentence ends with an exclamation. FALSE
25.12 References 1. Panman, Sandra and Richard Panman. Writing Basics. New York: Active Learning Corporation, 1991 2. Wijesinha, Rajiva. A Handbook of English Grammar. Chennai: Foundation Books, 2004 3. Wren and Martin. Revised by Prasada Rao,N.D.V. High School English Grammar & Composition. New Delhi: S.Chand & Company Ltd, 2005 4. Gilani, Archana, and Kaul, Mridula. & Suganthan Beena. The Grammar Tree India: Oxford University Press 2004 5. Terban, Marvin. Checking your Grammar. New York: Scholastic Inc. 1993 6. Scholastic Writer’s Desk Reference. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2000 7. Checchi, F. Arnold. Capitalization and Punctuation. U.S.A: Curriculum Associates Inc, 1997
25.13 Glossary • •
Cause and Effect: an action that takes place and the reaction that follows Clause: group of words that consist of a single subject and a single verb that is a complete sentence and can stand on its own
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• • • • • • • •
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Declarative: making a statement Exclamatory: expressing strong feeling Fragment: only a piece or part of a whole of anything Imperative: expressing a command; speaking with authority Interrogative a word used in asking a question Logical: reasonable Predicate: a verb when it states something about the subject Punctuation: symbols or standard marks used while writing sentences to make them clear in meaning